Enzo Maresca said Manchester City remain a "work in progress" after a last‑gasp 2‑1 win over Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. The match saw Marc Guéhi score an equaliser in the 85th minute and Josko Gvardiol net the winner in the 91st minute, after Marcus Tavernier had opened the scoring for the visitors.
Last‑gasp victory
Bournemouth took the lead early when Marcus Tavernier struck in the first half. City fought back, with Guéhi moving into an unfamiliar midfield role to level the score in the 85th minute. The visitors then conceded a late goal from Gvardiol, who added a minute and a half of stoppage time to secure the win.
Maresca’s assessment
Maresca compared the result to the 3‑0 Community Shield loss to Arsenal, saying he felt in the same position as after that defeat. "It’s normal you judge after results but I don’t see big changes," he said. "Unfortunately, this is a work in progress and I’m looking for solutions. For sure when you win games it helps."
He highlighted the physicality of the squad, noting that players such as Erling Haaland, Elliot Anderson, Marc Guéhi and Nico O’Reilly are still in pre‑season and will improve over time. He also praised the emotional atmosphere created by a huge tifo bearing his image that read "Welcome back Enzo".
Bournemouth’s perspective
In his first game managing Bournemouth, Marco Rose reflected on the narrow defeat. "We were in a good way to win, but we had many good things to improve," he said. Rose pointed out two moments – a corner kick and an attacking move – where the team defended too passively. He added that the club needs to find the right triggers to press higher and defend corners more effectively.
The match ended with City demonstrating resilience but also exposing areas for development. Maresca remains focused on building a stronger squad as the Premier League season approaches.
