🦁 Manchester City beat Chelsea in Enzo Maresca's first game in charge | OneFootball

Four more teams kicked off their 2024/25 Premier League campaigns on Sunday as the champions took to the field and Brentford hosted a London derby.

Here's what happened.

Manchester City beat Chelsea 2-0

Scorer: Haaland 18', Kovacic 84'

Enzo Maresca's Chelsea reign began in defeat as they fell to a 2-0 loss to reigning champions Manchester City at Stamford Bridge.

The game began in even fashion, with two much changed sides feeling each other out in the opening stages. Wesley Fofana scooped an effort over from a corner before Jeremy Doku scewed a left-footed effort well-wide.

But in true Manchester City fashion, Pep Guardiola's side scored with their first effort on target as Erling Haaland latched onto a loose ball, held off two defenders and dinked the ball over Robert Sanchez for his 91st Manchester City goal.

Moments later, Kevin De Bruyne went close as City looked to take advantage of their midfield superiority and leave Chelsea with a mountain to climb.

But the Blues showed signs of growing back into the game, and began to offer something in the final third, with Enzo Fernandez guilty of being wasteful on a couple of occasions.

They thought that they had grabbed an equaliser on the stroke of half time when Ederson spilled a Cole Palmer shot into the path of Nicolas Jackson, who buried the rebound, only for the offside flag to curtail their celebrations and leave them trailing at the interval.

Debutant Savinho was withdrawn at the break by Pep Guardiola, with the City boss sending on Phil Foden in his place. And it was Manchester City that looked more likely to find a second as Erling Haaland saw his effort saved by Robert Sanchez.

Maresca introduced new signing Pedro Neto for his debut just before the hour mark and the newest Chelsea addition nearly grabbed a goal moments after coming on, with only an excellent clearance from Rico Lewis preventing a tap in at the back post.

But Chelsea continued to push for an equaliser and Nicolas Jackson fired a snapshot directly at Ederson as they sought to find a way back into the game.

Manchester City thought that they had doubled their lead just after the hour when Rico Lewis found the net, but Anthony Taylor had spotted a foul by Haaland in the immediate buildup, making it one goal ruled out apiece.

Still Chelsea remained in the game heading into the final 10 minutes, having given a strong account of themselves against the reigning champions.

But in the dying stages their fate was confirmed as former Blue Mateo Kovacic went past both Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo before firing past Sanchez to put the game to bed, and condemn Maresca to defeat.

Brentford 2-1 Crystal Palace

Scorers: Mbuemo 29', Wissa 75': Pinnock 56' (OG)

Brentford kicked off their Premier League campaign with a narrow 2-1 win against Oliver Glasner's Crystal Palace side.

Though Thomas Frank's side were without Ivan Toney, they began the game brightly without testing Dean Henderson in the Palace goal.

Palace grew into the game though and began to control possession, with Eberechi Eze seeing his early effort blocked before he fired a free kick narrowly wide.

The chances continued to fall the way of Palace, with Joachim Andersen seeing a curling effort saved and Brentford causing themselves problems playing out from the back.

Glasner's side thought that they had taken the lead just before the half hour mark when Eze thundered in an excellent free kick from a tight angle, only for the referee to controversially pull it back for a foul from a Palace player in the box.

Just 3 minutes later they had been punished in emphatic fashion as Bryan Mbuemo cut inside Marc Guehi before firing past Dean Henderson to hand his side the lead.

Only a last ditch challenge from Tyrick Mitchell prevented them from doubling their advantage moments later as nerves began to show in the Palace ranks.

Brentford ended the half the stronger side as Marc Guehi and Joachim Andersen both found their way into the referee's notebook before the interval.

Glasner sent on Odsonne Edouard for Olympic silver medalist Jean-Philippe Mateta at half time, and Palace began to fight back in the early stages of the second half, with Adam Wharton's deflected shot landing just the wrong side of the post.

The equaliser eventually came though as a cross from the right was put into his own net by Ethan Pinnock to level proceedings.

Minutes later, Palace thought that they had taken the lead when Odsonne Edouard fired home, only for the Frenchman to be denied by the offside flag.

They continued to press on, with Adam Wharton having an effort parried by Mark Flekken.

But they could not find a second goal, and they were punished at the other end when a deflected effort from Nathan Collins was pushed out by Henderson into the path of Yoanne Wissa, who ran the ball into the net and restored Brentford's advantage.

The Eagles searched for another equaliser and Flekken reacted well to keep out a series of efforts from Eze, and it was Brentford who ultimately kicked off their season with three well-earned points.