Pep Guardiola‘s men took the lead after just 18 minutes, with Haaland showing incredible strength and balance to hold off Marc Cucurella before dinking expertly beyond Robert Sanchez.
The number nine now has 91 goals in 100 appearances for City and claimed his fifth opening fixture goal, after away braces against West Ham and Burnley in his previous two season openers.
Jeremy Doku came close to adding a second shortly after, with his deflected strike forcing Sanchez to acrobatically tip of the crossbar.
The hosts did find the net through Nicolas Jackson shortly before the interval, tapping in after Ederson parried Cole Palmer‘s powerful drive, but the striker was penalised for being in an offside position.
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Shortly after the hour mark, it was City’s turn to see a goal disallowed, with a thunderous Rico Lewis strike ruled out for a foul in the build up by Haaland on Levi Colwill.
Kovacic then doubled the lead with just over five minutes left to play in normal time, driving through midfield beyond Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez, before striking in off the post against his former club, securing all three points at Stamford Bridge.
View the best images from the victory via our gallery below.
