Bournemouth 1-2 Manchester City: Raheem Sterling sent off for celebrating late winner after saving Pep Guardiola's men for the second time in six days following stunning Charlie Daniels rocket

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Amid the chaos of Manchester City’s celebrations, Vincent Kompany walked over to Benjamin Mendy, his new £52million team-mate, and calmly said: ‘Welcome to the Premier League.’

It was one of those games that demonstrated the pants-on-head madness of this division, where a player can score a winner seven minutes into the five allocated for stoppage time and then get sent off for celebrating.

That’s what happened to Raheem Sterling, who is fast writing himself into the role of saviour in ropy City performances.

Raheem Sterling scored a 97th-minute winner for Manchester City at Bournemouth's Vitality Stadium on Saturday afternoon

But Sterling was sent of moments later as referee Mike Dean gave him a second yellow card for running into the City fans

Sterling's winner came from almost the final kick of the game as his deflected effort looped beyond goalkeeper Asmir Begovic

That was not the end of the action, though, as City's players rushed over to the away end, where police told them to back off

PLAYER RATINGS AND LIVE PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE

Ratings by Riath Al-Samarrai

BOURNEMOUTH (5-3-2): Begovic 7; A Smith 6.5, S Cook 6, Ake 7, Mings 6.5, Daniels 8; Gosling 7, Surman 7, Arter 7; Defoe 6 (Afobe 73, 6, Mousset 90), King 6.5

Subs not used: Boruc, Brad Smith, Lewis Cook, Fraser, Ibe 

Goal: Daniels (13)

Bookings: Ake (22) S Cook (74), Mings (85), Smith (90+4), Arter (90+6)

MANCHESTER CITY (4-3-3): Ederson 6; Danilo 7, Kompany 6.5, Otamendi 6, Mendy 7; D Silva 7 (Stones 90), Fernandinho 6, De Bruyne 7; B Silva 6.5 (Aguero 66, 6.5), Jesus 7 (Sane 82), Sterling 6.5

Subs not used: Bravo, Mangala, Toure, Delph

Goals: Jesus (21), Sterling (90+7)

Bookings: Kompany (56), Silva (56), Otamendi (67), Mendy (79), Sterling (90+2 and 90+8)

Ref: Mike Dean 5

MOTM: Charlie Daniels 

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Bournemouth scored first after a David Silva clearance fell to Tyrone Mings, who found Dan Gosling. His cross was headed away by Vincent Kompany as far as Charlie Daniels who unleashed a rocket from his left boot

City hit back when Bernardo won a free kick, which Gabriel Jesus played to Silva, who slid through a pass for the striker to poke home. For more stats visit Match Zone

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Six days ago it was a late goal to scrape a point against Everton and here it was an even later one to beat Bournemouth.

From there, he went charging to the sidelines in an eye-bulging frenzy, revelling in the strike that completed the comeback after Gabriel Jesus cancelled out Charlie Daniels’ first-half entry for goal of the season. The City supporters came forward to join him and the referee, Mike Dean, evidently did not like what he saw, giving Sterling his second yellow card in the space of five minutes.

Dean will no doubt contest he was sticking rigidly to his rules, but it was one of those decisions, in one of those moments, that seemed rather heavy handed. Certainly, City manager Pep Guardiola was miffed, having already lost Kyle Walker to a dodgy suspension against Everton.

‘I would like someone to comment,’ he said. ‘If you cannot celebrate with the fans the best solution is not to invite the fans. So at the end of the game, you score a goal, you can imagine how happy the guy is, and the team, they want to go with our fans.

‘I would like someone to explain about that.’ 

Bournemouth left back Daniels broke the deadlock with an incredible angled half-volley from just outside the penalty area

His shot was hit so cleanly that City goalkeeper Ederson was beaten in a flash as the ball flew into the net via the crossbar

There did not appear to be much danger as Daniels lined up to strike a ball headed clear by City captain Vincent Kompany

But the Cherries full back connected with his effort so sweetly as goalkeeper Ederson watched on from his near post

After the ball left the boot of Daniels, it rocketed past three City players before whistling beyond the diving stopper Ederson

Daniels celebrated his first goal of the season by leaping high into the air in front of (but not too close to) his delighted fans

It was a grumble wrapped in relief, for this was a game in which City had 70 per cent of the possession but also might have lost. Quite aside from trailing to a Daniels goal of pure power from the most absurd of angles, they were also saved by a post when Josh King shot at 1-1 in the second half.

