MANCHESTER: Enzo Maresca admits Manchester City are still in the process of being built after their dramatic late victory over Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium last night.

Marc Guehi’s equaliser in the 85th minute and Josko Gvardiol’s winner in the 91st minute gave the new City manager victory in his first match, after Marcus Tavernier had put the visitors ahead in the first half.

Maresca felt his team performed almost the same as when they lost 3-0 to Arsenal in the Community Shield match last week.

“I feel the same as after the game against Arsenal. Normally, you judge by the results but I don’t see much change.

“Unfortunately, this is still in the process of formation and I am looking for a solution. Of course, when you win matches, it helps.

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“When it comes to the Premier League, it’s impossible not to concede goals. The goal we conceded was their first attempt.

“They had two or three dangerous situations, but the important thing is how you react. We still have [Erling] Haaland, Elliot [Anderson], Marc [Guehi] and Nico O’Reilly, who are still in the pre-season phase.

“It makes a big difference physically and we will get better,” said the Italian coach.

Before the match started, City unveiled a giant banner or tifo featuring Maresca’s face with the message “Welcome back Enzo”.

“It was a perfect day. I was so happy to see the banner when the game started. We gave the fans joy at the end of the game.

“It was quite emotional. The team spirit was incredible. It was a game we deserved to win, but we didn’t have to wait until the last five minutes.

“We missed a few chances, then they scored and things got more complicated,” he said.

Maresca also played Guehi in the middle position, which is not the usual position for the player concerned.

“I knew Marc when he was at Crystal Palace and I always felt he could play as a midfielder because he’s a really good player.

“We tried him for a few days and I thought he performed quite well. He gives us another option for the future,” he added.

Meanwhile, Marco Rose is close to making his first start with Bournemouth by recording the club’s first win at City.

“We are competitors and we came here to win for the first time. We are on a good track to do it.

“However, we did a lot of things well. We still have a lot of things to improve. In the end, the way the game went, it was a bit unfortunate to lose like that.

“We had two situations, one through a corner kick and another through an attacking move, when we defended too passively.

“We need to defend better from corners and the second goal was also too passive.

“We always try to press forward and want to defend higher. Here, you have to find the right time to apply pressure and it’s difficult.

“We did very well until the end of the game,” said the German coach.

LONDON: Mikel Arteta said Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Coventry in their opening Premier League match showed the reigning champions have not lost their desire to continue their pursuit of trophies.

Arteta’s squad continued last season’s momentum when they easily defeated Coventry, who were clearly struggling at the Emirates Stadium thanks to goals from Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard.

The Gunners are the favourites to defend their title and the confident performance suggests their challengers may face a tough task to rival Arsenal this season.

Arteta was also pleased to see how his players tried to pressure Coventry relentlessly, making it difficult for the newly promoted team to develop their game.

“They look the same as last season to me. What I tell them is to show more desire and earn the right to be better than everyone else.

“There’s a lot to like about this performance. It’s a great result, but also the way we started the game.

“It’s about control, clarity and understanding. It’s really impressive,” said Arteta.

Arteta also praised the consistency of his players as they repeatedly broke through Coventry’s defence, with new winger Christos Tzolis also impressing on his Premier League debut after joining Arsenal from Club Brugge.

“We were so dominant, had an incredible connection with each other and were very precise when it came to possession of the ball.

“The players need to be decisive and they did that today. They looked really compatible and played with a clear purpose,” he said.

Asked whether Arsenal’s big win, on the day they completed the transfer of Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa, proved they were stronger than other contenders, Arteta dismissed the notion.

“No. Because when I look at other squads, some of them are incredible and much bigger than us.

“We’re trying to improve the team and do what we feel is right for us and understand the players who can make us better and give us an advantage.

“Ezri is a player we really like in the defensive line. We got a great defender with a strong personality, so I’m very happy,” he added.

Brazilian midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, who was brought in from Newcastle in the summer transfer window, is sidelined through injury, but Arteta does not expect the player to be out for long.

Odegaard described the victory as an ideal start for Arsenal in the new campaign.

“A perfect start. Three goals and no conceded. It was a really solid performance.

“The quality of this team is incredible and we see it every day in training. The level of competition between us is also incredible and we all push each other,” said the Gunners midfielder.

In a clear illustration of how blunt Coventry’s attack was, it took the visitors 60 minutes before they registered their first touch inside Arsenal’s penalty area.

Frank Lampard’s side are back in the top flight after 25 years and the Coventry manager admitted his team have learned lessons from Arsenal.

“A great team and a good lesson for our players to see the true level required. They played like champions.

“It’s a tough match for us, but the experience of being in this stadium, the atmosphere at the start of the match and seeing the quality they have could be good for us.

“When you concede a goal, it’s not a good thing from us and that’s the reality,” said Lampard.

LONDON: Rio Ferdinand says the signing of Ezri Konsa has reinforced his belief that Arsenal are favourites to win the Premier League again this season.

