City beat Ipswich 3-2 as Bouaddi makes first Premier League start

City claimed a 3-2 win over Ipswich Town in the seventh round of the Premier League, with Bouaddi making his first start in the competition. After the match, he said he was delighted with the victory, while acknowledging the difficulty of the contest and the pressure Ipswich applied after the break.

Ipswich Town were 10th in the standings on 9 points after 7 matches. Their league record stood at 3 wins, no draws and 4 defeats, with 11 goals scored and 15 conceded. In their last five Premier League matches, they had won twice and lost three times.

Ipswich’s home and away records offered contrasting figures. At home, they had 2 wins and 1 defeat from 3 matches, scoring 4 goals and conceding 4. Away from home, they had won once and lost three times in 4 matches, scoring 7 and conceding 11. Across their Premier League matches, Ipswich averaged 1.57 goals scored and 2.14 conceded per game.

Bouaddi described his first start as a memorable experience: “I was very happy because I love football and want to play in every match, but I know that progress takes time. That’s why I really enjoyed today’s match.” He also stressed how challenging the game had been and the pressure Ipswich applied in the second half. “Of course you feel pressure in those moments, because you don’t want the opponent to score another goal, but we managed the situation well,” he said.

The player also praised the quality of his Manchester City teammates, saying that their level gave the team a major advantage. “Playing with them makes things easier. Even when the pass isn’t perfect, they can handle the situation and correct mistakes. They make everything work, and it’s great to play alongside players of this level.”

Bouaddi was also pleased that Phil Foden scored for Manchester City, describing his teammate as “a fantastic and important player for the team”. Asked about Enzo Maresca predicting a goal during the match, he joked: “He said that? You see, he was right.” On Erling Haaland, who appeared to have a physical problem after the final whistle, Bouaddi said: “I don’t know, I’ve just come off the pitch and came straight here.”