Enzo Maresca, Manchester City’s interim manager, has addressed lingering grievances over a controversial goal in the 2023 Manchester derby, saying the club is still awaiting an apology from referees’ chief Howard Webb for a pivotal decision that went against City in that fixture. The incident came during City’s 3-2 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford, when Bruno Fernandes scored an equalizer despite Marcus Rashford being in an offside position.

Maresca, who was Pep Guardiola’s assistant at the time, described the goal as “not a regular goal” and noted that no formal apology had been issued since. “Sometimes it happens for you, sometimes it happens against you. It’s football,” he commented, refraining from criticizing Manchester United’s recent celebrations of a derby winner during the latest match between the clubs.

City will face Norwich in the Carabao Cup on Thursday, offering Maresca a chance to secure his first trophy as manager. Guardiola, who stepped down earlier this year, previously led City to a record five Carabao Cup titles. The upcoming match will be without midfielder Phil Foden, who was handed a three-match suspension following a red card for kicking out at Fernandes in the recent derby.

Maresca reflected on Foden’s reaction after the dismissal, stating he was initially upset but grew more composed as time passed. “He knows the reaction was not a good one, but again, it’s finished and we move on,” Maresca said.

Alongside established squad members, Maresca plans to integrate several young players into the team. Ryan McAidoo, Kaden Braithwaite, and Floyd Samba—son of former Blackburn defender Chris Samba—have trained with the first team throughout the season and are included in the Carabao Cup squad. Maresca highlighted the importance of development opportunities for these youngsters, noting that despite a broader pre-season squad, only these three remained to train consistently with the senior squad.

New summer signings may also feature in the match, with Brazilian midfielder Allan and goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli potentially making their club debuts. Meanwhile, winger Jérémy Doku continues to recover from a calf injury sustained during the Community Shield, with positive progress reported by the coaching staff.

As Maresca seeks to consolidate his leadership and push for silverware, the upcoming Carabao Cup fixtures present an opportunity to build momentum for the remainder of the season.