City Watch: Guehi stars as Blues come from behind

The Premier League is finally back, and after what felt like an eternity of pre-season, Manchester City got their campaign underway with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Bournemouth on Sunday.

I have to admit, seeing the team sheet before kick-off gave me a bit of a shock as seeing six defenders in the starting XI was certainly not what I was expecting, but even that was nothing compared to seeing Marc Guehi starting in midfield.

It’s certainly an interesting experiment from Enzo Maresca, I wouldn’t want it to become a permanent solution, because Guehi is still a defender first and foremost, but I actually thought he grew into the role as the game went on. 

By the end of the 90 minutes, he looked much more comfortable and confident in the position, and having another element to his game can only be a good thing.

We’ve seen Pep do it countless times over the years, whether it was John Stones stepping into midfield or defenders being asked to perform roles completely outside their natural position, Maresca clearly isn’t afraid to think outside the box, and while it didn’t look perfect, I can certainly see the logic behind it.

The opening 20 minutes was probably the most encouraging part of the afternoon as City were brilliant. 

The football was incisive and aggressive, we moved the ball quickly and, whenever we won possession back, we looked dangerous breaking forward. There was a real commitment to the press and Bournemouth simply couldn’t cope with us.

Then, completely against the run of play, the Cherries scored in the 26th minute and suddenly everything changed. 

The intensity dropped, the passing became slower and Bournemouth suddenly looked far more comfortable. 

It was almost as if conceding had completely knocked City out of their rhythm. 

Rico Lewis’ positioning was once again worse than a London bus, leaving Tavernier with an absolutely ridiculous amount of space to finish.

Thankfully, City found another gear after the introduction of Rayan Cherki in the second half with the Frenchman looking lively immediately and completely changing the dynamic of the game. 

He created chances, found pockets of space and, most importantly, ended the afternoon with two assists. 

His arrival was exactly what City needed, and it was a brilliant introduction to Premier League football.

If there was any question in Maresca’s mind as to whether Cherki should be starting, they have hopefully been removed, surely he has to be one of the first names on the team sheet. 

That being said, to play devils advocate, some players are better off the bench, Edin Dzeko was a prime example of that.

The winner coming in the 91st minute was pretty special, with Gvardiol picking the ball up, turning his man and then calmly finishing with his weaker foot after an outstanding pass from Cherki was an incredible bit of football, particularly when you consider it came from a defender. 

You simply cannot beat a last-minute winner, especially in the opening game of the season.

There are obviously plenty of things for Maresca to work on, the drop-off after going 1-0 down was worrying. 

However, winning a game like that, particularly after being knocked out of our rhythm, is a very good way to start the season.

And now we get to see whether City can build some momentum as the Blues face Crystal Palace next on Friday, and I think this is probably a good time to be playing them. 

They have a new manager who is still getting used to his system, while the whole situation surrounding Jean-Philippe Mateta has created its own distraction. City should be looking to take advantage and make it two wins from two.

Away from the pitch, there has also been some movement in the transfer market. 

Savinho’s departure to Tottenham is now confirmed, and I’m honestly not too bothered by that one. 

He never quite managed to establish himself consistently at City, and if Spurs can give him the regular football he wants, it probably makes sense for everyone.

Omar Marmoush potentially following him, however, is much more frustrating after such a promising pre-season. 

He scored twice against Atletico and looked sharp throughout the summer, so losing him just as the season gets underway would be a real shame. 

With Haaland obviously leading the line, competition and another attacking option are exactly what we need.

City have now also confirmed the signing of Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille, and I think this is a really exciting signing. 

It’s difficult not to immediately see him as a potential long-term replacement for Rodri, and there will inevitably be comparisons between the two.

I think it’s important to remember that you simply cannot compare the Rodri we have today with the player City signed in the first place. 

Rodri wasn’t the midfielder he eventually became when he arrived at the Etihad, he developed, adapted to the Premier League and, under Pep Guardiola, became one of the best players in the world.

Bouaddi shouldn’t be expected to walk into the team and replace Rodri overnight as he’s a young player with a huge amount of potential, and if City can give him the time and coaching to develop, there’s no reason why he can’t eventually become a hugely important player for the club. 

If he turns into even a fraction of the midfielder Rodri became, City will have done some fantastic business.

Still, for now, the important thing is that City have three points on the board despite the fact it wasn’t perfect, but there was plenty to like, and ultimately, you can’t ask for much more than a dramatic last-minute winner to kick off a new era.