Manchester City maintained their perfect start under Enzo Maresca with a 3-2 victory over Ipswich at the Etihad Stadium, but the visitors made them work hard for the points.
The result extended City’s lead at the top of the Premier League to six points over Arsenal and gave them a second successive league win since their guilty verdict for serious breaches of the competition’s financial rules. The case continues to cast a shadow over the club, but supporters made their backing clear with chants and inflatable bananas across the stands.
Phil Foden and Erling Haaland scored to put City in control, with the Norwegian finding the net twice. Ipswich refused to give up, however, and a late penalty from Zian Flemming left the hosts facing an anxious finish.
City’s victory also continued Maresca’s remarkable start, with the Italian becoming the first manager to win his opening seven games in charge of a team. Yet his side’s defensive lapses showed there is still work to do despite their strong results.
Seven matches. Seven wins. 😮💨🩵
A record-breaking @premierleague start for our boss! 🤩 https://t.co/UKvIqXsPmr
— Manchester City (@ManCity) October 17, 2026
Ipswich arrived with a clear plan to frustrate the hosts. Gary O’Neil’s players dropped deep and kept their shape, leaving City with plenty of possession but little space to exploit in the opening stages.
The home side made six changes from their previous outing and needed time to find their rhythm. Ruben Dias offered an early warning with a powerful strike from distance, but Christian Walton reacted well to push the ball away.
City eventually found a way through in the 19th minute. Jeremy Doku worked his way into the area from the left and cut the ball back for Foden, who finished from close range. It was a welcome goal for the midfielder, who had not scored since mid-December and was making his first appearance since being sent off against Manchester United last month.
The lead lasted only two minutes. Abdoul Ouattara played an excellent pass behind City’s defence for Daizen Maeda, who got ahead of Marc Guehi before rounding Gianluigi Donnarumma and finishing calmly.
The equaliser briefly unsettled City, but they regained control and restored their advantage before half-time. Mateo Kovacic reached the byline and delivered a cross into the box, where Haaland rose to head the ball towards goal. Walton got a hand to the effort but could not prevent it from crossing the line.
City finished the first half on the front foot, with Dias forcing another save from Walton. Haaland and Doku also had attempts blocked as Ipswich struggled to contain the hosts’ growing pressure.
The visitors returned with greater ambition after the break and nearly punished City from a corner. Donnarumma misjudged the delivery and left his goal exposed, but Emersonn’s header struck a defender rather than finding the net.
That escape did little to help City settle. They struggled to create clear chances for a spell and had to rely on patient passing to find openings against Ipswich’s organised defence.
The breakthrough came in the 69th minute through Haaland. Iliman Ndiaye drove forward and split the defence with a well-weighted pass into the striker’s path. Haaland moved past Ouattara before beating Walton with a composed finish to make it 3-1.
The goal appeared to have settled the contest, but City were denied a fourth when Haaland volleyed into the net after Ndiaye’s effort had struck the crossbar. VAR ruled the goal out for offside against Enzo Fernandez in the build-up, leaving Ipswich with a chance to mount another comeback.
That opportunity arrived when VAR sent referee Farai Hallam to the pitchside monitor after Guehi brought down Abdul Fatawu in the penalty area. A penalty was awarded, and Flemming converted in the 90th minute to reduce the deficit to one goal.
Twelve minutes of added time gave Ipswich further hope, and the visitors pushed forward in search of an equaliser. City had to remain alert as the closing stages became increasingly tense, but they held on to secure all three points.
