Match report and reaction
That’s all from me. Thank you for reading, and for your emails. Congratulations to City, that win takes them up to second place.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | 10 | 15 | 25 |
| 2 | Man City | 10 | 12 | 19 |
| 3 | Liverpool | 10 | 4 | 18 |
| 4 | AFC Bournemouth | 10 | 3 | 18 |
| 5 | Tottenham Hotspur | 10 | 9 | 17 |
Andoni Iraola, Bournemouth manager, speaks to Sky Sports:
I am quite pleased with the performance. We tried to press them and we have to accept that this [Haaland scoring twice] can happen. They punished us. We had chances at 2-1, Kroupi has two shots, and in those moments we have to capitalise, to get the 2-2.
We have to accept the way we play, there are risks. It’s very difficult to play against Haaland. It we play deeper, we concede a lot of crosses and Haaland is amazing at that. If we press, there is space in behind and he is so fast.
I enjoy the challenge. City can change their structure, they have four/five/six different structures.
Here is the updated standings for the Premier League golden boot. Haaland is waaaaaay out in front, over double the tally of his nearest rivals.
Pep Guardiola, Manchester City manager, speaks to Sky Sports:
Bournemouth are such a demanding team. But we played really good. We had to be so coordinated with our pressing and with the ball we were so clever. In the Premier League last season [at the Vitality Stadium] they destroyed us. But now we approach Champions League week. We have an incredible opportunity to qualify.
It was 100% clear foul [from Brooks on Donnarumma for Bournemouth’s goal].
A word for both City full backs, Matheus Nunes and O’Reilly. Both were excellent, obviously O’Reilly got a goal, and could have had another in the first half. But Matheus Nunes was also excellent on the right, and pocketed Semenyo, which is no mean feat. Considering the amount of money that City have spent on full backs in recent years, it’s a bit of a surprise that Guardiola has settled on two natural midfielders as his first-choice full-backs. But both Matheus Nunes and O’Reilly are fast, powerful, very good on the ball and increasingly impressive defensively. Pep is obviously putting in that work on the training ground. Others like Stones, Ake, Ait-Nouri, Savio and Rico Lewis are having to make do with a place on the bench.
It’s a fine line between brave and stupid in terms of pressing. Bournemouth so nearly took a first minute lead after nicking the ball in a high press. Later, though, the visitors were undone by being overly aggressive, with City able to beat the press and get Haaland into the space behind.
Jamie Jackson's match report from the Etihad
Erling Haaland is the first to speak to the Sky Sports cameras:
An important win. It’s good to bounce back after losing a bad away game [at Aston Villa]. I did my job. We know Cherki’s qualities, two amazing assists today for me.
I think there were a few fantasy football managers that were unhappy that I was subbed off. You need to ask Pep about that [denying him a hat-trick].
As good as Bournemouth have been this season, I think Iraola will have to shoulder most of the blame for that defeat. His side’s high line made them a sitting duck for City’s attackers, with Cherki and Haaland repeatedly combining to punish Bournemouth. Haaland could have had a first-half hat-trick, while O’Reilly also went clean through on goal. Bournemouth improved defensively after half-time but I wonder if Iraola will make mention of that first-half tactical mistake in his post-match interview.
Pep Guardiola look like a happy chap as he chats to Haaland on the post-match lap of the pitch, as they applaud the fans. City are not out of the title race.
This is the updated table.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | 10 | 15 | 25 |
| 2 | Man City | 10 | 12 | 19 |
| 3 | Liverpool | 10 | 4 | 18 |
| 4 | AFC Bournemouth | 10 | 3 | 18 |
| 5 | Tottenham Hotspur | 10 | 9 | 17 |
| 6 | Chelsea | 10 | 7 | 17 |
| 7 | Sunderland | 9 | 4 | 17 |
| 8 | Man Utd | 10 | 1 | 17 |
| 9 | Crystal Palace | 10 | 5 | 16 |
| 10 | Brighton | 10 | 2 | 15 |
| 11 | Aston Villa | 10 | -1 | 15 |
| 12 | Brentford | 10 | -2 | 13 |
| 13 | Newcastle | 10 | -1 | 12 |
| 14 | Fulham | 10 | -2 | 11 |
| 15 | Everton | 9 | -3 | 11 |
| 16 | Leeds | 10 | -8 | 11 |
| 17 | Burnley | 10 | -7 | 10 |
| 18 | West Ham | 10 | -11 | 7 |
| 19 | Nottm Forest | 10 | -12 | 6 |
| 20 | Wolverhampton | 10 | -15 | 2 |
Full-time: Manchester City 3-1 Bournemouth
City are up to second, bumping Bournemouth down to fourth on goal difference.
