Gianluigi Donnarumma, the Italian shot‑stopper for Manchester City, remains on a high after the club’s dramatic win over Liverpool in the Manchester Derby. While the winning goal from Erling Haaland sparked debate and Phil Foden’s early dismissal still irks him, Donnarumma is more focused on the collective spirit his teammates displayed.
"This is who we are. This is our team.
This is City," he told Sky Sports, emphasizing the resilience that helped the side prevail despite being a man down and facing several adverse moments during the match. He praised his colleagues, calling their performance "sublime" and highlighting their ability to stay composed under pressure.
"The capacity to stay in the game and to react to difficult moments – no one can take that away from us," Donnarumma said. He added that wearing the City shirt carries a huge responsibility because the club has given its players so much support and boasts a rich history that they must honor with their own contributions.
City entered the international break with a perfect record, an achievement made more impressive by the recent departure of three key figures from Pep Guardiola’s era – Bernardo Silva, John Stones and Rodri. The squad has not been flawless in every department, and even Donnarumma admitted there is still a lot to learn as the team adjusts to the Enzo Maresca era. Nevertheless, the club’s leadership has framed this season as a continuation rather than a period of transition.
"I don’t really like the word ‘transition,’" he remarked. "The club’s objective is to win. This team’s objective is to win.
We’ll certainly give everything we can to achieve that." The goalkeeper is now part of a newly‑formed leadership group that replaces the departing veterans. Alongside Ruben Dias, Erling Haaland and Marc Guehi, Donnarumma forms a quartet of players who have already collected major trophies both with City and elsewhere. Their shared experience is intended to set standards for the newer arrivals such as Ayyoub Bouaddi, Elliot Anderson and Iliman Ndiaye, who are expected to make an immediate impact in what the club describes as a non‑transition year. Speaking about the influx of fresh talent, Donnarumma noted, "We’ve changed a few players.
A few new ones have arrived. They’re all top players who are used to playing on the biggest stages, dealing with certain situations, and playing in the Premier League. It’s not easy at the beginning when you move to a new club, a new organisation, a new city. But they’re adapting well, and we’re making them feel comfortable.
The players who were already here are helping them a lot. I think we’re going to have a great season." The ambition, according to the goalkeeper, is to compete for every trophy on offer – the Premier League, the Champions League and the two domestic cups. This declaration serves as a clear warning to rivals that City still believes anything is possible.
At the moment, Arsenal appears to be the most significant obstacle. Mikel Arteta’s side also enjoys a perfect start to the campaign, having won their first five matches and enjoying the psychological boost of narrowly missing out on the title to City last May. The disappointment of that previous season was still fresh in the minds of many City players, as shown in the recent Guardiola documentary that captured the squad’s dejection after a slip‑up at Bournemouth handed the league to the Gunners.
Donnarumma, who had collected five consecutive league titles before that loss, reflected on the feeling: "It’s difficult, but that’s football, that’s life. You’re not on your own.
There are other strong teams, especially in the Premier League. It’s not that if you don’t win there isn’t disappointment – of course there is – but it can happen because there are other teams as well, just like in the Champions League." He stressed the importance of approaching each match with a winning mindset.
"It’s important to go into every game trying to win it. Certainly, our objective will be to win, but there are other teams too.
You have to compete, you have to work, and you have to do everything possible because the history of this club demands it," he said. When asked whether City and Arsenal will be the two clubs battling for the title in May, Donnarumma replied, "I don’t know. We’re only four games into the season." He added that the immediate focus must remain on preparation and consistency: "Our focus right now has to be on working and trying to win every game.
That has to be our objective. Whether we achieve it in the end or not, only time will tell." The upcoming fixtures provide further opportunities to test the squad’s resolve.
City will face Norwich City in the Carabao Cup third round on Thursday evening, followed by a Premier League clash with Sunderland on Super Sunday. Both matches will be broadcast on Sky Sports, offering fans a chance to see whether the leadership quartet can translate their words into results and whether the newly‑integrated players can help City maintain its high standards throughout a season that, according to Donnarumma, is far from a transition but a genuine quest for silverware.