2 November 2024
Bournemouth 2 Man City 1
The Cherries welcomed defending champions Man City to the south coast, looking to keep their impressive run of late going. That said, the hosts had never taken a single point from the visitors in the Premier League so many could not see past another comfortable away win. However, Andoni Iraola’s side had beaten Arsenal last time out at the Vitality Stadium.
Ake was dispossessed of the ball on the halfway line early on. Semenyo ran forward and made his way into the box before getting a shot away. Ederson managed to block but the ball broke free to Kluivert. He looked to convert the rebound but the Brazilian was equal to it once again, at the expense of a corner to the hosts.
Man City have looked quite unlike a Pep Guardiola side so far this season. Their usually solid back line has been breached more than a door in a navy seals training complex. Most people will point the finger at the long-term injury of Rodri but there is more to it than that. As good as the Spaniard may be he does not have the abilities of Neo in The Matrix.
Kerkez managed to get to the byline and crossed into the box at the second time of asking. He found Semenyo, back to goal, who swivelled and slotted past Ederson to give the hosts the lead. It had taken all of nine minutes for Iraola’s side to take the lead. They had dominated from the start of this game and fully deserved to go ahead.
The visitors looked to find a way straight back into this match. They realised their impressive 32-match unbeaten run was on the line here. Foden cut the ball back into the box and Bernardo Silva got a shot away but it was well blocked. This has been something The Cherries have worked on this season, getting numbers behind the ball and protecting their keeper.
Haaland got his first sight of goal when he picked the ball up in the box but as he checked onto his favoured left-foot, the Norwegian dragged it wide of the target. We have come to expect a lot more from the Man City striker but he is able to show that he is human from time to time. It meant that the sides went in at the interval with the visitors having failed to register a single shot on target.
Bournemouth started in positive fashion once again. Senesi picked out Semenyo who ran towards goal. Evanilson took the ball off him as he shot but Ederson made a good block with his feet to keep his side in this game. Had it not been for the Brazilian, this match could have been done and dusted by this point in proceedings.
Nunes has seen some rare game time since his move from Wolves. He did well down the left and showed good vision as he picked out Foden in the box. The young attacker swept a left-footed shot towards goal but once again, it was dragged wide of the target. You could see from Guardiola’s face that he was becoming ever more frustrated with what he was seeing from his team.
Man City came into this game knowing that Arsenal had been beaten at St James’ Park. This made the fixture all the more important for the defending champions. They could end the day eight points clear of their rivals at this early stage of the season. Given that The Cherries had such a poor record against them, the way the match was unfolding was a surprise to many.
Kerkez was causing all sorts of problems for the visitors down the left flank. His pinpoint passes were a constant thorn in the side of the visitors. One such ball picked out Evanilson in the middle, who slid in to convert and double the hosts’ lead. The Vitality Stadium erupted as they edged ever closer to a first Premier League victory against Man City.
Liam Gallagher was in the crowd watching the game and had a look on his face like most Oasis fans after they spent half of their week in a queue to get reunion tickets, only to find out they had all gone. If you had asked him if he thought his side were going to suffer their first defeat of the season there and then, no doubt, his answer would have been ‘Definitely, Maybe’.
Bournemouth should have gone three goals to the good when Tavernier checked inside onto his left foot. His effort had Ederson beaten but the ball thundered off the inside of the post. Even worse was what happened next. The rebound came to Smith at the back post with a completely open goal but he blazed his shot over the crossbar.
The hosts almost paid the price for the miss as Man City piled forward. Nunes clipped a cross into the box and picked out Haaland. His volley was tame and easily saved by Travers. The visitors continued to throw players forward. Silva tried to make some space near the byline but The Cherries stood firm and his cross was blocked at the expense of a corner.
As the ball was half-cleared, City recycled it well. Gundogan clipped a cross into the box and it was met by the head of Gvardiol in the box. Travers tried to claw the ball away but could not keep it out of the top corner of the goal. With just under ten minutes remaining, Guardiola’s side had found the lifeline they were craving on the south coast.
Doku managed to show some skill in the box to give himself a sight of goal. He drilled the ball towards the near post but Travers got down well to make the save. Moments later the visitors forced a corner. Haaland headed it down towards goal but the keeper was there once again. More amazingly, the Norwegian could only hit the woodwork with the rebound.
With the last effort of the game Foden whistled a shot narrowly wide of the post. It was unlike the English attacker but on this occasion, he was firing blanks. The 24-year-old certainly would not have three kids if this was more of a regular occurrence. The Cherries held on for their first win against Man City and you have to think Areola is nailed on for the ‘manager of the month’ award.
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