Manchester City moved to the summit of the Premier League table with a hard-fought win over newly promoted Coventry City at the Etihad Stadium, though it was goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma rather than record signing Enzo Fernandez who proved the most decisive figure on the day.
Fernandez, whose £125m move made him City's most expensive-ever addition, was handed an unexpected full debut after Nico O'Reilly picked up a back problem in the warm-up. It marked a rapid change of circumstances for the Argentine, who had last started a competitive match when he was sent off in the World Cup final. Some supporters applauded his introduction, even as opposition fans jeered him throughout, a reminder of the attention his high-profile move and international controversies have generated.
Operating as the No. 8 alongside the deeper-lying Elliot Anderson - himself a £116m arrival who was briefly City's costliest signing before Fernandez's move - the Argentine looked sharp despite having played only 25 minutes of football since Qatar. He nearly claimed an assist when he set up Erling Haaland for what would have been a simple finish, but the goal was chalked off for offside. He did, however, play a role in the eventual winner, feeding Antoine Semenyo before the forward's cross was met by a thumping Haaland header.
Manager Enzo Maresca, who also worked with Fernandez at Chelsea, praised the smoothness of his integration. "An ideal start," he said. "It is much more easy with a player you already share time together because they know exactly what you want. We know each other very well, and I know he is going to help the team win games."
The same could not quite be said for City's other deadline-day signing, Iliman Ndiaye, who arrived from Everton for £60m and made his first appearance for the club. Maresca was candid in his assessment: "Most of the time he was moving in the wrong way, but he needs to learn," suggesting the Senegalese forward needs to adjust his positioning to spend more time higher up the pitch.
Despite City's unbeaten start to the season, their attacking play did not always flow, with Maresca admitting his side should have scored more in the first half. Rayan Cherki was arguably City's standout performer, striking the post with a fierce effort and twice teeing up Haaland, who was denied on both occasions by an impressive Carl Rushworth, on loan at Coventry last season. When Cherki was substituted for Phil Foden, the England international was denied by a goal-line clearance from Bobby Thomas.
Coventry, searching for their first Premier League goal since Mustapha Hadji in 2001, created four genuine opportunities across the match - two before Haaland's goal and two afterwards. Taiwo Awoniyi was inadvertently played through by a misplaced Semenyo pass but fired wide, while Donnarumma produced a string of fine saves to deny Jack Rudoni, Loum Tchouna and Ellis Simms, the last effort blocked with his face.
Maresca acknowledged the nature of the victory, saying: "Nine of 10 times of this kind of game you end up conceding, but not all the wins are going to be nice wins. We need some kind of these wins in [an] ugly way."
For Coventry manager Frank Lampard, there was pride in his side's display after a chastening opening-day defeat at Arsenal. "Going to Arsenal felt very different; it felt [like] our first game in the Premier League for 25 years," he said. "This felt [like] a competitive Premier League game. I thought we deserved something. Probably a draw is a fair result."
City remain top of the table with a perfect start to the campaign, while Coventry continue their search for a first point and goal back in the top flight.
Based on reporting from The Independent.