Enzo Maresca has thrown his support behind Gianluigi Donnarumma after the goalkeeper's error in City's 3-2 win over RB Leipzig, while also defending his decision to shuffle the central defence.
City twice let a lead slip in Germany on Wednesday, Erling Haaland eventually settling the contest in the 78th minute. The first Leipzig equaliser came when Ridle Baku beat Donnarumma at his near post, an incident that has added to scrutiny over the Italian's recent form.
Maresca, though, was keen to keep perspective. "It's not a concern, but it's a mistake," he told reporters ahead of Saturday's Premier League trip to Nottingham Forest. "We recognise that, he knows that it's a mistake."
The City manager was at pains to point out that Donnarumma had produced a fine save moments before the goal, arguing that one moment should not define the performance. "A few minutes before the mistake, he has made a save that any keeper in the world is not going to do," he said.
Asked whether the upcoming international break might offer a chance to reassess his goalkeeping options, Maresca was unequivocal. "At the moment I'm not thinking about the international break and the goalkeeper situation," he said.
He did accept that Donnarumma should have kept out Baku's effort, but backed the keeper to improve.
Rotation Under the Microscope
Maresca also faced questions over his handling of Rúben Dias, Marc Guéhi and Abdukodir Khusanov, with Dias having started on the bench against Leipzig. The manager explained that the competition for places among his centre-backs makes it impossible to keep picking the same pairing, especially with several players performing well.
Still, he conceded that City's defending needs work. Both Leipzig goals were avoidable, he said, and he argued that recent concessions have stemmed largely from individual errors rather than any flaw in the team's system.
City have lost their last two Premier League matches and will be eager to get back to winning ways at Nottingham Forest on Saturday. Maresca's immediate task is to cut out those mistakes without losing faith in the players making them.