Enzo Maresca seemed to slot in seamlessly after taking on the daunting job of replacing Pep Guardiola, but he now needs to find solutions to Manchester City's stuttering form.

With chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak and chief executive Ferran Soriano keeping a close eye on proceedings at Etihad Stadium on Saturday, Maresca has issues to address across the pitch.

City missed out on the title to Arsenal last season and are expected to be the closest challengers again - however, Maresca's side have conceded 10 goals in nine league games this term; double the amount that Mikel Arteta's men have let in.

Individual errors at the back are beginning to stack up - Marc Guehi, who was dropped for the defeat by Brighton, and Gianluigi Donnarumma were culpable at Villa Park and Matheus Nunes was the guilty party against the Seagulls.

The result also meant City lost consecutive Premier League games for the first time in 14 months.

"Sometimes it happens," said Maresca of the individual errors. "Unfortunately it is happening for our players, but it is part of the game. It happens many times against us.

"We need to analyse what we can do better and try to move on."

Maresca has been unequivocal about his number one, saying it is "Donnarumma plus 10" on the teamsheet, but defensive frailties mean City have now kept only one clean sheet in their past eight games.

The Italian, though, seems to still be trying to find the best combination in the middle of the park.

The ex-Chelsea boss usually starts with only two of those summer arrivals behind a number 10, but decided to go with all three and leave Rayan Cherki and Phil Foden on the bench on Saturday.

"I expected a physical game," Maresca said of his midfield make-up. "Analysing them, watching them, they are aggressive man to man. I watched the games they have played.

"It was a good idea to start with three physical midfielders and I was also thinking about the last 20-30 minutes to refresh with Rayan, Allan and Phil.

"In this moment, it is like this and we need just to move on."