RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Enzo Maresca won his first game in charge of Manchester City with a 3-1 win over the K-League All Stars in Seoul. <p>All four goals were scored in the opening 23 minutes as City bounced back from Saturday's penalty shoot-out loss to Inter Milan.</p><p><strong>Rayan Ait-Nouri, Tijjani Reijnders</strong> and <strong>Divin Mubama </strong>all scored for City, who used 22 players in the win.</p><p>Here, <em>Sky Sports</em> assesses Maresca's first win in charge of Manchester City…</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.skysports.com/football/live-blog/11095/13569973/k-league-all-stars-vs-man-city-live-match-updates-team-news-score-from-pre-season-friendly"><strong>K-League All Stars 1-3 Man City: Key moments and as it happened</strong></a></li><li><strong><a href="https://qrcode.skysports.com/TransfersSkySportsApp">Transfer Centre LIVE!</a></strong><!--ScriptorStartFragment--></li><li><strong><a href="https://qrcode.skysports.com/skysports/ManCityblogarticles">Man City news & transfers</a>🔵 | <a href="https://www.skysports.com/manchester-city-scores-fixtures">Man City fixtures</a></strong><!--ScriptorEndFragment--></li></ul><h3>Maresca's interesting tactical set-up</h3><widget id="2"></widget><p>Maresca said last month he is not a "copy and paste" coach as he looks to succeed Pep Guardiola - and his tactics in Seoul were certainly different.</p><p><strong>Rico Lewis</strong> played at right-back, but when City were in possession he tucked infield and supported the midfield pairing of <strong>Mateo Kovacic</strong> and Reijnders.</p><p>It meant City had a three-man defence of <strong>Josko Gvardiol</strong>,<strong> Abdukodir Khusanov</strong> and<strong> Ruben Dias </strong>when in possession.</p><p>Ait-Nouri and <strong>Antoine Semenyo </strong>were the wingers and played very high and wide - and that paid off immediately as the former scored a ninth-minute opener from his left-wing position.</p><p><strong>Phil Foden</strong> was handed a free role in the No 10 position behind striker Muamba, who scored in consecutive pre-season games.</p><h3>Reijnders impresses amid Forest links</h3> <widget id="4"></widget><p>On Tuesday, reports emerged that Nottingham Forest were eyeing a £55m move for Reijnders.</p><p>But on this showing in South Korea, City will want to keep the Netherlands international.</p><p>His driving runs from deep and technical ability allowed City to create chances and dominate.</p><p>The ex-AC Milan midfielder superbly set up Ait-Nouri's opener before he restored City's lead with a fine low finish across goal from Semenyo's inventive backheel assist.</p><p>The 28-year-old faces stiff competition in midfield next season, especially after the £116m arrival of <strong>Elliot Anderson</strong>, who is not part of City's pre-season tour of Asia after his World Cup exertions with England.</p><p>But more performances like this will make City think twice about potentially moving Reijnders on this summer.</p> <widget id="5"></widget><h3>Semenyo shines in Seoul</h3><p>Semenyo may not have scored in Seoul, but he was outstanding and City's best player.</p><p>A lively performance from the Ghana international saw him terrorise the hosts' defence.</p><p>He produced a sublime assist for Reijnders' goal and then played a huge part in Muamba's rebound finish as his shot after cutting inside was parried straight to the striker to tap home.</p><p>Semenyo was taken off at half-time and replaced by <strong>Savinho</strong>, but the Tottenham target did not reach Semenyo's levels.</p><p>The ex-Bournemouth attacker impressed in the second half of last season after joining in January, and he looks set to scale new heights under Maresca in the upcoming campaign.</p> <widget id="3"></widget><h3>Another quick equaliser conceded - and from City's left again</h3><p>There were just three minutes between Ait-Nouri's opener and the K-League All Stars' equaliser.</p><p>That was three minutes less than what it took Inter Milan to level up on Saturday after Muamba had given City the lead over the Italian champions.</p><p>That is now two quick concessions after scoring the first goal, and this switching off is something Maresca will have taken note of.</p><p>There was further déjà vu about Dae-Won Kim's equaliser, with the goal coming down City's right side.</p><p>Benjamin Pavard's finish for Inter Milan on Saturday came after Federico Dimarco had found acres of space inside the box on City's right.</p><p>Four days on, it was the K-League All Stars who exploited City's right-hand side as Kim cut in from the left and struck an equaliser.</p><p>City goalkeeper <strong>Gianluigi Donnarumma</strong>, though, would have been disappointed with the goal after being beaten at his near post.</p><p>Picking the ball out of the net was the only thing Donnarumma did in Seoul, but he will know that at the same venue this Sunday (12pm UK time) he will likely have more to do in City's next pre-season game against <strong>Atletico Madrid</strong>.</p> <widget id="1"></widget>
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