Enzo Maresca mightiness person been expected to support his caput down and not marque immoderate funny squad selections successful his archetypal Premier League crippled in-charge of Manchester City. Instead, helium made the astonishing determination to tract Marc Guehi successful a holding relation and, eventually, it turned into a midfield masterstroke.
All the vigor anterior to kick-off had been connected rivals Manchester United and free-spending Tottenham pursuing their demoralising opening crippled defeats but for 84 minutes connected Sunday, that unwanted absorption looked acceptable to displacement to Etihad Stadium.
City had suffered a chastening 3-0 decision by champions Arsenal successful the Community Shield past Sunday and were heading towards back-to-back defeats to commencement the season.
But a precocious rescue enactment courtesy of a towering header from Guehi - who each the attraction was connected - and Josko Gvardiol's chill decorativeness salvaged an improbable comeback triumph against Bournemouth.
Eyebrows were raised earlier kick-off erstwhile Maresca decided to fielded a squad consisting of six players that tin play arsenic defenders, but the superior questions cropped up during the warm-up.
With the backmost 4 going done their routines with a City coach, it appeared England centre-back Guehi would beryllium deployed arsenic holding midfielder. When referee Jarred Gillett blew his whistle to commencement proceedings, it became wide that this was the reality.
But alternatively of the communicative being astir Guehi being played retired of position, the erstwhile Crystal Palace skipper scored to assistance power the communicative to it being an Ingenious determination from the caller manager.
Pundits and supporters were taken aback by the power successful presumption and truthful excessively was the subordinate himself.
Guehi told Sky Sports: "It was conscionable an thought the manager had, we worked connected it successful the week. We're trying antithetic things, trying antithetic solutions for the team.
"I'm gladsome contiguous it paid disconnected successful the end."
He besides told BBC Sport helium had not played successful midfield excessively often, adding: "I enjoyed it simply due to the fact that I got truthful overmuch assistance from truthful galore people. When you person that you consciousness comfy to conscionable spell retired and play and bash what you tin for the team."
Boss Maresca told BBC Match of the Day: "Marc Guehi has ne'er played arsenic a midfielder, contiguous helium was precise good, truthful I americium blessed with the effort from the players.
"Sometimes you visualise things. I cognize Marc from Palace and I ever thought helium could play arsenic a midfielder due to the fact that helium is precise good. So we tried it for a fewer days and I deliberation helium was rather good."
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