90+4 min: Bournemouth have failed to mount a meaningful comeback since that third City goal on the hour mark. In fact, it’s City that look the more likely scorers in stoppage time, as Reijnders pings a fierce shot straight at Petrovic.
90+2 min: Haaland is given the player of the match award by the Etihad Stadium announcer. Fair play, but could easily have been Cherki or even O’Reilly.
90 min: Five minutes added on.
City make two more changes: Rodri and Ait-Nouri on for Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden. What a pair of players to bring on.
88 min: Semenyo tries again to drive past Matheus Nunes but the Portuguese shuts the door. The City right back has quietly had an excellent day and has neutralised Bournemouth’s biggest threat on that left wing.
86 min: Bournemouth toss a hopeful cross up towards Evanilson, but the Brazilian is crowded out by Dias and Gvardiol. Donnarumma collects the loose ball but is prevented from kicking long by Kluivert. The Bournemouth man is booked, somewhat harshly.
83 min: Considering he is regularly warming the bench for City, I was surprised to see last month that Savinho has signed a new, improved contract until 2031. The Brazilian has been good since arriving last summer, but has never really hit the heights of Riyad Mahrez on that right wing. Savinho tries to take on Truffert, on a yellow card remember, but the City man is dispossessed. The home crowd groan.
81 min: Another change as Haaland is replace by Marmoush. The Norwegian looks thoroughly fed up as he slumps into his seat on the City bench, denied his chance for yet another hat-trick.
79 min: A brief stoppage in play while Adams gets some treatment. The American is actually not going to be able to continue, and Gannon-Doak comes on. Bournemouth are going for it, apparently.
76 min: Only Liverpool and Brighton have scored more goals in the final 14 minutes (plus stoppage time) of games in the Premier League this season. So this game is not done, by any stretch.
74 min: City have settled into a mid-block, content to protect their lead and let the athleticism and pace of Haaland, Savinho and Reijnders worry Bournemouth on the counter.
72 min: Both sides make changes. Doku and Cherki come off, Savinho and Reijnders. Two assists but plenty more besides, this was Cherki’s best performance to date in a City shirt.
Bournemouth also change Alex Scott for Ryan Christie, a straight swap.
70 min: A half-chance for Tavernier at the back post for Bournemouth! Semenyo glides past Cherki and stands up a fine cross to the back post. Tavernier nips in ahead of O’Reilly but just can’t quite make good contact on the cross. So nearly a Bournemouth goal.
67 min: For the first time today, Foden and Cherki combine neatly on the edge of Bournemouth’s box, lending the ball to each other before the latter curls a shot just over Petrovic’s bar.
64 min: A booking for Truffert, who pulls Foden back after some lazy defending. A reverse of the booking for Foden in the first half.
62 min: What a frustrating goal for Bournemouth to concede. The visitors had had the better of this second half and could easily be level – with Kroupi spurning two chances. Iraola makes three changes, but are they too late?
Evanilson replaces Kroupi, Kluivert for David Brooks and Lewis Cook for Alex Jimenez, who appears to have a knock after his battles with Doku.
GOAL! Manchester City 3-1 Bournemouth (O'Reilly 60)
Cherki and Foden combine in midfield – in that space I was talking about – before O’Reilly arrives from left back. The 20-year-old takes aim from the edge of Bournemouth’s box, the ball flying through a defender’s legs on the way to the bottom corner.
Updated
58 min: The Bournemouth press and defensive line is much better organised since half-time. There just isn’t the same space in behind, but that does leave more space in front for City’s creators to operate.
56 min: Doku and Jimenez are having an excellent battle on City’s left flank. The Spaniard is sneaky quick, and is doing a good job of marshalling the tricky City winger, who tries unsuccessfully to go around the outside the byline, before Jimenez cuts him off.
53 min: Back come Bournemouth. Brooks is such a silky player that makes football look easy and the Welshman feeds a wonderfully weighted pass into the path of Scott, who finds Kroupi just inside the area … the Frenchman’s shot is saved by Donnarumma! Kroupi’s effort just wasn’t quite far enough into the corner and City’s octopus-like keeper was able to spring to his left and paw it wide.
51 min: Bournemouth nearly catch City cold! For the first time in the match, Semenyo finds some space on the left wing and crosses low towards the back post, dissecting City’s defence and goalkeeper. Brooks can’t get a shot at goal, but he retreives the ball from the byline, cuts the ball back to Kroupi and the teenager flashes a shot into the side netting from eight yards out! The Bournemouth striker had more time than he thought, and rather snatched at the shot, shooting off balance.
