Manchester Metropolis obtained their Premier League title defence off to a successful begin as objectives from Erling Haaland and Mateo Kovacic inflicted a 2-0 defeat on Enzo Maresca in his first match in control of Chelsea. Haaland marked his a hundredth look for the membership together with his 91st purpose earlier than Kovacic struck on his return to Stamford Bridge to offer Pep Guardiola’s males the proper begin to their try and win a report fifth consecutive English top-flight title. Metropolis have been shorn of all 4 of their Euro 2024 finalists — Rodri, Kyle Waker, John Stones and Phil Foden — from the beginning as Guardiola opted to offer them additional day without work to get well from their summer time exertions.
But, the champions have been nonetheless in a position to lay down a marker in opposition to one of many few sides they didn’t beat within the league final season.
Maresca has the powerful activity of moulding a functioning group unit from a bloated Chelsea squad that has 43 gamers and over 50 on the books together with these on mortgage.
The results of these troublesome choices performed out even earlier than kick-off as Raheem Sterling‘s camp launched an announcement expressing his dismay at being omitted of the matchday squad.
Ben Chilwell was one other to face the cull, whereas Conor Gallagher and Romelu Lukaku are amongst these to not have been handed squad numbers.
None of Chelsea’s 9 summer time signings so far have been included in Maresca’s beginning line-up.
Much more surprisingly, Enzo Fernandez was named captain regardless of being embroiled in a race row for a publish on social media after Argentina’s Copa America victory final month.
Metropolis, against this, are a mannequin of continuity and constant excellence.
Haaland was considered one of Metropolis’s few stars to have had a summer time off from worldwide tournaments and took simply 18 minutes to make his mark.
Jeremy Doku’s low cross was deflected by Bernardo Silva into the Norwegian’s path and he coolly dinked over Robert Sanchez.
Kevin De Bruyne curled inches vast and Sanchez leapt excessive to show over Doku’s deflected shot.
However Chelsea ended the primary half within the ascendency and may have been degree earlier than the break.
Ederson spilled Cole Palmer‘s tame shot however was bailed out by Nicolas Jackson’s straying needlessly offside earlier than he turned within the rebound.
Foden was pressured into motion sooner than Guardiola would have hoped at half-time because the vigorous Savinho was pressured off injured on his Premier League debut.
The shortage of pre-season minutes for a lot of on present was obvious within the extra pedestrian tempo than regular for a significant Premier League conflict.
Chelsea did a lot of the urgent for an equaliser however provided Metropolis possibilities to increase their lead in doing so.
Sanchez made a advantageous save to disclaim Haaland a second earlier than De Bruyne once more fired inches off track when unmarked on the fringe of the world.
Nonetheless, the Chelsea goalkeeper was at fault for the purpose that sealed their destiny.
Kovacic was allowed to burst by means of the midfield unchallenged and took intention for the highest nook, which he discovered because of a weak hand from Sanchez.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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