Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca appeared upbeat despite his side’s perfect start to the Premier League season coming to an end against Aston Villa.

City fell to a 2-1 defeat at Villa Park, with Nicolas Jackson scoring either side of an Erling Haaland header as the league leaders dropped points for the first time in the top-flight under Maresca.

Maresca insisted his side “didn’t deserve to lose” but admitted there are aspects of the game his players can improve on.

“I think the performance overall was good, the amount of chances that we created,” Maresca told TNT Sports.

“[In the] second half we just conceded the transition for the goal. Sometimes you have to defend a little bit better, a little bit more lucky in that transition. But it’s football.

“We’ll learn from that and we move on.”

‘There are things we can do better’

Maresca remained adamant that both of Villa’s goals were avoidable, but acknowledged that ruthlessness at both ends of the pitch was vital at the elite level.

“We also created many moments, many chances,” the City boss said.

“We played most of the game in their half. but you have to be clinical and you have to avoid mistakes.

“You can learn always from when you win and when you lose. For sure, there are things that we can do better.”

Next up for City is back-to-back games against high-flying Brighton. The first, on Wednesday in the EFL Cup at the Etihad, is followed three days later by another clash in Manchester, this time in the league.