Haaland Brace and Foden's First Goal of 2026 Give Maresca Record-Breaking Man City Win Over Ipswich

City keep rolling on and on as Maresca rewrites the record books

Manchester City maintained their flawless start to the Premier League season with a 3-2 victory over Ipswich Town at the Etihad Stadium, extending their lead at the top of the table to six points and making Enzo Maresca the first manager in Premier League history to win his first seven matches in charge of a club.

Maresca's seventh straight league win took him past Carlo Ancelotti, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his own predecessor Pep Guardiola, who were all tied on six. Only Chelsea under Jose Mourinho in 2005-06 (first nine games) and Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp in 2019-20 (first eight) have ever enjoyed longer winning starts to a Premier League campaign – and both of those sides went on to win the title.

"For sure I didn't expect to win seven games out of seven," Maresca said. "It's a matter of winning games in this business."

Asked about his personal milestone, the Italian was quick to deflect the praise towards his squad, who are playing against the backdrop of the independent commission's recent guilty verdicts over the club's financial rules, a ruling City are appealing.

"Absolutely, but I also understand we give credit to the players," Maresca said. "They only need to be worried about people inside the club, and I give the credit to them. They are not worried about people who judge from outside, because those are people working to create problems. Inside, I promise the players are happy, they're getting credit and I give the credit to them. We were able to win seven in a row and what made me very happy was working day-by-day with the players, the way I can see them improving."

Haaland does what he always does

As ever, City had a talisman to thank. There was the now-statutory Erling Haaland goal – in fact, two of them – as the Norwegian scored a second successive brace and struck for an eighth game in a row. Haaland now has 12 goals in his last eight outings for City, ensuring that Ipswich's competitiveness did not earn them a point.

His second goal was headed in after a lovely bit of skill and a deft chipped cross from Mateo Kovacic, who had been excellent before hobbling off and being replaced earlier than expected by Enzo Fernandez. Haaland's opener came from a different kind of assist, a perceptive pass followed by two terrific touches, the second dispatched beyond Ipswich goalkeeper Christian Walton.

Briefly it seemed Haaland had his ninth Premier League hat-trick when he hooked in a volley after Iliman Ndiaye had hit the bar, but Fernandez was ruled offside. That disallowed goal instead brought Ipswich back into the contest.

Even when Maresca's policy of picking Haaland appeared to backfire, after he hobbled off at the end, the striker could reassure his manager. "He said he was okay so hopefully it is nothing serious," Maresca said. "The only one we need to wait on is Antoine," he added of substitute Antoine Semenyo, one of five City players who sustained problems on the day.

Foden ends his drought

The one genuinely significant difference from City's recent form was the return of Phil Foden, who ended a 35-game goal drought for the club with a belated first strike of 2026. The local academy graduate marked his first appearance since his Manchester derby red card by slotting home after Jeremy Doku's cutback.

Maresca, who had predicted Foden would score, looked prophetic. "He's one of the best Premier League players and it's my duty to help him be one of the best players," the manager said. "With Phil, I have said it many times, I knew him from years ago, and for me, he's one of the best Premier League players. And since day one, it's been my duty to help him to be one of the best players again. I'm very happy about his goal, and hopefully it can be just the beginning of many goals and good performances."

Foden owed his presence to a wholesale policy of rotation after City's considerable efforts against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. Maresca made six changes, handing Ayyoub Bouaddi a first Premier League start, with Enzo Fernandez and Elliot Anderson held in reserve on a bench that cost more than the starting XI – around £500m.

Ipswich fight back but come away empty-handed

Ipswich had begun well organised in the 5-4-1 formation Gary O'Neil has used against City before, and ended the game on the front foot. They levelled when Daizen Maeda scored his first goal for the club after darting in behind Marc Guehi. It was not Guehi's finest day: he fouled Ipswich substitute Azor Matusiwa for a late penalty which Zian Flemming converted.

City have now conceded nine goals in their last three home matches in all competitions, and the closing minutes were fraught.

"We did have a go. There are a few things we need to do better, then it's fine margins in a game like that," O'Neil said. "I'm proud of the group. It's not what we came for, and we thought we could take points, so we're disappointed we haven't. But the players gave everything. The second goal I'm not happy with, and then there were a few bits that were just fine margins."

Ipswich generated 1.66 expected goals but allowed City to rack up 3.53 xG. "I am disappointed we haven't taken points," O'Neil added. His team looked a side who will be in the Premier League next year. The same question, in a strange kind of limbo, hangs over City.