Erling Haaland netted his 91st goal in just 100 appearances for Manchester City during their impressive 2-0 win over Chelsea on Sunday. This match marked the start of City’s title defense for the Premier League.
Haaland’s opening goal came in the 18th minute, as he received a pass from Bernardo Silva, maneuvered between Chelsea defenders Marc Cucurella and Wesley Fofana, and calmly slotted the ball past goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.
Mateo Kovacic, a former Chelsea player, sealed the victory for City with a powerful strike six minutes before full-time, effectively capitalizing on a disordered Chelsea midfield.
In their first Premier League match under new manager Enzo Maresca, Chelsea attempted to stage a comeback with promising offensive plays from Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson, and recent signing Pedro Neto, but they were largely outmatched by City’s superior organization.
The match statistics revealed a close contest in terms of possession, with City edging it at 52%. Chelsea had ten shots, while City had eleven, and both teams showcased their attacking potential. However, Chelsea’s expected goals (xG) of 1.23 surpassed City’s 0.82.
Haaland described the victory as a “perfect start,” acknowledging the difficulties of opening matches and stating his satisfaction with the goal. Kovacic expressed respect for Chelsea, with whom he spent five years, while underlining the hunger and ambition of his current City team.
The match concluded with City taking home three crucial points, while Chelsea was left with room for improvement as they adapt to Maresca’s tactics. Despite their defeat, Chelsea showed glimpses of attacking flair, suggesting potential for future matches.