City Stage Late Comeback for Maresca
Manchester City staged a dramatic late comeback to defeat Bournemouth 2-1 on Sunday, scoring twice in the final stages to hand new manager Enzo Maresca a winning start to his Premier League tenure at the Etihad Stadium.
Defender Marc Guéhi headed the equaliser in the 84th minute and Joško Gvardiol slotted the winner a minute into stoppage time, both goals created by substitute Rayan Cherki. Bournemouth had led since the 26th minute through Marcus Tavernier and appeared set to spoil Maresca’s first home league outing until City’s surge.
Maresca succeeded Pep Guardiola in the summer after previously serving as his assistant during the 2022-23 treble-winning campaign. A large “Welcome Back Enzo” banner greeted him as he emerged from the tunnel, and the final whistle brought emotional scenes on the touchline.
Bournemouth took the lead against the run of play when Evanilson delivered a precise low cross from the right that found Tavernier unmarked at the back post. The midfielder finished calmly past Gianluigi Donnarumma. City created several clear chances, including an early miss by Erling Haaland, but struggled to convert their dominance.
Maresca’s experimental starting lineup featured Guéhi, normally a centre-back, in a holding midfield role alongside debutant Elliot Anderson. Guéhi later said the positional switch was a new idea the coaching staff had worked on during the week and that he was glad it paid off.
City controlled possession with 66 percent of the ball and generated 13 shots to Bournemouth’s five, finishing with an expected-goals advantage of approximately 2.36 to 0.63. Clear-cut opportunities continued to go begging. Haaland, still building fitness after a late return from international duty, was denied by Djordje Petrović, while Guéhi himself missed a presentable headed chance earlier in the second half.
The introduction of Cherki in the 63rd minute transformed the contest. The French attacker’s inviting corner in the 84th minute was met by an unmarked Guéhi, whose powerful header levelled the score. Six minutes later Cherki produced a clever through ball that allowed Gvardiol to run on and finish low into the far corner. An initial offside flag was overturned by VAR after replays confirmed the Croatian was played onside.
Maresca described the day as perfect. He said he was pleased to see the banner of support and glad to give the supporters the joy of three points. He praised the team’s spirit and insisted the victory was deserved after City controlled the game and created chances. On Cherki’s impact he was unequivocal, calling it unbelievable. Maresca also noted that Guéhi’s midfield role was part of ongoing work to find solutions while several key players recover full match fitness following the World Cup.
The win follows a heavy Community Shield defeat to Arsenal the previous weekend and provides early relief. City travel to Crystal Palace next, while Bournemouth host Everton. For Maresca the late drama offered both three points and a reminder of the resilience long associated with the club.
