Manchester City began their title defense in the Premier League with a 2-0 victory against host Chelsea on Sunday evening, in the opening round at Stamford Bridge. The goals for Manchester City were scored by Erling Haaland (18) and Mateo Kovacic (86).
Manchester City’s starting lineup was missing the injured midfielder Rodri, along with the three English national team players Kyle Walker, John Stones, and Phil Foden sitting on the bench, but this did not prevent them from achieving a valuable win. City started the match looking for an opening goal, with Belgian winger Jeremy Doku trying his luck with a shot that sailed high over the goal in the fourth minute.
In the eighth minute, new signing Savinho passed the ball to Bernardo Silva, whose shot was blocked by Chelsea defender Levi Colwill. Chelsea responded in the tenth minute when team star Cole Palmer delivered a cross from the right, which French defender Wesley Fofana touched over the crossbar.
Haaland managed to open the scoring in the eighteenth minute, taking advantage of a ball intended for Silva, which he touched but failed to control, allowing the Norwegian forward to take it and place it into the net despite defensive pressure. Manchester City continued to press, and playmaker Kevin De Bruyne fired a shot that went wide of Chelsea’s left post in the 22nd minute.
City nearly added a second goal in the 37th minute when Doku capitalized on a misplayed ball from Chelsea's defense, shooting a effort that was deflected by Fofana before it was tipped away by goalkeeper Robert Sanchez. Doku combined with De Bruyne, before the ball reached Silva, who shot where Chelsea's goalkeeper stood in the 40th minute.
Chelsea scored a goal in the 44th minute through Nicolas Jackson, but the video assistant referee ruled it out for offside on the Senegalese striker. Phil Foden came on for Savinho at halftime for City, and Chelsea midfielder Romeo Lavia lost possession, giving Silva the opportunity to pass to Haaland, but Sanchez denied the City star's shot in the 52nd minute.
Portuguese player Pedro Neto replaced Christopher Nkunku in Chelsea's lineup, and City full-back Rico Lewis cleared a Palmer cross before it could reach Neto in the 59th minute. Goalkeeper Ederson stopped a shot from Jackson in the 61st minute, while City scored a goal in the 65th minute through Lewis; however, it was disallowed for a foul by Haaland.
Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca brought on Kernan Donsbury Hall and Mark Geuyou, and De Bruyne shot wide of Chelsea's left post in the 73rd minute. City waited until the 86th minute to add their second goal through Kovacic, who intercepted the ball past midfield, advanced while dribbling past defenders, and launched a powerful shot from outside the box that settled into the net.
