Manchester City 2-1 Bournemouth: Marc Guehi and Josko Gvardiol netted after Marcus Tavernier had given the visitors the lead
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City left it late but gave new manager Enzo Maresca a win in his first home match as boss of the clubopen image in gallery
City left it late but gave new manager Enzo Maresca a win in his first home match as boss of the club (PA Wire)
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Manchester City produced a dramatic late fightback to snatch a 2-1 victory over Bournemouth in Enzo Maresca’s first Premier League match as their manager.
Josko Gvardiol grabbed a stoppage-time winner at the Etihad Stadium after Marc Guehi had cancelled out Marcus Tavernier’s first-half strike with an 84th-minute header.
It meant relief for Maresca in his first home match since succeeding Pep Guardiola at the helm.
Gvardiol’s late goal, given by VAR, came as a reliefopen image in gallery
Gvardiol’s late goal, given by VAR, came as a relief (Getty)
Gvardiol’s last-gasp effort was initially ruled out for offside, but the goal was given after a VAR check, prompting huge celebrations on the touchline.
Until then, Maresca had looked like being outdone by another new manager in Bournemouth’s Marco Rose.
Yet Maresca will feel victory was deserved after his side created a number of chances, with Erling Haaland – sporting a new close-cropped haircut – and Guehi spurning gilt-edged opportunities.
That Guehi put aside that miss to spark the turnaround was credit to him, having been deployed in an unfamiliar midfield role by Maresca.
That itself was an interesting statement by the Italian, whose arrival was greeted by a huge banner before the game.
This fed into a raucous atmosphere and City initially responded well, with Haaland playing Nico O’Reilly in on goal in the opening minutes and Phil Foden having a shot blocked.
Marc Guehi pulled one back for Cityopen image in gallery
Marc Guehi pulled one back for City (PA)
Tavernier had fired Bournemouth in frontopen image in gallery
Tavernier had fired Bournemouth in front (Reuters)
A goal seemed inevitable but Haaland inexplicably missed from in front of goal after O’Reilly flew down and picked him out with a pinpoint cross.
Yet as fans began to celebrate in anticipation, Haaland got his contact all wrong, and the ball rebounded off him, allowing Bournemouth to escape.
They made the most of the reprieve and Rayan first served a warning by pouncing on defensive uncertainty to force a save from Gianluigi Donnarumma.
City did not learn and failed to deal with a bouncing ball, allowing Rayan to turn and release Evanilson. He whipped in a cross to the far post, and Tavernier made no mistake as he tapped in.
It took a last-ditch tackle from Gvardiol to prevent further damage, but Haaland went close to levelling before half-time as Dorde Petrovic palmed away his glancing header.
Guehi, the unlikely partner for new signing Elliot Anderson in central midfield, spurned a better chance early in the second half when he turned a free header wide from a corner.
City stepped up the pressure with Antoine Semenyo testing Petrovic and Foden having a shot deflected before Haaland blasted over.
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland had an off day in front of goalopen image in gallery
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland had an off day in front of goal
Haaland was denied again by Petrovic, but Donnarumma had to be alert to keep out a Daniel Jebbison header.
City finally broke through when Guehi made firm contact with a header from a Rayan Cherki corner.
City sensed there was still time for a winner and Gvardiol delivered when he slotted home from a Cherki pass. A flag initially curtailed the celebrations but the goal was eventually given and the Maresca era is up and running.