Man City spark late to rescue Maresca's bow

Two goals in the last six minutes turned it round for Man City

Manchester City's Josko Gvardiol (right) celebrates with goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma (centre) and Jack Grealish (left) after he scored his side's second goal. Pic: Nick Potts/PA Wire.

Premier League: Man City 2 Bournemouth 1 

Two goals in the last six minutes put Enzo Maresca in dreamland after Bournemouth had threatened to turn his Etihad return into a nightmare.

First Marc Guehi cancelled out the first-half lead secured for the Cherries by Marcus Tavernier with a close-range header, before Josko Gvardiol slammed home a winner in the first minute of injury-time after a VAR check proved the Croatian was onside.

It was cruel on new Cherries boss Marco Rose, who appeared to be leading his club to their first-ever victory on City soil before the game was turned in spectacular fashion by substitute Rayan Cherki's two assists.

The South Coast side had kept the hosts at arm's length with some comfort after going in at the break with a lead that they thoroughly deserved.

City's summer transfer business has been chaotic. They spent £116million on Elliot Anderson and have agreed an £85million-plus deal for Lille teenager Ayyoub Bouaddi.

But after allowing Rodri to join Barcelona and deciding that Nico Gonzalez is not quite good enough, just nine months after signing the Spaniard for £50million, Maresca's decision to ask Guehi to anchor his midfield was an admission that City's business has not gone to schedule.

Guehi operated in the same role just twice before for Crystal Palace.

There were fireworks for Maresca's return to the club as Pep Guardiola's successor, as well as a huge tifo-style banner draped from the top tier of the cavernous east stand.

City started on the front foot. Erling Haaland, sporting a new crew-cut haircut, linked well with Phil Foden and his instinctive flick put Rico Lewis clear only for Dorde Petrovic to narrow the angle to save.

Then Nico Lewis outpaced Lewis Cook in a 70-yard dash down the left flank before delivering a cross that Haaland inexplicably allowed to bounce away off his chest from inside the six-yard box.

Bournemouth are well drilled. They took the lead in the 26th minute when Rayan proved too strong for Abdukodir Khusanov to find Evanilson wide on the right and the Brazilian's low first-time cross from the right was perfect for Tavernier to score at the far post.

Haaland saw his header kept out at full stretch by Petrovic, but was inches away from doubling the Cherries' lead with a curling shot from distance before then seeing another measured effort tipped away by Gianlugi Donnarumma then did well to tip away Justin Kluivert's measured shot.

Guehi headed Anderson's corner wide from close range early in the second half, but it was a rare moment of excitement and Maresca was soon compelled to turn to Matheus Nunes, Cherki and Mateo Kovacic in a bid to shake his team out of their lethargy.

Antoine Semenyo forced Petrovic into a save and Foden had a shot deflected wide. Then Haaland scuffed a close-range volley too close to Petrovic.

Bournemouth had been content to soak up pressure, but substitute Daniel Jebbison's header forced Donnarumma into a save before Maresca's final throw of the dice saw him send on Jack Grealish.

City's finally got their reward six minutes from time when Guehi once again rose unchallenged in the six-yard box and this time his header from Cherki's corner gave Petrov no hope.

Then Gvardiol became the match-winner, turning onto Cherki's pass to slam a right-footed finish low into the corner.

The Croatian was flagged for offside, but a VAR check proved that James Hill had strayed a few inches too deep to spark victory celebrations.