LONDON — Erling Haaland continued his remarkable form for Manchester City, scoring his 91st goal in his 100th appearance for the club in a 2-0 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. The reigning Premier League champions began their quest for a fifth consecutive title in convincing fashion, with Haaland once again at the forefront.
The Norwegian striker’s goal in the 18th minute was his fifth in three Premier League season openers since joining City in 2022. After a summer free of international soccer commitments, Haaland looked sharp and fully rested, much to the delight of manager Pep Guardiola.
“I had a feeling that he feels better than last season at this stage,” Guardiola said. “He feels good, and the goal was magnificent.”
Chelsea, under new head coach Enzo Maresca, struggled to contain City. Haaland’s opening goal came after he skillfully manoeuvred between defenders Levi Colwill and Marc Cucurella before slotting the ball past goalkeeper Robert Sanchez. City’s dominance was sealed in the 84th minute when Mateo Kovacic, playing against his former club, struck a low shot from outside the box to double the lead.
Despite Chelsea’s significant summer spending, the team lacked the clinical finishing that Haaland provided for City. Striker Nicolas Jackson saw a goal disallowed for offside just before halftime and later missed a key opportunity, volleying straight at City keeper Ederson in the 61st minute. Jackson was eventually substituted for 18-year-old Marc Guiu.
Maresca, formerly an assistant to Guardiola at City, acknowledged his team’s struggles in converting chances. “The performance was there, but we didn’t take the chances,” Maresca said. “Probably the big difference was inside the box.”
While none of Chelsea’s nine summer signings started the game, Romeo Lavia impressed in his first league start after recovering from injuries that sidelined him much of last season. Winger Pedro Neto also made his debut off the bench and nearly scored from an Enzo Fernandez cross shortly after coming on.
Kovacic, deputizing for the injured Rodri, capped off the victory with his long-range effort that found the back of the net via the post, securing three points for City in their season opener.
Brentford Edges Crystal Palace Without Ivan Toney
Elsewhere in the Premier League, Brentford secured a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace, even without star striker Ivan Toney, who was left out of the squad due to “transfer interest,” according to manager Thomas Frank. Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa stepped up to score for Brentford, with Wissa netting the winner in the 76th minute after a deflected shot by Nathan Collins rebounded off Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson.
Mbeumo opened the scoring in the 29th minute, only for Palace to equalize through an own-goal by Brentford defender Ethan Pinnock. However, Palace was left frustrated after a disallowed goal earlier in the match. Eberechi Eze’s direct free-kick was ruled out due to a foul on Will Hughes, with manager Oliver Glasner criticizing the referee’s early whistle.
“I was told that he blew too early and made the mistake,” Glasner said. “We thought it was a goal, but the rules are that when the referee whistles the goal doesn’t count. It is what it is.”
Despite the controversy, Brentford claimed victory and started the season with three points.
Source: AP
