Manchester City travel to the Dorset coast to play their favourite opponents this week, but is the time right for Bournemouth to upset their dismal record against the champions?
By Ian King
Bournemouth’s bogey team!
Since Bournemouth first landed in the Premier League in 2015, Manchester City have won all 15 meetings between the two clubs in all competitions, running up four goals or more in seven of those wins, and with an overall goal difference of 43-8. The history books don’t give the home side much hope of taking much from this game.
Recent form a boost for the home side
Form, if anything, is Bournemouth’s glimmer of hope, because City haven’t been playing especially well of late. An underpowered team was knocked out of the EFL Cup by Spurs in the week, and weren’t especially inspiring in either of their previous two Premier League games against Wolves and Southampton, arguably the division’s two worst teams at the moment. Bournemouth, on the other hand, arrive at this game off the back of taking four points from six against Arsenal and Aston Villa.
Key players
Evanilson is the key Bournemouth player. His 96th-minute goal at Villa Park last weekend was only his second of the season, but the club’s record signing (and Brazil international) has settled in well since his £40m signing from Porto during the summer. Manchester City, of course, have more ‘key players’ than you can shake a stick at, though their current injury problems will likely give the team a slightly unusual look.
City’s long injury list
Pep Guardiola’s claim that City are down to their last “13 players” have been a little overblown, but his team are certainly struggling with injuries at the moment. Savinho was stretchered off during the Spurs game, while Manuel Akanji pulled up injured beforehand and Joško Gvardiol required attention afterwards. Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish, Jérémy Doku, Kyle Walker are all expected to be absent, alongside longer-term absentees, the Ballon d’Or winning Rodri and Oscar Bobb.
For Bournemouth, Alex Scott underwent an operation on a knee injury last week and is expected to be out for another few weeks, while goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, Luis Sinisterra and Philip Billing will all be undergoing fitness tests ahead of the match after missing last weekend’s 1-1 at Villa Park.
Prediction
There will come a point at which Bournemouth’s dismal run against Manchester City has to end, and this match could be their best opportunity to do so. They impressed against Arsenal a couple of weeks ago, and their point against Aston Villa provided further proof that they should be strong enough for a relegation fight to not be on the cards this season.
And while Guardiola may be overstating the injuries that he faces – every Premier League manager believes that his injury list is the worst – it is fair to say that City failed to impress in their last three matches. You still back City to win, but this one could be tight.
Prediction: Bournemouth 0-1 Manchester City
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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