Manchester City Won the Game, But Bournemouth Exposed the Work Still to Do
Manchester City got the result Enzo Maresca wanted, but I would not call the performance convincing. The 2-1 win over Bournemouth showed resilience, yet it also exposed a team still searching for its identity under a new manager.
Bournemouth led for more than 80 minutes after Marcus Tavernier finished a move involving Rayan and Evanilson in the 26th minute. City eventually turned the match around through Marc Guéhi in the 84th minute and Joško Gvardiol in stoppage time. Gvardiol's goal was initially ruled offside before VAR confirmed it. Reuters and Sky Sports both recorded the late turnaround.
That is where the argument begins.
Was this evidence of championship mentality, or did City simply escape?
City deserve credit for refusing to accept defeat. They kept pushing after Bournemouth had defended their lead for most of the afternoon. Rayan Cherki changed the game from the bench, providing the deliveries for both late goals, and the reaction after Gvardiol's winner showed how much the result meant to a club entering a new era. Manchester City's official report described the victory as a dramatic start to Maresca's league tenure.
But resilience cannot become an excuse for poor control.
Bournemouth were not simply sitting inside their penalty area waiting for punishment. They created problems for City and punished a defensive lapse to take the lead. Sky Sports described the victory as a serious scare for Maresca, while Reuters noted that City dominated possession and created chances but still had to wait until the closing stages to rescue the match.
Maresca's decision to use Guéhi in midfield was particularly interesting. The defender eventually became one of the heroes of the comeback, but the experiment also underlined the questions surrounding City's midfield structure at the beginning of this new era. The Guardian's match report noted that the tactical experiment initially struggled before the late changes helped City find a way through.
There is nothing wrong with winning ugly, especially in an opening-day match under a new manager. Three points matter. A comeback like this can also create belief inside a dressing room.
But if City want to challenge at the top again, they cannot make late rescue missions their normal route to victory.
The most encouraging part was the refusal to lose. The most concerning part was how long they needed to find a solution.
Maresca got the win. Bournemouth still asked the questions.
