Bournemouth held for 80 minutes. Then Enzo Maresca sent on Rayan Cherki
Marcus Tavernier put Bournemouth ahead, Erling Haaland kept missing, and City looked like dropping points at home. Cherki's introduction produced both goals in the last six minutes.
For eighty minutes this was Bournemouth's game to hold. Marcus Tavernier had finished a low Evanilson cross on 26 minutes, Erling Haaland had missed enough clear chances to fill a highlights reel of the wrong kind, and Marco Rose's side were organised enough to make 66% possession look harmless.
Then Rayan Cherki came on and the shape of the afternoon changed. His corner on 84 found Marc Guehi unmarked, and Guehi headed it in. Two minutes into stoppage time Cherki set up Josko Gvardiol, whose finish was flagged offside on the field and given by VAR.
Guehi in midfield, and a manager not pretending
City used Guehi in an experimental central midfield role, which is the sort of thing that either looks clever or looks desperate depending on the last six minutes. He scored, so it looked clever.
Maresca was not selling it as more than it was: "Unfortunately, this is a work in progress. We need to prepare the team for the season." Rose, on the other side: "We have to defend better. The game is never over here."
Bournemouth put four of their five shots on target and lost. City had thirteen and needed a substitute to make two of them count.
Match facts
- 26' — Marcus Tavernier (Bournemouth), assisted by Evanilson
- 84' — Marc Guehi (Manchester City), header from a Rayan Cherki corner
- 90+2' — Josko Gvardiol (Manchester City), given after a VAR offside review
- Cherki assisted both Manchester City goals after coming off the bench
| Stat | Manchester City | AFC Bournemouth |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 66.1% | 33.9% |
| Total shots | 13 | 5 |
| Shots on target | 6 | 4 |
| Passes completed | 569 (88.8%) | 263 (79.0%) |
| Expected goals (xG) | 2.35 | 0.63 |
| Corners | 8 | 3 |
| Fouls conceded | 11 | 11 |
| Offsides | 2 | 1 |
| Yellow cards | 1 | 2 |
What's next
Manchester City go to Crystal Palace on Friday 28 August, five days on and with the same questions unanswered. Bournemouth host Everton on Saturday 29 August — a game they will fancy, and a reminder that they were six minutes from taking something off the Etihad.
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