Maresca hails Manchester City after 3-0 win at Liverpool: 'We make our own noise'

Manchester City silenced Anfield with a 3-0 win over Liverpool in their first outing since the club was found guilty of 114 breaches of Premier League financial rules. Enzo Maresca praised his players for making their own noise amid the controversy surrounding the club. Goals from Erling Haaland, Jérémy Doku and Rayan Cherki kept City's perfect start to the league season intact.

• City won 3-0 at Anfield with goals from Haaland, Doku and Cherki
• It was the team's first match since the guilty verdict on 114 financial charges
• Gravenberch's 62nd-minute red card changed the game
• Maresca equalled the best start by a manager in Premier League history
• City have six wins from six matches and sit top of the table

Manchester City answer on the pitch with a dominant Anfield display

City's first appearance since the adverse ruling on financial irregularities could hardly have been more emphatic. Maresca's side produced a complete performance against a Liverpool team that held firm until the hour mark. Haaland opened the scoring just one minute after Ryan Gravenberch's dismissal, and from that point the visitors took total control.

Doku capped an outstanding display with the second goal and Cherki completed the scoring to round off a result that keeps City at the summit. Six matches, six wins and a clear message to the rest of the title contenders.

My message to the players since we were together three days ago, when they all came back from their national teams, has been quite clear: guys, the noise will always be there so it's about how we learn to deal with the noise and it's our duty to make our noise. Our noise is to win games in the way we did today and to be happy.

Gravenberch's red card unlocks the game for City

The match turned decisively in the 62nd minute when Gravenberch received a second booking for a foul on Elliot Anderson. Andoni Iraola, the Liverpool head coach, felt the decision was overly harsh and praised his players' commitment despite the defeat.

Iraola explained that Liverpool played two different games: one before the red card, when they felt superior, and another after it, with Manchester City clearly on top. The home coach insisted Gravenberch's first yellow card should never have been shown.

The first foul of Ryan is never a yellow card, never. The referee doesn't even call the foul straight away. He lets it go, Elliot Anderson does a couple of steps and then decides to go down.

Maresca matches a historic Premier League record

The victory saw Enzo Maresca equal the best start by a manager in Premier League history. Six consecutive wins from the opening six matches put the Italian coach level with a feat no other debutant had achieved in the English top flight.

The City boss downplayed the off-field context and focused on his team's performance. He smiled when asked whether he needed the appeal to be resolved as quickly as possible to fully enjoy such an impressive win, making clear that his priority is simply preparing and winning matches.

You cannot imagine how happy I am. I don't care. I'm here to try and prepare games and to win games. Hopefully I can speak about this situation when we win the appeal.

Institutional unity in the Anfield stands

Ferran Soriano, Manchester City's chief executive, was present at Anfield as the fallout from the guilty verdict continues. Maresca welcomed the club's decision to travel together with the squad for such a high-profile fixture.

The head coach stressed that the unity shown by the club in such a demanding environment is exactly what the group needs for the months ahead. The image of cohesion between board, coaching staff and players was one of the messages left by the night on Merseyside.

What Manchester City's Anfield win means for the title race

The win keeps City top of the Premier League with a perfect record and sends a warning to their pursuers. The authority shown at one of the toughest grounds in the competition strengthens Maresca's side as genuine title contenders.

The fixture list offers no respite and the Manchester club must prove their flawless start is no flash in the pan. For now, the message on the pitch is emphatic: off-field controversies have not affected a squad that keeps winning with authority.