Maresca stands by Donnarumma amid criticism of goalkeeper's form

Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca has come out in defence of Gianluigi Donnarumma after the goalkeeper came under fire for a shaky run of performances.

ESPN reports that Maresca has backed both Donnarumma and defender Marc Guéhi following criticism of their recent form (ESPN). It suggests the manager is keen to shield his players from the growing outside noise as results and performances come under the microscope.

Sports Mole focuses more squarely on the goalkeeper, noting that Donnarumma has endured "an error-strewn run of form in recent weeks" and that Maresca has had to respond directly to the criticism being aimed his way (Sports Mole). The implication is that mistakes have been mounting up for the Italian shot-stopper since his move to City.

Manchester Evening News carries a similar message, with Maresca saying of Donnarumma "he knows" - suggesting the keeper is well aware of his recent errors and the manager trusts him to put things right (Manchester Evening News). This take frames it less as damage control and more as a manager showing faith in a player he believes will come good.

Where the outlets agree is on the central point: Donnarumma has not been at his best of late, the critics have noticed, and Maresca has chosen to publicly back his man rather than pile on further pressure. ESPN broadens the story slightly by including Guéhi in the same breath (ESPN), while Sports Mole (Sports Mole) and Manchester Evening News (Manchester Evening News) keep the focus purely on the goalkeeper's own struggles and the manager's response.

With Brighton visiting the Etihad in City's next fixture, all eyes will be on whether Donnarumma can repay his manager's faith between the posts.

Written with the help of AI, using the headlines from the publishers credited above. Each point links to the original report — tap the source name to read it in full.