Football… it never ceases to amaze. No matter how many years you’ve followed the beautiful game, it continues to throw up surprises and moments of magic.
City’s dramatic victory at Bournemouth heralded such a moment, as Raheem Sterling netted in stoppage time to snatch a win for the Blues, after Gabriel Jesus had cancelled out a Charlie Daniels wonderstrike.
Although the Blues’ Premier League campaign is merely three games old, the importance of turning one point into three – even at this stage of the season – cannot be underestimated. History has certainly proved that…
Goal’s Sam Lee believes the triumph at the Vitality Stadium could prove to be a ‘watershed moment’.
Scribed Lee: “Pep Guardiola rather optimistically suggested in the build-up to Manchester City’s game at Bournemouth that things would ‘click’ in front of goal at some point this season and, after Raheem Sterling’s scrappiest of last-minute winners, perhaps he is right.
“City, after a wobbly opening first 15 minutes in which the hosts pressed and Charlie Daniels rifled in a superb opening goal, dominated the match and were good value for their win. But it had increasingly looked like it would be another frustrating afternoon.
“It certainly seemed like it was the same old story. That was, of course, until Sterling bobbled an effort off at least one Bournemouth defender and into the back of the net. Somehow, it was the most inelegant of winning goals but, at the same time, surely one of the most satisfying for City.
“Of course, it sparked wild celebrations in the away end and the City dug-out alike. Guardiola himself went bananas.”
Colin Mofham of the Express was impressed with the way the Blues responded to falling behind.
He reflected: “It was a sensational end to a pulsating sunshine match Sterling and co deserved to win, even though brave battling Bournemouth pushed them all the way.
“Charlie Daniels’s audacious 12th minute volley was an absolute cracker, for want of another word.
“Whoever coined that cliché about cream always rising to the top must have been thinking about City.
“The move that brought their equaliser less than 10 minutes later summed that up in a nutshell.
“Gabriel Jesus was onto David Silva’s perfectly weighted through ball in a flash and the young Brazilian’s finish - his 5th goal in eight games - was of equal quality.
“It signalled the start of some silky stuff from City, even with Sergio Aguero left on the bench to start with. And although the sun was beating down on Bournemouth yesterday the locals must surely have feared that a storm was on the way.”
Although of course, Sterling’s injury time strike hit the headlines, Silva receives deserved praise for his role in the win, with many journalists echoing Mofham’s sentiments for City’s leveller.
