A fresh start and a familiar fortress

Sunday brings the usual opening day rituals: fresh kits, renewed optimism and, for the first time in a decade, a Manchester City side stepping out for a top-flight campaign without Pep Guardiola prowling the touchline. The Spaniard departed at the end of last season with an FA Cup and Carabao Cup double, leaving Enzo Maresca the task of filling some rather large shoes.

The Italian's first official match in charge comes with its own pressures. Last weekend's Community Shield ended in a 3-0 humbling at the hands of Arsenal, a result that served as a stark reminder of the scale of the squad rebuilding job on his hands, particularly with the departures of marquee names like Rodri and Nathan Ake.

The visitors arrive in form

If Maresca was hoping for a gentle introduction, Bournemouth are unlikely to oblige. The Cherries currently hold the Premier League's longest active unbeaten run, having gone 18 top-flight matches without defeat — a streak built under Andoni Iraola before he departed for Liverpool. Marco Rose now takes the reins, and Sunday marks his first Premier League game in charge.

It makes for an unusual statistical quirk: this is the first time in the competition's history that a manager will make his debut with a team unbeaten in over 15 matches. The last comparable situation came in 2008, when Luis Scolari took charge of a Chelsea side in similar form.

Numbers favour the Blues

History, at least, tends to favour City on opening weekends. In 14 of the last 15 seasons, the club has won its first league game, the sole exception coming in 2021-22 when Tottenham Hotspur inflicted a 1-0 defeat.

Bournemouth's own record on the opening day makes for less pleasant reading — just two wins from their last nine, against Cardiff in 2018-19 and Aston Villa in 2022-23 — although that 18-match unbeaten run suggests they are a different proposition these days.

The Etihad, too, has been a difficult place to visit. In Guardiola's final league season, City lost only two of 18 home games, and the Blues haven't lost back-to-back top-flight matches at home since 2021.

Then there's Erling Haaland. The Norwegian has scored seven goals in opening day fixtures since arriving in 2022. Only Mohamed Salah, with ten, has more in the competition's history, with Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard, Alan Shearer and Jamie Vardy all on eight.

Two new managers, two clubs with plenty to prove. It should be an interesting afternoon.