Manchester City beat Bournemouth 3-1 at the Etihad Stadium to reclaim second place in the Premier League as they produced one of their most dynamic attacking displays of the season.
Pep Guardiola’s side, fuelled by Erling Haaland’s clinical first-half brace and a composed finish from Nico O’Reilly, outclassed a brave Bournemouth side who refused to go quietly.
The visitors, who had yet to earn a single point from this ground in their Premier League history, arrived with ambition rather than fear.
They pressed aggressively from the start, trying to disrupt City’s rhythm and nearly stunned the champions inside the opening minute when Eli Junior Kroupi found the net—only for the offside flag to cut short his celebration.
Once City settled, their fluency began to tell. The combination play between Rayan Cherki and Phil Foden frequently carved through Bournemouth’s front press, exposing gaps that Haaland thrives on.
After a couple of close calls where Cherki’s delivery narrowly missed its target, the breakthrough arrived in trademark City fashion.
Cherki, who was outstanding throughout, flicked on a clever header into space, allowing Haaland to power through half the pitch before slotting calmly past Djordje Petrovic to open the scoring.
The advantage, however, was short-lived. Bournemouth showed exactly why they’ve been among the Premier League’s most improved sides this season.
From a well-delivered corner by Alex Scott, City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma failed to deal with the aerial challenge, punching the ball into a crowded area where Tyler Adams reacted quickest to steer it into the unguarded net.
If that moment rattled City, it didn’t show. Guardiola’s players responded with the intensity and precision that has become their trademark.
Bernardo Silva’s cross struck the arm of David Brooks inside the box, sparking loud penalty appeals, but referee Simon Hooper waved play on after the ball had first ricocheted off Brooks’ knee.
City didn’t have to rely on spot-kicks, though—not with Haaland on the pitch. A swift exchange between Foden and Cherki sent the Norwegian racing clear once more, and with typical assurance, he rounded Petrovic to slot home his 13th goal in just ten league appearances this season. The Etihad crowd erupted in familiar joy; this was Haaland at his most merciless.
City could have wrapped things up before the interval. O’Reilly saw his effort heroically cleared off the line by Alex Jimenez, before Petrovic denied Haaland his hat-trick with a superb reflex save. Bournemouth, though struggling to contain the champions, remained in the contest, trailing only 2-1 at the break.
The tempo dipped slightly after halftime, but City’s control never wavered. Donnarumma atoned for his earlier mistake with a fine stop from Kroupi early in the second half, ensuring the hosts maintained their narrow lead.
Bournemouth continued to show courage in possession, but every time they advanced, City found another gear in response.
The third goal felt inevitable, and it arrived on the hour mark. Once again, Cherki and Foden combined in delightful fashion, weaving through Bournemouth’s midfield line to create an opening.
The ball fell invitingly to O’Reilly on the edge of the box, and the 20-year-old midfielder struck cleanly across goal into the bottom corner—his first goal of the season and a moment that effectively sealed the contest.
From there, City were in full command. Their passing was crisp, their pressing relentless, and their movement between the lines irresistible.
- Journalist confirms Man City may lose star player to Real Madrid, reveals ongoing talks
- Guardiola explains ‘secret’ behind Nico Gonzalez’ world-class performance
Guardiola’s men could have extended their lead through Haaland and Foden, both of whom came close, but the champions were content to manage the closing stages with professionalism and composure.
Although Manchester City beat Bournemouth 3-1 comfortably, Man City boss Pep Guardiola identified a surprise decision during the encounter.
Speaking after the game, Guardiola described Anthony Taylor’s decision to award Bournemouth’s goal as unbelievable. The City boss claimed that the goal was supposed to be disallowed for a foul on Donnarumm.
“When you see the replay it is unbelievable that he [Gianluigi Donnarumma] was not fouled,” he said in his post-match interview with Sky Sports and reported by CityXtra
“There are things that sometimes are difficult to understand, why this [goal from Bournemouth] was not disallowed,” he added.
