August 18, (THEWILL) – Manchester City began their English Premier League title defence with a 2-0 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Erling Haaland scored on his 100th appearance for the club, while Mateo Kovacic netted against his former team. The win gives Pep Guardiola’s side a strong start in their quest for a fifth consecutive English top-flight title.
Despite missing several key players due to extended rest after Euro 2024, City dominated the match. Haaland opened the scoring after 18 minutes, cleverly chipping over Chelsea goalkeeper, Robert Sanchez. Kovacic sealed the result in the second half with a long-range effort that Sanchez failed to keep out.
For Chelsea, the defeat marked a difficult start for new manager Enzo Maresca. The Italian faces the challenge of building a cohesive team from an oversized squad, with several high-profile players left out entirely. Raheem Sterling’s omission from the matchday squad prompted a statement from his representatives expressing disappointment.
The result underlines the gulf between the two clubs’ current situations. While City continue to display the consistency that has made them England’s dominant force, Chelsea appear to be in a period of transition. Maresca did not include any of the club’s nine summer signings in his starting lineup, instead opting for more familiar faces.
City fans will be pleased with the team’s performance, particularly given the absences in their squad. For Chelsea, questions remain about how quickly Maresca can mould an effective team from the resources at his disposal. Both sides will now look ahead to their next fixtures as the 2024/2025 EPL season gets into full swing.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
