Haaland and Kovacic lead Manchester City to win at Chelsea

Reigning Premier League champions Manchester City began their new season with an impressive and convincing 2-0 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Goals from Erling Haaland and Mateo Kovacic secured the win for Pep Guardiola’s side in London, setting a strong tone for their title defense. City’s triumph mirrored the successes of rivals Liverpool, Arsenal, and Manchester United, who also started their campaigns with three points in their respective opening matches.

Haaland strikes early

Erling Haaland wasted no time making an impact against Chelsea. The Norwegian striker found the back of the net in the 18th minute after a well-executed play. Jérémy Doku delivered a precise cross from the left, and after a clever touch from Bernardo Silva, the ball fell perfectly for Haaland to slot it home, giving City an early lead. The second goal, scored by Mateo Kovacic late in the game, was a thing of beauty. The Croatian midfielder, facing his former club, took advantage of the space given to him, driving forward and unleashing a powerful long-range strike that left Chelsea’s goalkeeper with no chance. This goal sealed the 2-0 victory for City.

Different outcome from last season

This match was a far cry from last season's thrilling 4-4 draw between these two teams at Stamford Bridge. Interestingly, they had also met just two weeks prior in Ohio, USA, where Manchester City triumphed 4-2, with Haaland netting a hat-trick.

Chelsea's summer spending

Despite spending another €190 million on new players this summer, Chelsea’s new manager, Enzo Maresca, decided against starting any of his nine new signings. Maresca, who joined Chelsea after leading Leicester City to the Championship title last season, previously spent time at Manchester City, where he learned under Guardiola. This matchup was a test of tactics between the 44-year-old Italian and his former mentor, with Guardiola’s experience prevailing.

Elsewhere in London

Elsewhere in London, Brentford secured a 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace earlier in the day, thanks to a late goal from Yoane Wissa. The first round of Premier League action will conclude on Monday evening when Micky van de Ven and Tottenham Hotspur face newly promoted Leicester City.