Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca rallied back at a reporter on Friday when questioned why players under his leadership at Chelsea last season received a lot of red cards.

Maresca’s Blues side struggled with discipline issues last season, collecting six red cards in just over two months from September to November before the Italian left the club on New Year’s Day.

Chelsea’s discipline issues continued last Saturday when Cole Palmer was sent off in the defeat to Tottenham. As for City, Maresca notably took off Marc Guehi and Rayan Cherki at half-time while both were on yellow cards last week against Aston Villa.

Asked about that decision and then his side’s poor disciplinary record at Chelsea, Maresca interrupted: “When I was there or when I left?”

When the reporter said “when you were there”, Maresca replied: “When I left. You lack information. When I was there… when I left.

Asked if he thought it was an issue, the Italian replied: “I don’t think so.”

However, the statistics do back up the reporter: while Chelsea received six red cards last season during Maresca’s months in charge, the Blues only received four red cards after he left the club.

Meanwhile, Maresca insisted his entire squad, aside from Antoine Semenyo, was fit for Saturday’s game against third-placed Brighton.

Maresca’s four months in charge so far have been overshadowed by the 114 guilty verdicts for breaking financial rules, which the club are appealing.

Asked about progress on the pitch in his opening months as manager, Maresca said: "We're going in the right direction. After so many years, to change the manager, many players, it always takes time to compete again.

“I think, in this moment, we are competing, and we changed many players, changed manager. But the good thing about the club is that, in this moment, I think we are competing in all competitions and we know that it takes time.

“In this moment, we continue in the same way.”