Haaland's Lethal Finishing Powers Man City Past Bournemouth in Dominant Display
Manchester City secured victory over Bournemouth on Sunday in the second-to-last fixture of the Premier League weekend, moving to within six points of league leaders Arsenal.
The opening period proved to be a cautious, combative encounter with both sides confident of claiming points. However, only one team possessed Erling Haaland. The Norwegian striker was ruthless in front of goal after drawing a blank in last weekend's clash with Aston Villa.
While Tyler Adams netted his maiden Premier League strike to level the contest, Rayan Cherki carved through the Cherries' backline once more to set up Haaland's second goal of the match.
This defeat represents only Bournemouth's second setback in their last 10 fixtures this campaign. Throughout the encounter, City's defensive unit restricted the Cherries' skilled forwards to limited opportunities.
Man City Player Ratings vs. Bournemouth (4-2-3-1)
*Ratings Provided by FotMob*
GK: Gianluigi Donnarumma—6.7: Could have performed better when dealing with the corner that led to Bournemouth's sole goal.
RB: Matheus Nunes—7.7: Delivered a solid display and effectively handled Semenyo and Adrien Truffert throughout the evening.
CB: Rúben Dias—6.9: The Portuguese defender was dependable at the back and appears to be developing consistent form.
CB: Joško Gvardiol—6.9: Made several crucial challenges and succeeded in four of his six individual battles.
LB: Nico O'Reilly—8.3: Could easily have scored twice during the match, but will be pleased to claim his first goal of the campaign.
DM: Nico González—7.7: The Spanish midfielder delivered another impressive performance, aware that competition for starting positions will intensify with Rodri's return.
DM: Bernardo Silva—6.8: A relatively subdued evening for the Portuguese playmaker. Drifted in and out of proceedings at various moments.
RW: Rayan Cherki—8.6: The inventive catalyst who released Haaland for both of his opening-half strikes.
AM: Phil Foden—8.0: Energetic and precise in his central playmaking role during his 200th league outing for the Citizens.
LW: Jérémy Doku—7.4: Registered the highest number of successful dribbles (5) and generated the most scoring opportunities (4).
ST: Erling Haaland—9.1: Found the net twice with clinical finishes after failing to score in his previous Premier League appearance.
Substitute | Rating (Out of 10) |
|---|---|
Tijjani Reijnders (73' for Doku) | 6.1 |
Savinho (73' for Cherki) | 6.5 |
Omar Marmoush (82' for Haaland) | N/A |
Rodri (90' for Silva) | N/A |
Rayan Aït-Nouri (90' for Foden) | N/A |
Subs not used: James Trafford (GK), John Stones, Nathan Aké, Rico Lewis
Bournemouth (4-2-3-1)
Starting XI: Djordje Petrovic; Álex Jiménez, Bafodé Diakité, Marcos Senesi, Adrien Truffert; Alex Scott, Tyler Adams; David Brooks, Marcus Tavernier, Antoine Semenyo; Eli Junior Kroupi
Subs used: Justin Kluivert, Lewis Cook, Evanilson, Ryan Christie, Ben Gannon Doak
Player of the Match: Erling Haaland
Man City 3–1 Bournemouth—How It Unfolded at Etihad Stadium
City aimed to build upon their midweek Carabao Cup success against Swansea heading into this fixture. Standing in their path was a determined, tactically astute Bournemouth team managed by Andoni Iraola.
Haaland broke the deadlock in the 17th minute with typical precision. Cherki expertly released the Norwegian from just beyond the halfway line as Haaland surged towards the Bournemouth goal. He made no error in beating Petrovic with a powerful effort.
The home side's advantage was short-lived, however. Tyler Adams restored parity for the Cherries from a set piece. Donnarumma struggled to handle a threatening delivery from Alex Scott as the loose ball fell to the American midfielder. City players appealed to referee Anthony Taylor for an infringement, but the decision was reviewed and upheld by VAR. It marked the US international's debut Premier League goal.
Despite the excellent work from the corner situation, Haaland proved unstoppable. An exquisite through ball by Cherki released Haaland once again as he rounded the advancing Petrovic to complete his double.
ERLING HAALAND LIVES TO SCORE GOALS. MAN CITY ARE BACK IN FRONT. pic.twitter.com/eyTBfaphvr
Nico O'Reilly sealed the victory in the 60th minute to settle the contest. Haaland missed the opportunity to complete his treble as he was withdrawn in the 82nd minute for Omar Marmoush. This marked the 15th occasion he's been substituted with a brace, and his fourth consecutive home match scoring twice.
An encouraging development late in the game was Rodri's comeback. The 2024 Ballon d'Or recipient enjoyed a brief appearance in added time, marking his first action since sustaining an injury against Brentford earlier this season.
This victory leaves City trailing Arsenal by six points at the summit. Their next assignment is a Champions League encounter with Borussia Dortmund before hosting Liverpool.
Man City vs. Bournemouth Halftime Stats
Statistic | Man City | Bournemouth |
|---|---|---|
Possession | 53% | 47% |
Expected Goals (xG) | 1.76 | 0.37 |
Total Shots | 9 | 2 |
Shots on Target | 6 | 2 |
Big Chances | 4 | 1 |
Pass Accuracy | 88% | 89% |
Fouls | 5 | 2 |
Corners | 6 | 1 |
Man City vs. Bournemouth Full Time Statistics
Statistic | Man City | Bournemouth |
|---|---|---|
Possession | 48% | 52% |
Expected Goals (xG) | 2.21 | 0.72 |
Total Shots | 15 | 8 |
Shots on Target | 8 | 5 |
Big Chances | 4 | 1 |
Pass Accuracy | 86% | 89% |
Fouls | 8 | 11 |
Corners | 9 | 4 |