Sunday Premier League: Maresca starts with late City comeback as Liverpool snatch Newcastle draw

Enzo Maresca marked his first Premier League match as Manchester City manager with a dramatic 2-1 comeback win over Bournemouth, while Liverpool needed a stoppage-time penalty to rescue a 2-2 draw at Newcastle on a dramatic Sunday of Premier League action.

Manchester City appeared set to begin the post-Pep Guardiola era with disappointment after falling behind, but late goals from Marc Guéhi and Joško Gvardiol turned the game around at the Etihad Stadium.

Elsewhere, Liverpool scored twice in the final stages to earn a point at Newcastle, while Brighton produced the most emphatic result of the day with a 4-0 demolition of Aston Villa.

Manchester City leave it late to give Maresca winning start

Maresca's first Premier League match in charge looked destined for a frustrating conclusion before City's late revival. Bournemouth took the lead and remained ahead until the final 10 minutes, when substitute Rayan Cherki became the catalyst for City's comeback.

Guéhi equalised in the 84th minute with a header from a corner before Gvardiol completed the turnaround in the first minute of stoppage time. The defender's finish was initially ruled out for offside but was awarded after a VAR review.

The goal prompted an emotional celebration from Maresca, who ran onto the pitch at full-time to embrace his players. The victory was particularly significant after City's 3-0 defeat to Arsenal in the Community Shield last weekend.

"It is the perfect day, to be honest," Maresca said after the match.

The Italian, who previously worked as one of Guardiola's assistants during Manchester City's treble-winning 2022-23 campaign, was welcomed by supporters with a large "Welcome back Enzo" banner before kick-off.

Maresca experiments with Guéhi in midfield

One of the biggest talking points from City's starting XI was Guéhi's deployment as a holding midfielder. With Rodri having left for Barcelona, Maresca faces the major task of restructuring City's midfield. Rather than selecting a conventional midfielder in the role, he opted to use the centre-back against Bournemouth.

The experiment initially produced mixed results, although Guéhi grew into the contest and ultimately became one of the decisive figures by scoring the equaliser.

Erling Haaland, meanwhile, endured a frustrating afternoon. The Norwegian striker missed several opportunities and failed to score on the opening weekend for the first time since joining City in 2022.

For Maresca, however, the three points offered an important response after last weekend's Community Shield defeat.

Liverpool rescue point in dramatic Newcastle finish

Liverpool also needed a late intervention to avoid defeat, with Dominik Szoboszlai converting a ninth-minute stoppage-time penalty to secure a 2-2 draw at Newcastle. The match began with an emotional tribute to former Newcastle and Liverpool star Kevin Keegan, who died last month aged 75.

Both clubs honoured the England legend before kick-off, with players wearing shirts bearing Keegan's name and No. 7 during the warm-up. The stadium also featured a tribute video and a large tifo celebrating his career.

On the pitch, Newcastle made the stronger start. Anthony Elanga put the hosts ahead in the fifth minute before Cody Gakpo equalised for Liverpool early in the second half. Newcastle immediately restored their advantage through Joe Willock, who scored shortly after coming off the bench.

Liverpool's late pressure eventually paid off when Victor Muñoz was brought down inside the area. After a lengthy VAR review, Liverpool were awarded a penalty and Szoboszlai made no mistake, firing the spot-kick into the top corner.

The result gave both clubs a point in the first league match under new managers Matthias Jaissle and Andoni Iraola. The match also featured a hostile reception for Alexander Isak, who was repeatedly jeered by Newcastle supporters following his move away from the club.

Brighton overwhelm Aston Villa

Brighton produced the most convincing performance of Sunday's early fixtures, racing into a 4-0 lead against Aston Villa inside just 31 minutes. The hosts' intensity overwhelmed Villa from the opening stages, with Brighton capitalising on a slow start from the visitors.

Villa's afternoon became even more difficult when João Gomes was sent off in the 40th minute for kicking out at Georginio Rutter. Despite playing against 10 men for the remainder of the contest, Brighton could not add to their four-goal advantage.

The result underlined the gulf between the two sides on the day and offered Brighton a major confidence boost after their involvement in European qualifying during the week.

Villa, meanwhile, face renewed questions following a difficult summer in which they lost several important players, while uncertainty continues around the futures of Ollie Watkins and Emiliano Martínez.

Brighton confirm supporter death after Villa match

The day ended on a sombre note after Brighton confirmed that a 72-year-old supporter died after becoming unwell while leaving the Amex Stadium following the victory. The supporter became ill while making his way to a supporters' club bus. Emergency services and club medical staff attempted to assist him, but he could not be saved.

Brighton chief executive Paul Barber expressed his condolences, saying the club was "shocked and saddened" by the death.

Sunday Premier League results

The opening weekend has already produced an important early storyline: the Premier League's biggest clubs are not guaranteed straightforward starts.

Manchester City showed resilience to overturn Bournemouth, Liverpool demonstrated their ability to find a result under pressure, while Brighton's emphatic victory suggested they could be one of the early teams to watch.

For Maresca in particular, the comeback provides an early platform as he begins the difficult task of succeeding Guardiola. The performance was far from perfect, but three points and a late show of character will give the new City boss breathing room heading into the next round of fixtures.

SportsLigue