City's manager weighs up changes after PSG setback

Enzo Maresca has admitted that Erling Haaland is long overdue a rest, hinting at rotation for Manchester City's clash with Ipswich Town. The Blues return to Premier League action at the Etihad Stadium this weekend, looking to bounce back from their midweek Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.

That 4-2 loss at the hands of the back-to-back European champions was Maresca's first since he took over from Pep Guardiola in June. Haaland's brace was the one bright spot on a chastening night, but the Norwegian's workload has caught the manager's eye.

"At some point, probably we need to give him some rest, some days off, we are thinking about this," Maresca said, speaking at a press conference on Friday afternoon.

The City boss was quick to point out that Haaland is not alone. He listed Elliot Anderson, Enzo Fernandez, Marc Guehi and Ruben Dias as others shouldering a heavy load for club and country.

"Not just with Erling because we have players who, unfortunately or fortunately, are playing all the games for us and with the international team - Elliot, Enzo, Marc, Erling, Ruben - so at some point probably we need to give them some rest."

Maresca is expected to shuffle his pack against Ipswich, and the visit of the Tractor Boys carries a warning from his own past. His Chelsea side took just one point from two meetings with Ipswich in 2023-24, losing away and drawing 1-1 at home.

"We lost away and we drew at home 1-1," he recalled. "These are the type of games that are very dangerous, I said many times."

He also noted that Ipswich have had the entire week to prepare, while City played 48 hours ago. "We played 48 hours ago," Maresca added, underlining the contrast in freshness.

One player pushing for a start is Ayyoub Bouaddi, whose eye-catching cameo off the bench in midweek caught the eye. Maresca was effusive in his praise.

"A fantastic player. The good thing about Ayyoub is when he's on the pitch, he's improving the ones around him - this is just from top players."

And the manager suggested the young midfielder could form part of a longer-term solution in the centre of the park. "For sure, Bouaddi, Enzo and Elliot can be a midfield solution in the future," he said.

City go into the game on the back of eight consecutive wins across all competitions before the PSG defeat, including a convincing beating of Liverpool at Anfield last week. The loss to PSG was a reminder that even the best runs end, and Maresca must now decide how many changes to make.

Iliman Ndiaye set up Haaland for City's first goal against PSG, while Nico O'Reilly was replaced by Josko Gvardiol in midweek. Both could be involved again as Maresca looks to manage his squad through a demanding period.

The visit of Ipswich offers a chance to return to winning ways, but Maresca's warning about the dangers of such fixtures will linger. With a packed schedule and tired legs, the manager's rotation plans are about to be tested.