\u201cTo replace Erling it\u2019s always difficult but we have some different options; we\u2019ll see tomorrow,\u201d Maresca said. \u201cTo lose Antoine or any player for us is not good. Then in terms of Erling, we said that we can use Antoine as a 9 but also we have different players that we are going to try and to find new solutions.\u201d<\/p>\n
Maresca witnessed a number of his players limp away from the win over Ipswich: Haaland, Semenyo, Mateo Kovacic, Matheus Nunes and Nico O\u2019Reilly, who all featured at the World Cup. Maresca had made six changes, showing the need to rotate amid a hectic schedule of seven games in 21 days in October for City, many of whose players also had international commitments at the start of the month.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe try to manage all the players in the best way, try to keep them fit,\u201d Maresca said. \u201cEven sometimes things happen that you cannot control, like Antoine\u2019s injury. We try to save him, we try to keep him fresh.\u201d<\/p>\n
The fixtures mean it is difficult for Maresca to get training time as he tries to instil his style. \u201cWe try and do what we can on the pitch to go through a few things and tactics before the games,\u201d the defender Marc Gu\u00e9hi said. \u201cIt\u2019s just a lot of recovery, sleep, to make sure the body is right for the next game,. It\u2019s been enjoyable, to be honest; not to train, just playing games, which is fun.\u201d<\/p>\n
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