Video: City edge past Coventry with narrow win

Haaland the secret word

Manchester City beat visitors Coventry City 1-0 this Saturday afternoon in the third round of the Premier League at the Etihad Stadium.

Enzo Maresca's side owed the win to their top scorer. Norway's Erling Haaland headed home in the 26th minute.

Antoine Semenyo whipped in a well-crafted cross from the right flank, and the Norwegian rose to meet it at the far post before powering it into the net.

Coventry nearly struck first through Tayo Oniyi in the 8th minute, but his shot from an individual position slid past the left post of City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. The Italian had survived a scare of his own two minutes earlier, in the 6th, when the ball almost slipped behind him into the net.

City held a clear advantage in the first half, dominating with 83% of possession and carving out several chances. Rayan Cherki struck the post in the 23rd minute, and Coventry goalkeeper Carl Rushworth denied two powerful Haaland efforts in the 16th and 44th minutes.

The pressure kept coming after the break, but City could not add a second. Coventry gradually improved and threatened more than once. Luo Chaonia forced a save from Donnarumma in the 67th minute, before Ellis Simms drilled a close-range effort that the Italian keeper blocked with his face in the 78th.

Both teams shuffled their packs in the second half. Phil Foden replaced Cherki in the 65th minute, while Coventry threw on Chaonia, Simms and Onike in a bid to turn the result around. City's defence held firm to the end.

Victory lifted City to 9 points from three matches and, for now, top of the table. Coventry remain pointless after three straight defeats to start the season.