Manchester City secured a 4-2 victory over Chelsea in a pre-season match in Columbus, with Erling Haaland stealing the show with a hat-trick. The game got off to a disastrous start for Chelsea, as Haaland capitalized on two mistakes to score twice within the first five minutes. The first goal came from a loose pass by Tosin Adarabioyo, followed by Haaland intercepting a miscued pass from Moises Caicedo. Chelsea’s errors continued in the second half, with substitute Raheem Sterling making a mistake that allowed Oscar Bobb to score, and another error from Malo Gusto resulting in Haaland completing his hat-trick. Despite the loss, Chelsea managed to score two goals, with Sterling volleying in a cross and Noni Madueke scoring on the counter-attack.
The match highlighted the contrasting experience levels of the managers, with Enzo Maresca still needing time to refine his tactical approach after just five weeks in charge at Chelsea, compared to Pep Guardiola’s eight years at Manchester City. All four goals conceded by Chelsea were due to mistakes playing out from the back, which Maresca acknowledges as part of his approach but believes will lead to progress. However, there are concerns about the ability of players like Reece James and Malo Gusto to adapt to the new system, which sees them playing in unfamiliar positions. Maresca admitted to experimenting to find balance but emphasized the need to avoid conceding quick goals after already conceding.
On the Manchester City side, Jack Grealish stood out with his pressing and link-up play, helping to set up the first goal. Guardiola praised Grealish’s performance and highlighted his determination to prove himself after being left out of the England squad for Euro 2024. Haaland also impressed with his sharpness, scoring a hat-trick in just 56 minutes. Several young players from Manchester City also caught the eye, including Bobb, who scored a goal and showcased his dribbling skills. With several key players yet to join the pre-season training, the trio of Grealish, Haaland, and Bobb could feature prominently in the upcoming Community Shield match against Manchester United.
Despite the loss, Maresca believes that his team played well at times and attributes some of the mistakes to the “dry” pitch. Chelsea will continue their pre-season preparations with a match against Real Madrid before facing Inter Milan. Meanwhile, Manchester City will return to the UK to prepare for the Community Shield clash against rivals Manchester United. Both teams will be looking to iron out their issues and fine-tune their tactics ahead of the new season.