Pep Guardiola gives his honest opinion on Enzo Maresca's Chelsea after win over Manchester City

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has insisted he “loves” the style of play Enzo Maresca is trying to implement at Chelsea.

City cruised to a 4-2 win over the Blues on Saturday night in Ohio, with Erling Haaland stealing the show with a hat-trick to signal he is ready to hit the ground running when the 2024/25 season begins in less than two weeks.

Individual errors in the build-up to play have been a key sticking point in what has been a volatile pre-season tour of the United States for Chelsea but Guardiola remains confident in his former assistant coach.

Speaking after City's resounding win, he said: “At Stamford Bridge that wouldn't happen.

“I have to say that I see what Enzo wants to do and I like it. And I'm not just saying that because he's my friend.”

Chelsea's mistakes and insistence on playing out from the back played a part in each of City's four goals that night. New signing Tosin Adarabioyo lost the ball in his own penalty area before Haaland was brought down by Levi Colwill for a penalty after just two minutes, which he converted.

Moises Caicedo's misplaced pass into Haaland's path proved costly moments later, with the Norway international needing no second invitation when presented with the opportunity to head towards goal.

Raheem Sterling and Malo Gusto both feel they should have done better ahead of City's third and fourth goals, with Oscar Bobb on the scoresheet amid speculation he is among Chelsea's targets.

Sterling and Noni Madueke came on to halve the deficit but it was ultimately a performance that highlighted the gulf in quality between the two teams and showed Maresca there was plenty his side needed to work on.

Speaking after the defeat, the former Leicester City manager said: “I have no doubt about the progress the team is making at the moment.

“Mistakes are part of the process. I’ve known City for many years, even in friendlies they don’t give away chances or possession, but in the first half I don’t remember them making six or seven passes in a row. So that’s a good thing.”