Enzo Maresca has named an intriguing Manchester City line-up for his first Premier League game in charge, featuring six defenders for their season opener against Bournemouth. Rico Lewis and Nico O’Reilly are expected to play in midfield alongside Elliot Anderson, with Marc Guehi partnering Ruben Dias at centre-back.
The team sees only two changes from the side that lost 3-0 to Arsenal in the Community Shield, with Jeremy Doku and Mateo Kovacic dropping out. Doku is confirmed to miss the match and the opening weeks of the new season due to a calf injury sustained last weekend.
Meanwhile, Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has surprised fans by shaving off his long blond hair, revealing a “military-style buzz-cut” before the game. For Bournemouth, new boss Marco Rose hands a debut to Antonio Silva, who joined the club in the summer, while Alex Scott also starts in midfield.
City will be looking to start strong, having won all nine of their Premier League home games against Bournemouth, scoring an average of 3.8 goals per game in those fixtures.