Maresca admits City pass back to Donnarumma too often as James backs keeper to become world's best

Enzo Maresca has called on Manchester City’s outfield players to stop passing back to Gianluigi Donnarumma unless they have no other option, insisting that several nervous moments in recent games have been caused by poor decision-making from his teammates rather than errors from the goalkeeper himself.

Donnarumma has kept clean sheets in consecutive wins over Coventry City and FC Porto, but his performances have stayed under scrutiny. Against Coventry, an Abdukodir Khusanov backpass nearly crept over City’s own goal-line, while Tuesday’s Champions League trip to Porto produced a couple of anxious moments, including a clearance charged down by an onrushing forward.

“I think a few times tonight, it is not on Gigio’s mistake,” Maresca said after the Porto match. “It is more for me the wrong decision to go back to Gigio. Sometimes we go too many times back to Gigio when we don’t need. I always said that we need to go to the keeper when we don’t have different options, but when we have more options we don’t need to go to Gigio. Against Coventry, probably the mistake that we almost concede a goal — but that is the wrong decision from Khusanov to play with Gigio, so I am very happy with Gigio.”

City face Manchester United in the Premier League this weekend, the same fixture in which Donnarumma made his debut for the club a year ago. A third successive clean sheet would be a first for the 26-year-old since joining the Etihad.

Former City and England goalkeeper David James has leapt to Donnarumma’s defence over persistent criticism of his footwork, arguing the Italian’s ability with the ball has been overstated as a weakness. “There is no doubt in my mind that Gianluigi Donnarumma is the best shot-stopper in the Premier League,” James said. “The amount of big saves he is capable of making in massive moments for Man City has proved that.”

James added that Donnarumma’s passing had visibly improved over the summer and that the demands of City’s build-up style do not require an exceptional distributor. “I don’t think he’s as bad with his feet as people make out. He can control a pass back and find a nearby teammate with ease, and playing for Man City, I’m not sure he needs much more than that.”

The former England international believes the ceiling for Donnarumma is the highest in the game. “I think his passing looked to have improved over the summer. His ability at passing the ball long distances seemed to be better than what it was last season. If he does continue to improve that area of his game, he’s the perfect goalkeeper. He’ll become the most well-rounded keeper in the world.”