Erling Haaland brutally embarrasses Marc Cucurella as Manchester City beat Chelsea

Chelsea were beaten by Erling Haaland and Mateo Kovacic, allowing Manchester City to make a winning start to their Premier League title defence. The Blues fought back to get back into the game but were unable to avoid defeat in their first game of the season.

They were made to pay for a slow start when Haaland opened the scoring inside the first 20 minutes, weaving his way past two defenders and lifting the ball over Robert Sanchez from close range.

Chelsea got off to a good start and thought they had equalised through Nicolas Jackson, but the assistant referee ruled it out. The Blues continued to push in the second half, but the result was thrown into doubt when Kovacic scored against his former club late on.

Express Sport takes a look at the main talking points from today's game at Stamford Bridge…

Haaland brutally embarrasses Cucurella

Marc Cucurella has been forced to backtrack after being angered by Haaland ahead of City's opening goal. The defender called him out during Spain's celebrations after their Euro win this summer, chanting: “Haaland is shaking, Cucurella is coming”.

Haaland didn't flinch as he harassed Cucurella in a physical battle and scored City's first goal after 18 minutes. Perhaps the Chelsea player will think more carefully about his choice of words in the future to avoid embarrassment.

Sterling's fury poses a problem for Maresca

Raheem Sterling has been left frustrated by Enzo Maresca's decision not to name him in the squad for the visit of his former club, with his representatives saying they wanted “clarity” over his role at Chelsea after being left stunned by his exclusion from the game.

With the Blues having such a deep squad, some big-name players will inevitably be left out, which could cause some discontent. It remains to be seen whether others will follow Sterling and demand talks if they are left out of future games.

Some promising signs in attack

Chelsea did not disappoint at all, with the Blues enjoying themselves in the final third of the game despite failing to convert any chances. Christopher Nkunku was at the heart of most things and could be an influential player this season if he avoids further injuries.

Jackson also impressed with his direct runs and was unlucky to have a goal ruled out for a marginal offside. Cole Palmer was mobbed every time he won the ball in central areas but fared much better with more space on the wings.

Chelsea may regret selling Gallagher

Chelsea's inability to control midfield could see them deprived of Conor Gallagher if his move to Atletico Madrid goes through. The Blues were unable to stop City from breaking through the middle on several occasions before Haaland and Kovacic made them pay.

They could have counted on a player like Gallagher to do the dirty work and bring much-needed stability to the engine room. Without him, they looked more vulnerable in the middle third, an issue Maresca will be hoping to address.