Bournemouth 2, Manchester City 1
Manchester City suffered their first Premier League defeat of the season as they went down 2-1 at Bournemouth.
Embed from Getty ImagesIt was their second defeat in the space of three days after an unbeaten 14 game run at the start of the season came to an end at the hands of Tottenham in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.
And their second defeat of the week came at the hands of the Cherries who beat City for the first time ever in 22 attempts.
City’s 32 game Premier League unbeaten run – stretching back almost a year to the defeat against Aston Villa in December last year – was already looking shaky in recent weeks and a jaded City side faced an energetic and motivated Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.
There were multiple doubts over City’s player availability with so many senior players ruled out through injury this term but Kyle Walker, Manuel Akanji, Nathan Ake, and Josko Gvardiol were available to give City’s defence a boost.
But it remains to be seen just how fit they are after it was revealed that Ruben Dias and John Stones would be ruled out for a number of days and Rico Lewis desperately needed a rest.
City were bailed out by a double save by Ederson from Antoine Semenyo and Justin Kluivert in a rousing start for the home side before Semenyo capped an aggressive start by tucking home Milo Kerkez’ left wing cutback after he evaded Phil Foden’s challenge.
Evanilson was denied by Ederson in the second half while Foden put a square pass by Matheus Nunes wide of the back post but Kerkez got the better of Walker before finding Evanilson in plenty of space to beat him with a first time effort.
Marcus Tavernier could have made it 3-0 but hit the woodwork as City reeled – they didn’t even get a shot on target until the 79th minute.
Josko Gvardiol gave the Blues hope with an 82nd minute header laid on by Ilkay Gundogan – his 6th goal in the last 8 City Premier League away games.
The stage was set for a grandstand finish but despite hitting the woodwork through Erling Haaland and with Foden going close Pep Guardiola’s men – boosted by Jeremy Doku off the bench – could not find the finish they needed to salvage a point on the south coast and they were duly deposed from top spot by Liverpool..