49 min: Is there a chance that O’Reilly is still growing? The left-back looks absolutely enormous these days – Google says he is 6ft4in! O’Reilly gets forward and crosses to the back post towards Haaland, who can only divert an awkward header high and wide.
47 min: The first couple of minutes aside, it was a very quiet first half for Kroupi. The Bournemouth striker starts by barging into Gvardiol, channeling the spirit of Roy Keane.
Peeeeeeeeep!
The second half is underway.
Half-time reading:
Here is a list of Manchester City’s scorers this season:
1. Erling Haaland – 13 goals
2. Burnley’s Maxime Esteve – two own goals
3. Phil Foden – one goal
4. Tijjani Reijnders – one goal
5. Matheus Nunes – one goal
6. Rayan Cherki – one goal
Half-time: Manchester City 2-1 Bournemouth
Petrovic actually tipped Cherki’s free-kick behind but there is not the time to take the corner, and referee Anthony Taylor blows for half-time.
45+6 min: Free-kick to Manchester City in a dangerous position and Cherki takes the setpiece with his weaker (so called) right foot! Remarkable that he has the license to do that in a team this talented, but the shot is saved by Petrovic.
45+4 min: Jimenez wears his socks low, a la Grealish. It might be commonplace with attacking players but I’m trying to think of another full-back that dons his socks halfway around his calves? Trent Alexander-Arnold maybe?
45+2 min: A booking for Foden, who pulls back Jimenez’s shirt off the ball. The Bournemouth right back was streaming forward on the overlap and Foden dragged him back.
45 min: Five minutes added on here. This has been an enthralling half. If Bournemouth can tinker their tactics, they are still well in this game at 2-1 down.
43 min: Matheus Nunes is the latest man down, clutching his calf (I think). But both he and Semenyo are OK to continue.
41 min: “What is Marcos Senesi thinking?” emails Eric Peterson. “That’s twice he’s fallen for the temptation to surge forward off the line and challenge for a midfield ball within his range, and twice that Haaland has surged into the space left behind and accepted the breakaway that ensued.”
I think that Iraola has got his tactics badly wrong here, exposing some of his slower players like Senesi. But there does come a point where a problem is so glaringly obvious that it requires more experienced players like the Argentinian to make an on-pitch adjustment.
38 min: A heavy collision between Semenyo and Dias leaves the Bournemouth man a lot worse off, clutching his coccyx. After a breathless few minutes, we will have a brief pause while Semenyo gets some treatment.
36 min: Time and time again, City are either carving Bournemouth open or picking their pocket high up the field, and Doku releases Haaland once again, bearing down on goal. This time the big striker tries a dinked finish and Petrovic throws up a hand to deny Haaland. City could easily be three of four up, but it remains 2-1.
35 min: Bournemouth are not learning their lesson! O’Reilly is the next to break the offside trap, one-on-one with Petrovic! The left-back tries to repeat the finish by Haaland, rounding the goalkeeper but his finish is off target, and Foden is unable to turn the shot into the net! Jimenez got a vital touch to deny the Englishman.
Updated
33 min: That was another delicious first-time assist from Cherki, who is fast developing a telepathic understanding with Haaland. The striker is already on the move by the time the Cherki receives the ball, and with the space that Bournemouth are giving up, City are rampant!
GOAL! Manchester City 2-1 Bournemouth (Haaland 32)
Haaland races clear into open space behind Bournemouth’s defence, round the onrushing Petrovic and finishes expertly from an acute angle!
Updated
29 min: Incensed (at their own goalkeeper perhaps), City come roaring back. There are a few half openings as Cherki toe-pokes a shot at goal (blocked), while Ruben Dias and Haaland both miss easy headers from a corner. Bournemouth survive, and a soft free kick by Doku on Brooks only serves to further infuriate the home crowd.
25 min: Donnarumma protests to the referee wildly, claiming he was fouled as the cross came into the box. But replays show he was barely touched, and his protests are just smoke and mirrors to conceal his error. The Italian is actually booked for his protests, and it becomes clear that the goal will not be ruled out by VAR.
Updated
GOAL! Manchester City 1-1 Bournemouth (Adams 24)
A goal out of nothing! From a corner, Donnarumma completely misjudges the flight of the ball, slices his punch and Adams pounces on the loose ball inside the six-yard box, turning the ball into the empty net! A terrible goalkeeping error!