Mikel Arteta is keen to strengthen his defence this summer after Jurrien Timber and William Saliba are expected to miss the start of the season due to injury.

The Gunners have identified Konsa as their top target and have now reportedly reached an agreement with Aston Villa to sign the versatile defender for an initial fee of £51 million.

Konsa will undergo a medical in the coming days and becomes Arsenal’s fourth signing of the summer after Illan Meslier, Christos Tzolis and Bruno Guimaraes.

Commenting on Konsa’s move to the defending champions, Ferdinand said on his YouTube channel: “I think it’s a great signing. A player who is at the peak of his career, knows exactly who he is and what he is capable of.

“There’s nothing superfluous about him. He’s a solid Premier League defender, really good.

“Arsenal are progressing in talks with Konsa from Aston Villa for £51 million plus bonuses. I think it’s a very good deal in today’s market.

“Aged 28, at least four or five more years of really solid and reliable service, besides providing important protection in two positions, namely centre-back and right-back.

“You have Ben White who looks fit now, but has had injuries at right-back. Timbers are also struggling to maintain fitness levels, as are concerns about Saliba’s injury.

“He would be a very good support. Someone who can come in and play without any questions. His versatility at the highest level and his reliability at right-back and centre-back make this a very worthwhile purchase.”

Arsenal will begin their title defence tomorrow against newly promoted Coventry City at the Emirates.

The Gunners already gave an early warning with a stylish victory over Manchester City in the Community Shield last weekend.

Ferdinand believes Konsa’s arrival, which is expected to be finalized soon, will only strengthen Arsenal’s position to successfully defend their title this season.

“If you get him, it reinforces the reason why I think Arsenal will win the league again because it’s a smart and very good signing,” Ferdinand said.

Ferdinand’s former England teammate Michael Owen also shared the view and believed Arsenal’s title this season was almost “certain”.

“Arsenal just need to stay at their current level and they will win the Premier League again.

“I don’t see any other team emerging from the challengers’ group and taking 85 points, while Arsenal are almost certainly capable of reaching that number again.

“They are a very consistent team with a very good goalkeeper and defence. I don’t see their performance dropping.

“They are expected to score a high number of points. Maybe not the number that Manchester City or Liverpool have achieved in the past, but I don’t see any team being able to match them.

“There are too many questions about other teams. There are questions everywhere this season with all the new managers except Arsenal.

“They will be consistent and accumulate around the mid to late 80s and I don’t think anyone can beat that number.

“I think there are more question marks about this season than ever before, which is why I believe Arsenal are almost certain to win the Premier League,” Owen said on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast.

LONDON: Arsenal and Manchester City are in an unusual position heading into the new Premier League (EPL) season.

For the first time since the 2004-05 season, Arsenal will begin their campaign as champions when they host newly promoted Coventry in the opening match this Saturday.

In contrast to the cheerful atmosphere at the Emirates Stadium, City are anxiously entering an era without Pep Guardiola after the Spanish manager ended his remarkable 10-year reign at the end of last season.

After several years in City’s shadow, Mikel Arteta’s squad caused a major change in the EPL balance of power last season when they finally won their first major league title in 22 years.

Arsenal finished seven points clear of runners-up City and were high on confidence as they began their bid to win back-to-back Premier League titles for the first time since the 1930s.

Arteta will not let his players get too comfortable with past successes and the painful defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties in the Champions League final in May has fuelled Arsenal’s pursuit of more trophies.

Based on Arsenal’s convincing 3-0 victory over City in the Community Shield last Sunday, the Gunners have widened the gap between the two clubs since last season.

Arteta’s squad added Newcastle midfielders Bruno Guimaraes and Christos Tzolis, with both impressing in the big win over City.

“The desire is there because I want to experience that moment again,” Arteta said. “We know the task is difficult. We know it will require something special and we are ready for it.”

Former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca was appointed to replace Guardiola, but the Italian faces an almost impossible task of repeating Guardiola’s remarkable feat of winning 20 trophies during an unforgettable decade as manager.

Maresca won the UEFA Conference League and Club World Cup with Chelsea, but he lasted less than two years at Stamford Bridge before abruptly leaving the club amid strained relations with the club’s hierarchy and fans’ frustration with his boring tactics.

Chasing Arsenal while completing the team rebuilding process that Guardiola began by replacing aging star players with younger players is a very challenging task for Maresca.

City, who host Bournemouth in their first leg on Sunday, have already splashed out £116 million for Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson.

However, the sale of World Cup-winning Spanish star Rodri to Barcelona was a huge blow to Maresca.

“After 10 games, if we collect 10 points, 20 points, 30 points. People will compare him with Pep after 10 games. It doesn’t put pressure on me,” Maresca said.

“Someone asked me if the task of replacing him was impossible. Maybe, but at the same time it was a privilege.”