Erling Haaland opened his account for the season and Mateo Kovacic scored against his former side as reigning champions Manchester City began their 2024-25 Premier League campaign with a commanding win at Chelsea.
Two-time Premier League top scorer Haaland clipped City ahead with a clever finish after 18 minutes at Stamford Bridge before Kovacic, who joined them from Chelsea in June 2023, drove forward and fired in a strike that proved too powerful for goalkeeper Robert Sanchez to repel with six minutes remaining.
Haaland has now scored on the opening day in each of his three seasons at City, who started without several key players including John Stones, Kyle Walker, Phil Foden and midfielder Rodri, who is returning from injury.
Manager Pep Guardiola’s former assistant at Etihad Stadium, Enzo Maresca, had a flat start to his tenure as Chelsea manager, watching his players produce two shots on target.
Stunning from Mateo Kovačić! 😍
The Man City man punishes his former club! 🔵 pic.twitter.com/Wxfx8aW0Tt
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 18, 2024
📰 Table Of Contents
Chelsea vs Man City: Haaland celebrates
Guardiola had acknowledged his team would not be at full strength at Chelsea while demanding a performance worthy of the dominant team in English football at their best.
If City were short of scintillating, a straightforward win against a team with designs on being not far behind them after more lavish spending represented an ideal start to their title defence.
Sanchez denied Jeremy Doku and Rico Lewis had a goal disallowed, while Kovacic’s goal – which Sanchez might have kept out – capped a display in which he ably deputised for Rodri.
The only real note of concern for Guardiola was the premature departure of summer signing Savinho with a knock the winger collected which required icing on the bench.
FULL-TIME | An opening day win at Stamford Bridge! 💪
🔵 0-2 🩵 #ManCity | @okx pic.twitter.com/wxtEoniXkb
— Manchester City (@ManCity) August 18, 2024
Chelsea signings fail to impress
Maresca had contended with several disjointed performances from his team during pre-season, perhaps as a result of changing his squad to the tune of £185 million.
One of last season’s arrivals, Nicolas Jackson, went closest for the hosts, converting after Ederson pushed Cole Palmer’s shot his way in a goal that was disallowed for offside.
A week after joining for £54m from Wolves, wideman Pedro Neto looked the most inspired of Maresca’s recruits, coming on as a substitute in the hope of helping to produce an equaliser.
Neto could make a swift return to Wolves when Chelsea visit Molineux in their next Premier League fixture next Sunday (2pm BST), with the first leg of their play-off to reach the Uefa Europa Conference League at home to Swiss side Servette coming three days beforehand (8pm).
City will be heavy favourites to make it six points from six when they host newly-promoted Ipswich Town on Saturday (3pm).