Updated
21 min: Maybe it’s the goal in midweek, maybe it’s just that he has acclimatised to his new City teammates, but Cherki has a real swagger about his play today. And that was a fine assist, a first-time header into Haaland’s path.
19 min: That’s what you get for playing a high line against Haaland. Some would call it suicidal defending but if you want to press City high up the pitch, then the whole team has to squeeze. That leaves gaps in behind that Haaland has spent his career exploiting. That is the Norwegian’s 25th goal for club and country this season. And it’s the 2 November.
GOAL! Manchester City 1-0 Bournemouth (Haaland 17)
Bournemouth pay a price for that high line! Senesi is drawn out of position to press Cherki, but the Frenchman nods a through ball over the head of the Bournemouth defence. Haaland is onto it like a flash, sprinting into open ground with just Petrovic to beat … and rolls the ball past the keeper into the net at the near post! The Bournemouth stopper got a touch on the finish, but couldn’t stop it!
Updated
16 min: “I’ve had a fairly successful weekend of results predictions so far (exception: Shrewsbury survived their trip to south shields), so let’s try this one,” emails Jeremy Boyce. “Haaland is obviously a big handful but City look distracted at the moment, and then there’s Rodri. Meanwhile, Bournemouth never cease to surprise and more than that, please. Looks tailor made for a 1 - 2 Louvre-esque smash’n’grab by the south coast side, despite Haaland adding to his already impressive tally.”
Updated
14 min: Senesi has had a fine season so far but the Bournemouth centre-back is not the quickest and City have tested with a few hopeful through balls towards Haaland. So far, the City man has yet to latch onto anything meaningful, but the threat is there.
12 min: The game is following the trend that was expected. City dominating possession, probing with their tricky schemers Doku/Cherki/Foden. Bournemouth are more defensive but still aggressive in their press, looking to pounce on any errors and surge up the field on the counter-attack.
10 min: It’s quite a special quality that Semenyo has, as shown in last move, that he can run with the ball faster than most players can run without it. So when he carries the ball at full pace, he has complete confidence that nobody is catching him. Rather than looking over his shoulder, he can look up, be positive, play fearlessly.
8 min: From a dangerous City corner in which Haaland wins a near-post flick on, Bournemouth counter-attack with pace and verve. Semenyo carries the ball a full 40 yards, and releases Brooks down the left. But Matheus Nunes uses his athleticism to track back and barge the Bournemouth man off the ball, just as Brooks was readying a shot.
6 min: Doku finds Foden in a neat pocket of space just in front of Bournemouth’s defence and the Englishman drives with intent into the box, forcing Senesi to make a brilliant covering challenge. That shot was goalbound. Great defending.
2 min: Following his disallowed goal, Kroupi is shoulder barged to the ground by Dias, a friendly welcome to the game. It’s a small sample size, admittedly, but Kroupi has a 50% conversion rate from his six Premier League appearances to date. That is quite some figure.
BOURNEMOUTH GOAL DISALLOWED!
1 min: Just 46 seconds on the clock, and Kroupi has the ball in the net for Bournemouth! Adams nicks the ball in midfield, Brooks burns past Gvardiol on the right wing and the Welshman squares the ball to Kroupi, who has an easy tap in at the back post! But the teenage striker is (correctly) ruled offside, and the goal chalked off! Kroupi just needed to hold his run and get level or behind the ball when Brooks crossed.
Updated
Peeeeeeeep!
We are underway in Manchester!
The teams are out! Blue Moon is being belted out by the home fans. Both teams are huddled, with Rúben Dias barking instructions (and encouragement?) to his City teammates.
Here’s an interesting pair of stats, courtesy of Opta. Going into this weekend, City are the only side in the Premier League this season to spend more than half of their game time in a winning position (51.3%), while Bournemouth are the side that has spent the least amount of minutes (11%) losing.
Rayan Cherki’s only league start for City since his £30.5m summer move from Lyon was the 2-0 home defeat to Tottenham in August. It’s been a fairly underwhelming start for Cherki, who has flickered with some bright moments. Guardiola highly rates the Frenchman, who scored in the Carabao Cup against Swansea this week, and had this to say about the playmaker only last month.
The two managers have spoken to the Sky Sports cameras.
Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola:
We have never got a point here so we knows it’s going to be tough. Injury wise, we come with every one available so we arrive in a good moment. I hope we have a chance. Definitely we need our best performance. I trust our players. Let’s see if it’s enough.
Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola:
Yesterday was only the first training session, so we decide to leave him on the bench. Rodri is also not ready to start, he needs to play.
