Maresca wins Premier League debut as City recover to beat Bournemouth 2-1

Manchester City beat Bournemouth 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium on August 23, 2026, with late goals from Marc Guehi and Josko Gvardiol giving Enzo Maresca a winning start in his first Premier League game as the Spaniard's replacement. Marcus Tavernier had put Bournemouth ahead in the first half before City turned the match around in the closing stages.

Tavernier's composed finish from six yards after Evanilson's cross put Bournemouth in front in the 26th minute, leaving City to chase the game for much of the contest. Pep Guardiola's decade at the club yielded 20 trophies, including six Premier League titles, and Maresca has said he can replicate that haul if granted time to manage the "big changes" at the club. City's 3-0 Community Shield defeat by Arsenal last weekend had already prompted questions about their readiness for the new season.

Maresca selected a defensive-looking starting XI, deploying six players who could be classified as defenders, with England centre-back Marc Guehi used in midfield and Nico O’Reilly positioned closer to Erling Haaland. Haaland, who had adopted a shorter haircut described by the striker as "new season, new trim", squandered a presentable chance when he prodded wide from close range after O’Reilly’s cross.

City's attacking play lacked cohesion for long periods, while their defence showed vulnerabilities that Bournemouth exploited in the 26th minute. Evanilson's cross arrived across the penalty area as Ruben Dias and Abdukodir Khusanov failed to close down Marcus Tavernier, who stroked the ball past Gianluigi Donnarumma from six yards.

Phil Foden and Antoine Semenyo struggled to form effective connections with Haaland in the first half, and Haaland's glancing header was pushed away by Djordje Petrovic. Early in the second half Guehi should have levelled from a Foden corner but missed with a header from virtually on the line, a miss the report described as worse than Haaland's earlier opportunity.

Maresca's substitution of Rayan Cherki proved decisive. Cherki's 84th-minute corner met Guehi and the defender headed home to equalise, and in stoppage time Cherki released a through pass that allowed Gvardiol to slot home the winner, prompting Maresca to punch the air in celebration.

City are in the midst of a major squad overhaul, with Rodri, Bernardo Silva, John Stones, Nathan Ake and Tijjani Reijnders all leaving and Savinho set to join Tottenham. England midfielder Elliot Anderson has been Maresca's only major signing and was described as unimpressive before hobbling off in the second half; the club were reported on August 23 to be set to sign teenager Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille in a deal worth £86 million ($117 million). More new recruits will be needed if City are to close the gap on Arsenal.