This encounter marks the first meeting between the two sides since November 4th, when Manchester City secured a dominant 6-1 victory over Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium.
Following that heavy defeat, Bournemouth experienced a surge in form towards the end of last year, clinching six victories out of seven league matches leading up to Boxing Day. However, their performance has dwindled since then, failing to win any of their last six top-flight fixtures and kicking off 2024 without a victory.
Andoni Iraola's team came close to securing a win at St James' Park last weekend, leading 2-1 against Newcastle United until former Cherries winger Matt Ritchie leveled the score with a late goal, resulting in a 2-2 draw.
Since the start of the year, only Burnley has garnered fewer points than Bournemouth, making their quest for a top-half finish increasingly challenging. Nonetheless, they currently stand 13th in the Premier League table, eight points clear of the relegation zone.
Despite their struggles, Bournemouth has demonstrated prowess in finding the back of the net, scoring in 15 of their last 16 league games, with a total of 28 goals. Their only exception was a 4-0 defeat to league leaders Liverpool.
Facing Manchester City, Bournemouth aims to break their 19-game winless streak against them, which stands as the longest such run without success against an opponent in English Football League history.
Meanwhile, Manchester City, fresh from salvaging a point against Chelsea and securing a narrow 1-0 win over Brentford, are eager to close the gap at the top of the table. With an unbeaten run of 10 matches in the Premier League, they are determined to maintain momentum and reduce the margin to leaders Liverpool, who are currently focused on the EFL Cup final.
Having enjoyed success against Bournemouth in the past, winning all of their previous 13 top-flight encounters by a significant aggregate score of 45-7, Manchester City are keen to continue their dominance and pursue a record fourth successive Premier League title.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
Bournemouth continues to face challenges with key players unavailable due to various reasons. Tyler Adams, Max Aarons, Ryan Fredericks, James Hill, and Darren Randolph are still out, while Romain Faivre's recent illness casts doubt on his availability for the upcoming match against Man City.Philip Billing will miss this game due to suspension, leaving Ryan Christie and Lewis Cook likely to maintain their positions in midfield. There's a competition between Alex Scott and Justin Kluivert for the number 10 role.
Luis Sinisterra, who scored against Man City earlier this season, may come in on the flanks, potentially replacing Marcus Tavernier or Semenyo. Dominic Solanke is expected to lead the attack, aiming for his 15th league goal of the season.
For Man City, Jack Grealish and Josko Gvardiol remain sidelined due to injuries. Kevin De Bruyne's hamstring issue will be evaluated before the match after being rested midweek.
Manager Guardiola might opt to stick with the same defensive setup after keeping a clean sheet against Brentford. However, Nathan Ake and academy graduate Rico Lewis are vying for a spot in the lineup, especially Ake against his former club.
In midfield, Mateo Kovacic and Matheus Nunes are hopeful for a return to the starting lineup. Jeremy Doku, who had a significant impact in the previous encounter against Bournemouth, may replace Oscar Bobb on the left flank.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Bournemouth possible starting lineup:Neto; Smith, Zabarnyi, Senesi, Kelly; Christie, Cook; Semenyo, Kluivert, Sinisterra; Solanke
Manchester City possible starting lineup:
Ederson; Walker, Dias, Akanji, Ake; Rodri, Kovacic; Foden, Alvarez, Doku; Haaland
EXPERT PREDICTION
Bournemouth 1-5 Manchester City
While Bournemouth may have confidence in their ability to score against Manchester City's defense, which hasn't been the strongest this season, Guardiola's team, in pursuit of the title, is expected to have little trouble outscoring their opponents and securing a crucial three points.
