Man City 2-1 Bournemouth: Enzo Maresca's masterstroke to play Marc Guehi in midfield
Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca successfully deployed defender Marc Guehi as a holding midfielder during a 2-1 comeback victory against Bournemouth. Despite initial skepticism regarding the tactical shift, Guehi's late goal helped secure the win in Maresca's first Premier League game in charge.
Why it matters
The match highlights the tactical experimentation of a high-profile manager in the Premier League and the immediate impact of unconventional player positioning on match outcomes.
Figure caption, Maresca's Man City reign begins with dramatic comeback against Bournemouth
Manchester City reporter at Etihad Stadium Published 23 August 2026 Enzo Maresca might have been expected to keep his head down and not make any curious team selections in his first Premier League game in-charge of Manchester City .
Instead, he made the surprising decision to field Marc Guehi in a holding role and, eventually, the gamble paid off.
All the heat prior to kick-off had been on rivals Manchester United and free-spending Tottenham following their demoralising opening game defeats but for 84 minutes on Sunday, that unwanted focus looked set to shift to Etihad Stadium.
City had suffered a chastening 3-0 defeat by champions Arsenal in the Community Shield last Sunday and were heading towards back-to-back defeats to start the season.
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