Haaland Set to Terrorize Bournemouth as Man City Unleash Their Goal Machine
Manchester City will resume their Premier League campaign this Sunday afternoon as they welcome Bournemouth to the Etihad Stadium.
The Citizens find themselves chasing table-toppers Arsenal in their quest to regain the title, though they've displayed promising signs this season following a challenging 2024–25 campaign. Their loss at Aston Villa last weekend represented an unusual setback, with Pep Guardiola's squad keen to bounce back immediately.
Thankfully, City face no fitness worries before Bournemouth's arrival, with both Rodri and Erling Haaland receiving medical clearance, though the impressive Cherries will still present a formidable test.
Here's how City might set up for their encounter with Bournemouth in the Premier League.
Man City Predicted Lineup vs. Bournemouth (4-1-4-1)
GK: Gianluigi Donnarumma—Donnarumma has delivered predictably reliable performances in City's goal since his arrival, with the Italian providing exceptional steadiness between the posts. He was rested during the midweek Carabao Cup clash against Swansea City as James Trafford took his place.
RB: Matheus Nunes—Nunes faces his biggest challenge this weekend when he comes up against Antoine Semenyo. The Bournemouth attacker has been outstanding this season and already has six Premier League strikes to his credit—only surpassed by Haaland.
CB: Rúben Dias—The Portuguese defender couldn't stop City from falling to defeat at Villa Park, but made few errors during their Midlands reverse. He'll have his hands full with impressive 19-year-old Eli Junior Kroupi this weekend.
CB: Joško Gvardiol—Gvardiol was deployed at left-back to accommodate John Stones last weekend, but Guardiola may return to using the Croatian as a centre-back on Sunday. Abdukodir Khusanov and Nathan Aké are unlikely to start after their midweek involvement.
LB: Nico O'Reilly—Rayan Aït-Nouri's comeback comes at the perfect time for City, with the Algerian sidelined since late August before appearing on Wednesday evening. Nevertheless, O'Reilly should retain his starting spot this weekend—assuming Gvardiol plays centrally.
DM: Nico González—Guardiola has confirmed Rodri's fitness for the weekend, though it seems doubtful the defensive midfielder will begin. González could take the No. 6 role, with Rodri deployed as a substitute.
RM: Bernardo Silva—Silva has featured sporadically in the City lineup this season, but may be selected in a wide position this weekend to assist Nunes against Semenyo and the overlapping Adrien Truffert. The Portuguese player's work rate is unmatched.
CM: Tijjani Reijnders—Reijnders was also given a break midweek and the Dutch midfielder should benefit from the rest. He's cooled off after a spectacular start to the campaign, but retains the ability to make a crucial impact on Sunday.
CM: Phil Foden—Foden will reach his 200th Premier League milestone this weekend and will aim to mark it memorably. He boasts an excellent record against the coastal club, netting five times and providing three assists in just eight previous meetings.
LM: Savinho—Jérémy Doku featured for the full duration of the Carabao Cup victory over Swansea City, making his Sunday start unlikely—particularly given Savinho's excellent current form. The Brazilian has contributed two assists in his past three outings.
ST: Erling Haaland—The Norwegian's goal-scoring run ended at Villa Park last weekend, but a rare goalless outing will only motivate him further for Bournemouth's visit. He's found the net 24 times across all competitions for club and country this season.
