Erling Haaland maintained Manchester City’s perfect start to the Premier League season but Enzo Maresca’s men were made to sweat for a 1-0 victory over newly-promoted Coventry at the Etihad on Saturday.
Maresca was able to unleash Enzo Fernandez and Iliman Ndiaye after their arrivals completed a record outlay by any club of £460 million ($622 million) in the transfer market to refresh the City squad after Pep Guardiola’s decade in charge.
The Maresca era has started with three consecutive Premier League wins, but it was a far from perfect performance as the hosts needed a pair of late saves from Gianluigi Donnarumma to deny Coventry a first top-flight point for 25 years.
Haaland’s header midway through the first half proved decisive for his third goal in as many games this season.
Fernandez was supposed to start on the bench after completing his £125 million move from Chelsea to match the Premier League transfer record.
However, an injury to Nico O’Reilly in the warm-up meant the Argentine was thrust into the starting line-up.
Ndiaye was also handed his City debut by Maresca alongside Haaland, Antoine Semenyo and Rayan Cherki in a fearsome front four.
Coventry had failed to even score in three consecutive defeats to mark their return to the top flight after over two decades away.
Yet, Frank Lampard’s men could not have come closer to breaking their duck early on thanks to a gift from Donnarumma.
The giant Italian miscontrolled a backpass and recovered to clear off his own line with inches to spare.
Taiwo Awoniyi and Jack Rudoni also missed big chances to give the visitors the lead before City began to find their stride.
Cherki smashed off the post before Fernandez was involved in the opening goal.
His pass fed Semenyo sprinting down the right and his cross was hung up perfectly for Haaland to head home at the back post.
The Norwegian was denied a second by Carl Rushworth before half-time, but City failed to build on their advantage and were left clinging on for the three points.
Donnarumma was needed to produce two huge saves to deny Loum Tchaouna and Ellis Simms an equaliser and a historic moment for Coventry.
Yet, despite another defeat, there was plenty of encouragement for Lampard that Coventry can compete back in the big time.
Maresca will know City will need to be much improved when they travel to local rivals Manchester United next weekend.
But City do move to the top of the table ahead of champions Arsenal’s clash against Chelsea on Sunday.
AFP
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