Maresca's Manchester City Triumphs in Late Drama

Enzo Maresca launched Manchester City’s post-Pep Guardiola era with pure late drama, snatching a 2-1 win over Bournemouth, while Andoni Iraola clung to a 2-2 draw at Newcastle in his first match in charge of Liverpool.

Two new managers. Two heavyweights starting over. Only one walked away with three points.

Maresca’s City leave it late

At the Etihad, City looked nothing like Guardiola’s ruthless machine for long stretches. Marcus Tavernier’s first-half strike had Bournemouth in front and the home crowd restless, the unease sharpened by last weekend’s flat 3-0 loss to Arsenal in the Community Shield.

For much of the afternoon, City’s attack misfired and their back line never quite settled. The champions-in-waiting aura wasn’t there. The questions about life after Pep were.

Then Maresca rolled his biggest dice.

On came Rayan Cherki, and the game changed. The French playmaker injected the urgency and imagination City had been missing, and the pressure finally told in the closing minutes.

With six minutes left, Cherki delivered the cross and Marc Guehi rose to head City level. Relief swept around the Etihad. It didn’t stop there.

Deep into stoppage time, Cherki was involved again, providing the assist as Josko Gvardiol stroked home the winner to complete a breathless turnaround and hand Maresca a debut victory that felt bigger than three points.

Guardiola’s reign had started with a late home win over Sunderland back in 2016. Ten years, 20 trophies and six Premier League titles later, Maresca can only hope this narrow, nervy success proves the first step on a similarly gilded path.

“The impact was unbelievable, he is that kind of player,” Maresca said of Cherki. He admitted he had hesitated over starting the Frenchman with so many players returning late from holidays, but his substitute call proved decisive and gave him room, at least for now, to exhale.

Iraola rescued at the death

If Maresca’s evening ended in euphoria, Iraola’s first outing as Liverpool boss was more complicated.

Liverpool have been ripped up and reassembled over the summer. Arne Slot gone. Mohamed Salah off to Trabzonspor. A new era bankrolled by a consortium fronted by Jeff Bezos. Iraola stands at the centre of that overhaul, and at St James’ Park he saw both the promise and the problems.

The old issues at the back, the ones that undermined Slot, were still there. Newcastle found them quickly.

Anthony Elanga struck in the first half to put the hosts ahead, punishing Liverpool’s loose defending. Cody Gakpo dragged Liverpool back into it soon after the interval, but the visitors never fully imposed control.

Joe Willock’s first Premier League goal since 2024 restored Newcastle’s lead and seemed set to hand new Magpies manager Matthais Jaissle the perfect start.

Then, chaos in stoppage time.

Lewis Hall clipped Victor Munoz in the box, the referee pointed to the spot, and Dominik Szoboszlai stepped up with the last kick of the game. The midfielder kept his nerve, drilling in the penalty to salvage a point and spare Iraola a debut defeat.

Jaissle called it a “very soft penalty”, but the decision stood and Liverpool escaped with a draw that felt more like a reprieve than a platform.

“It’s the result you want, scoring in the last minute. I value that the players never gave up,” Iraola said. He insisted his side had created the better chances but admitted Liverpool were guilty of not finishing attacks and leaving themselves open to the counter — exactly how Newcastle struck.

Encouraging resilience. Alarming familiarity in the flaws. Anfield will demand a sharper evolution, and quickly.

Brighton punish Villa’s exodus

Down on the south coast, Brighton showed no mercy to a depleted Aston Villa, ripping into the Europa League winners with a 4-0 dismantling at the Amex Stadium.

Unai Emery’s side arrived stripped of key figures and, crucially, without a recognised striker. Transfer speculation swirled around Ollie Watkins, while Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and Watkins were both absent amid reports they could follow Ezri Konsa, Youri Tielemans, Lucas Digne and Morgan Rogers out of the club.

Brighton sensed vulnerability and attacked it.

Victor Lindelof turned the ball into his own net in a calamitous moment to hand the Seagulls the lead. Maxim De Cuyper then pounced from close range to double the advantage and leave Villa reeling.

Jack Hinshelwood finished the job with a ruthless two-minute burst, striking twice in quick succession to blow the game apart and expose Villa’s makeshift, shaken core.

By the time Joao Gomes was sent off on his league debut just before half-time, Villa were already broken, reduced to damage limitation while Brighton cruised through the second half.

Three clubs, three new realities. Maresca banking belief with a stoppage-time surge, Iraola clinging to a point and a project still under construction, Emery staring at the cost of an exodus.

The season has only just opened its doors, but the fault lines are already there for everyone to see.