Haaland edges Manchester City past Coventry as Fernández sparkles on debut
Enzo Fernández started for Manchester City after Nico O’Reilly’s back injury during the warm-up and sparkled to show why the club paid a British record-equalling £125m for the midfielder.
The winner, for a stuttering home team, came courtesy of Erling Haaland’s 300th club goal and Fernández had a key cameo, feeding Antoine Semenyo, whose cross from the right was crashed home.
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In the second half, particularly, Coventry hammered away, but their wait for a first top-flight goal since Mustapha Hadji’s on 5 May 2001 goes on.
The visitors will not like losing, but can be heartened by holding the star-studded hosts to a slender win, though the bottom line is all three of their Premier League outings on their return have been defeats. Enzo Maresca’s men have a maximum nine points so can be supremely satisfied at the start under the Italian.
Ayoubb Bouaddi, bought for £85m, was on the bench for those in blue, as Fernández lined up alongside Rayan Cherki in a 4-1-2–2-1 that had Semenyo and Iliman Ndiaye, another new home signing, stationed behind Haaland.
Coventry, arriving having lost 4-0 on aggregate so far in the league, changed Caleb Yirenkyi and Loum Tchaouna for Ethan Pinnock and Frank Onyeka, and Taiwo Awoniyi should have bridged the 25 years to Hadji when a too-short Semenyo pass meant for Rúben Dias was intercepted.
But when the striker ran in on goal his radar failed, and the shot was pulled wide. A second scare came after Abdukodir Khusanov fed the ball to Gianluigi Donnarumma, it slipped under his boot, and the goalkeeper scrambled – just – to prevent the goal
The longer Coventry stayed level the far better their prospects. So when Cherki fed a galloping Haaland and he twisted and let fly, Carl Rushworth’s save was priceless. Then Dazzling Cherki footwork – after Fernández’s ball – was followed by a shot which struck a post.
The frame of the goal and Rushworth could do nothing to stop Haaland’s opener, though. This time Fernández curved a pass in behind for Semenyo, the right winger spun the ball over, and Haaland did the rest.
This was 25 minutes in and Coventry were under siege – as those in blue would be after the break.
Fernández collected along the right, looked up, and flipped over a cross aimed for Haaland but it failed to beat the first man. Then Cherki, again in Fred Astaire mode, made space and saw an effort blocked.
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Maresca wants his wingers to be more direct – utilising the pace of Ndiaye and Semenyo – and the tactic continually spun Coventry. So, too, did an impish Cherki flick which put Haaland careering in again: he rode a challenge when going down might have brought a penalty, before shooting. Rushworth once more thwarted the Norwegian.
After Awoniyi’s early miss, Jack Rudoni did far better with a header – at close-range he had Donnarumma flying left to prevent the equaliser. This showed the hope Frank Lampard’s men carried but they had to finish any chance fashioned as these were scarce.
Ndiaye was quietish on debut and when Cherki’s work took the ball to him in the area he should have pulled the trigger but refused. Coventry came close to punishing this at a free-kick that bounced about the area and Maresca, seeing enough, replaced Cherki with Foden.
Still Coventry threatened. Tchaouna, on as a replacement, skated forward and drew a Donnarumma save and from the resulting corner Matt Grimes sprayed wide. Now came Bouaddi’s debut, on for Fernández after 75 minutes – Maresca asking the 18-year-old No 6 to steady a wobbly Manchester City ship – and he showed composure and class.
When Ndiaye found Haaland, the ball was turned to Foden and his attempt went close to a second for Maresca’s side. As did Ellis Sims for Coventry. Donnarumma beat a point-blank effort out as those in blue suffered a late-game bombardment.
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