Manchester City received their Premier League title defence off to a successful begin as targets from Erling Haaland and Mateo Kovacic inflicted a 2-0 defeat on Enzo Maresca in his first match in command of Chelsea. Haaland marked his a hundredth look for the membership along with his 91st objective earlier than Kovacic struck on his return to Stamford Bridge to provide Pep Guardiola’s males the right begin to their try and win a file fifth consecutive English top-flight title. City had been shorn of all 4 of their Euro 2024 finalists — Rodri, Kyle Waker, John Stones and Phil Foden — from the beginning as Guardiola opted to provide them further day off to recuperate from their summer time exertions.
Yet, the champions had been nonetheless capable of lay down a marker towards one of many few sides they didn’t beat within the league final season.
Maresca has the robust job of moulding a functioning crew unit from a bloated Chelsea squad that has 43 gamers and over 50 on the books together with these on mortgage.
The penalties of these tough selections performed out even earlier than kick-off as Raheem Sterling‘s camp launched an announcement expressing his dismay at being not noted of the matchday squad.
Ben Chilwell was one other to face the cull, whereas Conor Gallagher and Romelu Lukaku are amongst these to not have been handed squad numbers.
None of Chelsea’s 9 summer time signings so far had been included in Maresca’s beginning line-up.
Even extra surprisingly, Enzo Fernandez was named captain regardless of being embroiled in a race row for a submit on social media after Argentina’s Copa America victory final month.
City, in contrast, are a mannequin of continuity and constant excellence.
Haaland was one among City’s few stars to have had a summer time off from worldwide tournaments and took simply 18 minutes to make his mark.
Jeremy Doku’s low cross was deflected by Bernardo Silva into the Norwegian’s path and he coolly dinked over Robert Sanchez.
Kevin De Bruyne curled inches extensive and Sanchez leapt excessive to show over Doku’s deflected shot.
But Chelsea ended the primary half within the ascendency and will have been degree earlier than the break.
Ederson spilled Cole Palmer‘s tame shot however was bailed out by Nicolas Jackson’s straying needlessly offside earlier than he turned within the rebound.
Foden was compelled into motion sooner than Guardiola would have hoped at half-time because the energetic Savinho was compelled off injured on his Premier League debut.
The lack of pre-season minutes for a lot of on present was obvious within the extra pedestrian tempo than regular for a serious Premier League conflict.
Chelsea did a lot of the urgent for an equaliser however provided City probabilities to increase their lead in doing so.
Sanchez made a superb save to disclaim Haaland a second earlier than De Bruyne once more fired inches off course when unmarked on the fringe of the realm.
However, the Chelsea goalkeeper was at fault for the objective that sealed their destiny.
Kovacic was allowed to burst via the midfield unchallenged and took goal for the highest nook, which he discovered due to a weak hand from Sanchez.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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