‘If you ask me about my impression of the game I’m going to tell you they were better than us,’ Guardiola admitted. ‘It was not easy but we continued playing, we kept going and always tried to play and at the end we found our goal.’

That goal meant an unbeaten start to the season and seven points from nine, but already there are questions to be asked, particularly of a defence which was boosted by more than £130million of reinforcements in the summer, yet coughed up numerous opportunities here. 

The attack will forever create chances, as it should with such insane riches that they could put Sergio Aguero on the bench, but City will need to be far tighter at the other end if they are to win the title.

How Guardiola achieves that remains to be seen, given he switched to a four-man defence in this game after going with a three in the previous two. He also made four changes to his side, with Mendy, Danilo, Bernardo Silva and Sterling coming in for John Stones, the suspended Walker, Leroy Sane and Aguero. 

But Bournemouth's lead lasted less than 10 minutes as City quickly struck back courtesy of Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus

Jesus poked home the equaliser with his right boot after holding off the challenge of Cherries defender Nathan Ake 

Jesus celebrated his goal with City team-mate Sterling, who was making his first start of the 2017-18 season

With Jesus starting up front as the spearhead of City's attack, fellow striker Sergio Aguero began the match on the bench

Of those stepping in, Mendy, on his debut, and Danilo were given almost complete licence to roam forward from left and right-back, a dynamic that made for fast attacks but left plenty of space for Bournemouth counters when possession was lost. 

They played well and looked dangerous, particularly Mendy, but the covering operation will need to be addressed. Also on City’s agenda will be the Aguero situation, given the surprise of his demotion to the bench. 

Just as last season, Guardiola does not seem convinced by a striker who by every measure is one of the best in the world. He cut a sulky figure on the sidelines until his introduction on 66 minutes, with Guardiola saying the decision was based on wanting an extra man in midfield.

It wasn’t necessarily an indictment of Aguero’s defensive qualities, but it was hardly an endorsement. 

Benjamin Mendy made his debut for City following his £52million arrival from French champions AS Monaco this summer

Mendy looked good going forward and almost claimed a first-half assist but his volleyed cross was diverted off target by Jesus

On the other side of the pitch, right back Danilo was also making his City debut, in place of Kyle Walker, who was banned

Danilo came close to scoring but was denied by Begovic, who also kept out efforts by Bernando Silva and Fernandinho

In any case, they could have had 12 in the side and they would not have stopped Daniels’s opener.

It was sensational, a thunderbolt from the left edge of the area that went in off the bar after following one of those beautiful low-to-high trajectories. ‘Incredible,’ said Eddie Howe. ‘I didn’t expect him to shoot from there and didn’t expect it to go in either.’

Jermain Defoe, making his first start, then volleyed at Ederson when Nicolas Otamendi and Mendy left a big hole at the back, before Jesus levelled following a lovely through ball from David Silva.

Jesus and Bernardo Silva then missed decent openings before King and Otamendi hit posts at either end.

With a draw looking certain, City got their break, with Danilo passing into the path of Sterling, who bundled in via Andrew Surman’s ankle. He went to the crowd and was served rough justice, and all the while allegations were being made against Aguero by a steward and Howe was seething about a free-kick given against Lys Moussett in the build-up. Bonkers and brilliant.

Mendy must wonder what he’s gotten into.

Hosts Bournemouth hit the post in the second half through Joshua King, before Nicolas Otamendi hooked the ball to safety

Aguero was introduced on 66 minutes, replacing Bernardo. He was given instructions from Pep Guardiola before coming on

The Argentine had a good chance to put City back in front but his low effort was saved by Begovic

City then came even closer as Otamendi headed against the post after being left unmarked at a corner

Steve Cook was one of many players to receive a yellow card during the match, but he got away with a vary hard tackle

Cook was perhaps lucky to not be penalised for a slide tackle which sent Jesus flying. Referee Dean didn't even call a foul

But Dean was busy and showed 11 yellow cards - five to Bournemouth and six to City, including two for winger Sterling

Bournemouth piled players behind the ball as they attempted to cling onto a Premier League point in the final moments

But the tactic worked against them as Sterling's shot took a crucial deflection which ultimately deceived goalkeeper Begovic

City were understandably thrilled but their celebrations were deemed to be a safety risk and sent-off Sterling paid the price