Enzo Maresca watched his side benefit from a VAR error at Old Trafford on Sunday. He then spent his press conference talking about a decision that went the other way three years ago.
City's 1-0 win over Manchester United came through Erling Haaland's second-half goal, scored while the visitors were down to ten men after Phil Foden's dismissal. The goal was flagged offside, then allowed to stand after review. Haaland was onside. The problem was Enzo Fernandez, who had tried to play the ball from an offside position and should have been penalised for interfering with play.
Howard Webb, the chief refereeing officer, later described the VAR team's review as tunnel vision. United were contacted once the mistake was acknowledged.
Maresca, though, was already somewhere else entirely. He went straight back to January 2023, and a 2-1 defeat at the same ground. Bruno Fernandes equalised that night while the offside Marcus Rashford ran towards the ball before Fernandes scored. That one stood too.
Sometimes it goes for you, sometimes against you. Three years ago, when I was here, it happened exactly the same against Man United; we lost the derby there. The goal was not a regular goal, if you remember? And to be honest, no one apologised. We are still waiting for the apology for that goal. Sometimes it happens for you, sometimes against you. It's football.
The point was clear enough. City have not forgotten, even if the manager has moved on.
A win, and a receipt
There is something oddly satisfying about a manager keeping the receipts. Webb's admission and the contact with United are procedural matters, the sort of thing that disappears into a filing cabinet by Tuesday. Maresca's reference to 2023 will linger rather longer. It is not bitterness. It is just a note in the margin.
City benefited from the mistake on Sunday. The manager made sure everyone remembered the one that went the other way. Fair enough.