Manchester City vs Bournemouth: 3 things to watch in Premier League opener
Manchester City will be looking to banish the bitter memories of their 3-0 humbling by Arsenal in the Community Shield on Sunday when they take to the field against Bournemouth in their first Premier League match of the 2026-27 season.
New boss Enzo Maresca's tenure got off to a forgetful start in Cardiff, with the reigning English champions putting them through the sword with a fearsome attacking game to pick up their second trophy of the calendar year.
City, who started life without Pep Guardiola after the Spaniard left following 10 years in charge, now look forward to picking themselves up this weekend as the new league season rolls around. Here are three things to watch:
1) Man City's defensive vulnerabilities in question
Arsenal shredded Manchester City's defense with the precision of a Swiss knife, exposing some glaring vulnerabilities that surely had Maresca go back to the drawing board later. He will be expected to fix that here, as any result on Sunday besides a win would surely set the alarm bells ringing.
With Rodri no longer around to shield the defense, the Citizens have a mighty task of finding a new balance between their attacking intent and defensive resolve. How well they cope with Bournemouth's press, especially in transition, will determine the outcome here.
2) Haaland chasing opening day goals record
Erling Haaland was no match for Arsenal last weekend. But the Norwegian ace will be looking to bounce back and bag a couple of goals in the opening fixture of their new Premier League season as he closes in on a record.
With seven goals in the opening round of the competition, the strike is currently third on the all-time list. Alan Shearer, Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard and Jamie Vardy are ahead of him with eight while Mohamed Salah leads the way after having scored 10 times.
3) Rayan Cherki waiting to become City's new talisman
Bought in as Kevin De Bruyne's successor at the club, Rayan Cherki finished as the most prolific assist-maker in the Premier League last season behind only Bruno Fernandes (21), with 12. What's more impressive is that he started only 20 of his 33 top-flight appearances.
In the Community Shield though, he started on the bench with Maresca picking Phil Foden for the No. 10 role although City looked more menacing going forward only after the Frenchman was subbed in. That's a clear indication of the influence he carries on the side as Cherki hopes to nail down his place as City's chief creator this season.
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