Patience required as Ndiaye learns the City way

There was no debut goal, no moment of magic, but Iliman Ndiaye's first appearance in a City shirt on Saturday offered a glimpse of what might be to come. The Senegalese international, signed from Everton on deadline day, was handed a start on the left wing by Enzo Maresca for the 1-0 win over Coventry City at the Etihad.

His teammates clearly wanted him involved early, making a concerted effort to get him on the ball from the off. Yet for all that goodwill, Ndiaye's influence on the game was limited. He kept things simple in possession, helping City recycle the ball without ever really threatening from the left. There were moments when he drifted into dangerous areas, but no real chances created.

The one standout moment came in the second half, when he collected the ball deep in his own half and surged forward to play City out of trouble. It was a reminder of the athleticism and drive that persuaded the club to move for him.

Out of possession, the effort was there. Ndiaye tracked back diligently and showed a willingness to do the dirty work, something that will have pleased his new manager.

Maresca's honest assessment

Maresca was satisfied with the debut overall, but he was not about to sugar-coat the performance. The head coach pointed out that Ndiaye, at times, found himself in the wrong positions when City had the ball, and was quick to contextualise why.

“Ili just had two sessions. He needs to understand how to move. Most of the time he was moving the wrong way, wrong position.”

The detail of Maresca's critique was telling. When Marc Guehi had the ball, Ndiaye kept dropping deep when City did not need him to. The space he was occupying was meant for Josko Gvardiol. Maresca wants his new winger higher up the pitch, in the last third, where he can do damage.

The same issue was apparent on the other flank, where Antoine Semenyo was dropping when Abdukodir Khusanov was in possession. That space, Maresca explained, belongs to Enzo Fernandez.

It is a lot of information to absorb after just two training sessions, and Maresca acknowledged as much.

“But it’s normal. With time they’re going to learn the way we want them to play.”

For a player who spent last season at Everton, the positional demands of this City side are a different language entirely. Ndiaye will learn it, but Saturday was always going to be a first step rather than a statement. The raw materials are there. The rest, as Maresca says, will come.