Manchester City on Saturday produced a scintillating display to breeze past FC Bournemouth 6-1 at the Ethiad in the Premier League encounter. Bernardo Silva starred with a brace while Jeremy Doku, Manuel Akanji, Phil Foden and Nathan Ake all got on the scoresheet for the treble winners.
Pep Guardiola made four changes to the side that beat United last Sunday. Akanji returned from suspension to start, with Ake, Kovacic and Doku also coming into the team. Dias, Gvardiol, Grealish and Foden were all among the substitutes.
Bournemouth coach Iraola made just three changes from their EFL Cup defeat to Liverpool in midweek and switched to a back five here. Aarons, Kelly and Tavernier were all brought in. Semenyo and Kluivert, who had scored two of Bournemouth’s last three goals between them, dropped to the bench along with Smith.
Guardiola’s team took the lead at the 30-minute mark through Jeremy Doku. Doku took a first-time shot in between a scuffle, and it skimmed off Mepham’s back and into the far bottom corner. The goal opened the floodgates of the Bournemouth defence and Bernardo Silva double Cityzens’ lead three minutes later. Manuel Akanji added a third as City took a three goal lead into the break.
England international Phil Foden scored the fourth for Man City in the second half as City continued their dominance over Bournemouth.
Bournemouth scored a goal in between as Ederson’s clean sheet was marred by a lapse in the Man City defence. However, Bernardo Silva scored the fifth goal for previous season’s title winners as Bournemouth seemed hapless. Nathan Ake’s sixth goal sealed the tie for City as they climbed to the top of the Premier League table for the time being.
Man City vs Bournemouth First XI
Man City: Ederson; Kyle Walker, Manuel Akanji, Nathan Ake; John Stones, Rodrigo; Bernardo Silva, Julian Alvarez, Mateo Kovacic, Jeremy Doku; Erling Haaland.
Bournemouth: Ionut Radu; Max Aarons, Chris Mepham, Illia Zabarnyi, Lloyd Kelly, Milos Kerkez; Ryan Christie, Alex Scott, Philip Billing, Marcus Tavernier; Dominic Solanke.
Editors pick