Accounting that for West Ham-Newcastle result, here is the updated Premier League table. Just three points separate Bournemouth in second and Aston Villa in 11th.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | 10 | 15 | 25 |
| 2 | AFC Bournemouth | 9 | 5 | 18 |
| 3 | Liverpool | 10 | 4 | 18 |
| 4 | Tottenham Hotspur | 10 | 9 | 17 |
| 5 | Chelsea | 10 | 7 | 17 |
| 6 | Sunderland | 9 | 4 | 17 |
| 7 | Man Utd | 10 | 1 | 17 |
| 8 | Man City | 9 | 10 | 16 |
| 9 | Crystal Palace | 10 | 5 | 16 |
| 10 | Brighton | 10 | 2 | 15 |
| 11 | Aston Villa | 10 | -1 | 15 |
| 12 | Brentford | 10 | -2 | 13 |
| 13 | Newcastle | 10 | -1 | 12 |
| 14 | Fulham | 10 | -2 | 11 |
| 15 | Everton | 9 | -3 | 11 |
| 16 | Leeds | 10 | -8 | 11 |
| 17 | Burnley | 10 | -7 | 10 |
| 18 | West Ham | 10 | -11 | 7 |
| 19 | Nottm Forest | 10 | -12 | 6 |
| 20 | Wolverhampton | 10 | -15 | 2 |
Bournemouth have done just fine without him, but Evanilson is back in the squad today for the first time in a month. In his stead, striker Eli Kroupi has caught fire and is looking to become just the fourth teenager to score in four consecutive games in the Premier League.
A first win for Nuno at West Ham, who have beaten Newcastle 3-1 (but remain in the relegation zone).
Meanwhile, north of the border, Celtic have taken an extra-time lead against old rivals Rangers in the Scottish League Cup.
In an unexpected turn of events, West Ham are beating Newcastle. You can follow the final 15 minutes of that one right here, with John Brewin.
Those are two insanely attacking sides! By my reckoning, both sides have just one player each in their midfields – City have Nico González and Bournemouth have Tyler Adams – that are defensively minded.
Plus, City have two converted midfielders playing at full-back, although you could argue that both O’Reilly and Matheus Nunes are just full-backs at this point.
Team news!
Manchester City: Donnarumma, Matheus Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly, Silva, Gonzalez, Cherki, Foden, Doku, Haaland.
Subs: Trafford, Reijnders, Stones, Ake, Marmoush, Rodri, Ait Nouri, Savio, Lewis.
Bournemouth: Petrovic, Jimenez, Diakite, Senesi, Truffert, Scott, Adams, Tavernier, Brooks, Semenyo, Junior Kroupi.
Subs: Dennis, Cook, Evanilson, Christie, Doak, Smith, Kluivert, Adli, Milosavljevic.
Updated
Preamble
Bournemouth don’t have a great record at Manchester City – since their first promotion to the Premier League in 2015, the Cherries have lost all eight of their league visits to the Etihad Stadium, scoring five goals and conceding … 31 – but this isn’t an ordinary Bournemouth team.
The south-coasters currently sit second in the Premier League. That is despite the fact that they lost some of their biggest stars (including three-quarters of their defence) over the summer, a transfer window in which the club made a profit of £63.3m. Relatively unheralded teenagers Eli Kroupi (plucked from Ligue 2) and Veljko Milosavljevic (who made only 27 first-team appearances for Red Star Belgrade before signing for Bournemouth) have come in as thrifty replacements and already look like Premier League superstars.
Antoine Semenyo has arguably been the best player in the league this season. Andoni Iraola is a likeable and unflappable manager, playing an entertaining brand of football that is flexible enough to steer clear of tactical evangelism. Unbeaten since August, Bournemouth might have the smallest stadium in the league but have turned the Vitality (11,300 capacity) into a mini fortress. Away from home, the Cherries have been a bit more inconsistent – a win over Tottenham has been supplemented by high-scoring draws against Leeds and Palace – and this is the improvement that Bournemouth must make if they are to truly be considered as genuine top-four or (DON’T SAY IT, DON’T SAY IT, DON’T SAY IT) even title contenders.
Manchester City, of course, know what it takes to go the distance, even if this current crop are struggling to live up the treble-winners of yesteryear. Arsenal look imperious at the moment but only a fool would count out Pep Guardiola and co with just a quarter of the season completed. City will go second on 19 points with a win today, six points behind the Gunners. That is not an insurmountable gap, particularly as Arsenal’s next three league games are Sunderland (a), Tottenham (h) and Chelsea (a).
Plenty to play for, then, in an intriguing match.
Kick-off: 4.30pm GMT.
