Manchester City needed two late goals to beat Bournemouth 2-1 in Enzo Maresca’s first Premier League match in charge.
The hosts generated 2.36 expected goals (xG), while Bournemouth posed a threat on the counter but managed only one big chance.
From an FPL perspective, there was plenty to unpack: Marc Guehi (£6.0m) playing in midfield, Erling Haaland (£15.5m) blanking despite several openings, Rayan Cherki (£7.5m) transforming the game from the bench and an injury scare for Elliot Anderson (£6.5m).
Here are our Scout Notes from the Etihad.
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GUEHI ‘OOP’ IN MIDFIELD
The biggest tactical surprise came in central midfield.
Despite being listed as a defender in FPL, Marc Guehi started alongside Elliot Anderson, with Maresca using the former Crystal Palace centre-back in an unfamiliar midfield role.
Above: Guehi’s average touch map
And Guehi wasn’t simply sitting in front of the defence.
He regularly found himself in advanced positions and could easily have scored twice.
Anderson’s corner presented the clearest first-half opportunity, finding Guehi completely unmarked around six yards out. With the goal at his mercy, however, the defender somehow headed wide.
He made amends late on. Cherki delivered another inviting corner and Guehi powered his header home to equalise.
Maresca revealed afterwards that he had considered the positional switch before Guehi even joined City:
“Even Marc Guehi has never played as a midfielder, today he was very good, so I am happy with the effort from the players.
“Sometimes you visualise things. I know Marc from Palace and I always thought he could play as a midfielder because he is very good. So we tried it for a few days and I think he was quite good.” – Enzo Maresca
Guehi himself sounded just as surprised by the role.
“So was I. It was just an idea the manager had, we worked on it in the week. We’re trying different things, trying different solutions for the team. I’m glad today it paid off in the end.
“I’ll do whatever the team asks me to do. It’s for the team.” – Marc Guehi
The obvious caveat is how long the experiment lasts. City are still working on midfield solutions, so his role remains one to monitor rather than something we can assume will continue.
O’REILLY ADVANCED + ANDERSON INJURY UPDATE
There was another interesting tactical deployment further forward.
Nico O’Reilly (£6.5m) started in an advanced role and created Haaland’s best early opening with a superb cross from the left.
Like Anderson, however, O’Reilly departed shortly after the hour mark.
Maresca’s post-match comments help explain the relatively early withdrawals. Several City players only returned around 10 days ago following the World Cup and remain short of full match fitness.
“Today we had four or five players that arrived very late 10 days ago. For them it is still almost pre-season. Erling [Haaland] is one of them, Elliot [Anderson], Marc Guehi, Nico O’Reilly.
“It’s complicated for them but they have done a huge effort to help the team.” – Enzo Maresca
Maresca subsequently played down Anderson’s problem, confirming that cramp caused the issue rather than anything more serious.
“I think it was cramp. We still have four or five players that are not 100 per cent and he is one of them.” – Enzo Maresca
The City boss was also pleased with Anderson’s performance.
“He was very good. Elliot was very good on the ball, very good off the ball.
“I have a good feeling with Elliot that he’s going to be better and better.” – Enzo Maresca
So, for now at least, there doesn’t appear to be a major injury concern.
HAALAND BLANKS – BUT THE CHANCES WERE THERE
For the first time in his Manchester City career, Haaland blanked in Gameweek 1.
That shouldn’t necessarily alarm owners. The Norwegian still registered five attempts, accumulated 0.85 xG and missed one Opta-defined big chance.
Above: Haaland’s shot map
His clearest opening arrived when O’Reilly burst down the left and delivered an excellent cross into the six-yard box. Haaland misjudged the flight and failed to make meaningful contact.
He later glanced another header towards goal, forcing Djordje Petrovic into a save.
So, while the FPL return wasn’t there, the opportunities certainly were.
Haaland’s 0.85 xG also accounted for over a third of City’s overall 2.36 xG.
The other consideration is fitness. Maresca included Haaland among the players who only returned around 10 days ago, effectively describing this stage as an extension of pre-season for several members of his squad.
A little rust, then, but enough goal threat to offer encouragement ahead of Gameweek 2.
CHERKI IMPACT + FODEN BRIGHT
Cherki gave Enzo Maresca plenty to think about after making a huge impact from the bench.
Despite playing only 27 minutes, the midfielder supplied two assists and created four chances.
His first return came from the corner that Guehi headed home, before Cherki threaded a pass through for Gvardiol deep into stoppage time. The Croatian’s finish survived a VAR check to give City all three points.
Above: Manchester City players sorted by chances created (CC) v Bournemouth
Maresca praised the impact of his substitutes afterwards:
“This is what we need. We need the first XI starting in the right way and we need the other five changes going in the right way. Today the five changes I think they were very good.” – Enzo Maresca
Phil Foden (£7.0m), meanwhile, started on the right and produced some encouraging moments before coming off late on.
He helped create Rico Lewis’ (£4.5m) early opportunity with a clever touch around the corner and looked one of City’s brighter attackers.
By contrast, Antoine Semenyo (£8.5m) had a quieter afternoon against his former club. He registered a shot on target that Djordje Petrovic saved but otherwise struggled to make a significant attacking impact.
Cherki’s cameo adds another layer of competition to City’s attacking positions. Four chances created in just 27 minutes strengthen his case for more involvement, with his Gameweek 2 role now one to watch.
GVARDIOL SCORES FROM LEFT-BACK
Josko Gvardiol (£5.5m) started at left-back rather than centrally and ultimately delivered the winning goal.
His attacking output before that point was limited, however.
The Croatian didn’t create a chance, although his willingness to get forward eventually paid off when Cherki slipped him through in stoppage time.
The assistant initially raised the offside flag before VAR overturned the decision.
On the opposite flank, Lewis started at right-back but departed after 56 minutes.
There were ultimately no clean-sheet points on offer anyway, with Marcus Tavernier (£6.0m) having already put Bournemouth ahead.
BOURNEMOUTH DANGEROUS ON THE BREAK
City dominated the underlying numbers but Bournemouth still caused problems on the counter.
Tavernier’s opener exposed a poor defensive sequence from the hosts, while Justin Kluivert (£6.0m) later forced Gianluigi Donnarumma (£5.5m) into a strong save.
The visitors also created several situations where City looked vulnerable following turnovers.
Still, Bournemouth finished with only one big chance, and Maresca felt his side gained greater control after the interval.
“In the second half they didn’t have a shot on goal until the 80th minute so I think we deserved it.” – Enzo Maresca
