Manchester City continue their battle for a top-five Premier League finish against top-eight chasing Bournemouth.
Victory will see Man City climb to third in the table, whilst Bournemouth can move up to ninth with a win and keep their top-eight hopes alive.
Team News
Mateo Kovacic is a doubt for Man City after he missed the FA Cup Final defeat to Crystal Palace due to a fitness issue.
Nathan Ake (foot), Oscar Bobb (hamstring), John Stones (thigh) and Rodri (knee) remain ruled out.
Bournemouth will be without midfielder, Alex Scott after he suffered a season-ending jaw fracture in their home defeat to Aston Villa.
Dango Ouattara (adductor), Luis Sinisterra (hamstring), Ryan Christie (groin) and Enes Unal (ACL) remain absent.
When is Kick-Off?
Man City host Bournemouth at Etihad Stadium on Tuesday 20 May at 8pm BST, live on Sky Sports in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Man City have lost only one of 15 previous Premier League meetings against Bournemouth (W14, L1).
- Bournemouth have lost all seven previous Premier League trips to Man City (L7).
- Bournemouth’s Evanilson has scored in each of his two previous appearances against City.
- Man City are looking to achieve three consecutive clean sheets in the league for the first time since December 2021.
- No Bournemouth player has been substituted off on more occasions in the top flight this season than Justin Kluivert (22).
Prediction
Having produced one-route football with little creativity in terms of alternative strategy plans in their last two games which saw Southampton and Palace produce resilient defensive displays, City now need to try and find a way to be unpredictable again because a win will all but guarantee Champions League qualification.
Bournemouth on the other hand simply lacked their clinical edge in their defeat to Villa but have had ten days to reset and focus on nailing their game plan for this tie, after having blown a lead in their FA Cup Quarter-Final exit to City with a sloppy second-half so a more solid defence throughout is needed here.
Andoni Iraola’s Cherries have also never claimed a Premier League win away to City and have a chance to achieve a first league double over the Cityzens, which will only motivate them but I do think that City will probably be too strong on their home turf.
Saying that, if Bournemouth get their defensive organisation just right and can frustrate City into sticking to their one-route strategy, I can see them somehow nicking a point to set up a tense final day in their push for a top-ten finish even though their hopes of eighth would be over.
Prediction: Man City 1-1 Bournemouth
Leave a Reply