Enzo Maresca made clear Manchester City can continue to learn after a 2-1 loss to Aston Villa.

The Citizens earned the full set of 21 possible points from their first seven Premier League fixtures under their new manager. However, his side suffered their first domestic defeat of the league season following a Nicolas Jackson brace for the Villans at Villa Park in the early kick-off on Saturday.

·‘We need to find that balance’

Maresca has rebutted the idea that his side are suffering too much at the back with a more open approach than under Pep Guardiola, but the pragmatism and pace of the hosts picked them apart.

What is clear is that City will have to keep making improvements if they want to stay at the top of the table, having seen Arsenal close the gap at the summit, and Maresca cannot allow complacency.

“I think we deserved more from the game for the amount of chances that we created and for the chances we conceded. Now we need to review a little bit the game.

“For sure when you see the amount of time we spent in their box, sometimes you probably need to be a little bit more accurate in the last third and try to score goals. We lost because we probably are not being clinical enough in their box.

“We need to find that balance. If you mention to come here and don’t concede one or two transitions it’s almost not the reality.

“In the second half I don’t remember any more shots or any chances for them apart from the goal we conceded in transition. Sometimes you concede a goal from a mistake.

“The second goal again comes from transition, and over 45 minutes it’s difficult to avoid that every time. But we learn from the game and move on and we try to improve.”