Enzo Maresca's tenure as Manchester City manager began with a nerve-shredding victory, as the hosts came from behind to beat Bournemouth 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium in dramatic fashion on the opening weekend of the Premier League season.
Marcus Tavernier had given the visitors a first-half lead, but City rescued the contest late on through Marc Guéhi's 85th-minute equaliser before Josko Gvardiol struck the winner in the 91st minute to hand Maresca a victory in his first competitive match in charge.
Despite the dramatic finish, the Italian coach was measured in his assessment of the performance, insisting his team remain a project in development rather than a finished product. Speaking after the match, Maresca drew comparisons with last week's 3-0 Community Shield defeat to Arsenal, suggesting the underlying issues from that game had not been fully resolved even in victory.
"I feel in the same position as after Arsenal," Maresca said. "It's normal you judge after results but I don't see big changes. Unfortunately, this is a work in progress and I'm looking for solutions. For sure when you win games it helps."
The former Leicester boss acknowledged that conceding goals is an inevitable part of competing in the Premier League, pointing out that Bournemouth's opener had come from their very first shot on target. "If you think of the Premier League – it won't happen that you will concede nothing," he explained. "They had two or three dangerous moments but it's how you react." Maresca also noted that several key players, including Erling Haaland, Elliot Anderson, Guéhi and Nico O'Reilly, are still building up their fitness after limited pre-season involvement, adding that improvements in physicality would come as the campaign progresses.
The occasion carried extra significance for the City faithful, who unveiled a large tifo before kickoff featuring an image of Maresca alongside the words "Welcome back Enzo" — a nod to his previous connection with the club. The manager admitted the gesture moved him. "It is the perfect day. I was very pleased to see the banner when the game started," he said. "We gave them [fans] the joy at the end. It was quite emotional. The spirit was fantastic." He conceded, however, that City had made harder work of the win than necessary, having created enough opportunities to settle the game long before the closing stages. "We missed chances, then they scored and it became more complicated," he added.
One of the more notable tactical decisions saw Guéhi, a natural defender, deployed in central midfield. Maresca explained the thinking behind the switch, revealing he had long believed the player capable of operating in that role. "I know Marc from Palace and I always thought he could play as a midfielder because he is very good," he said. "So we tried it for a few days and I think he was quite good. He gives us a solution for the future."
For Bournemouth, the result was a cruel way to begin the Marco Rose era, with the German manager left to reflect on a performance that came agonisingly close to delivering a first-ever away win over City. "We're competitors, we came here to win for the first time," Rose said. "We were in a good way to do so. But we did many good things. We have a lot of things to improve."
Rose pinpointed defensive lapses as the difference, particularly around a corner and a late attacking transition where his side dropped too deep. "We need to defend the corner better and the second goal was just too passive," he said. "We always try to push up – we want to defend higher. Here you need to find the right triggers and it's hard to press. We did it really well until the end."
Based on reporting from Guardian Football and BBC Sport Football.