There are no easy games in the Premier League and Manchester City will need to be back at their best to come away with 3 points.
There are some worrying records around the Manchester City game away at Bournemouth. Bournemouth have never beaten City in 13 previous league meetings, drawing 2 and losing 11. City have so far won all 7 of the previous Premier League meetings between the 2 sides – scoring 24 goals and conceding just 3 in the process. coming into this match Bournemouth have lost 10 of their last 12 games against the so called big 6 sides. But it is also worth pointing out that City have lost 3 in their last 6 away games – their worst run in the Premier League since Guardiola took over.
Now the thing about being a Manchester City fan of a certain age is that when I see all these statistics about our remarkable win run against Bournemouth I am not thinking it indicates the run will continue but rather the opposite will be true. That today may well be the day the run ends and history is rewritten – “typical City” again.
Bournemouth have not lost in the league at home since early December when Liverpool ran out 4:0 winners. Since then they have seen off the challenge of Chelsea amongst others. In fact their home record is pretty decent. City will not relish playing on the tight pitch at Dean Court, especially given the low stands will not protect the ball from the wind, making some of our passing difficult. However these are the kinds of games which champions must win.
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There is some lethargy in the City play at the moment. Some knocks being carried and it is most evident after about 75 minutes. This has been a hard few weeks where we have done extremely well. After the Bournemouth game City will have the luxury of a 7 day break before the next fixture and that can not come soon enough. Guardiola will need to eke out one final push from his players and seems to be using as many motivational tricks as he can – citing his team are not ready in press conferences is like a call to arms – a challenge to his elite bunch to rise to the occasion.
There is likely to be some further rotation in the City side after the performances against West Ham United. Sane and Mahrez may both have to wait on the naughty step for their next run out. In defence I think we will see Oleks Zinchenko and Danilo as the full backs. Danilo has been injured the last two times he has been away on International duty with Brazil so I think we should get the most out of him before he goes! The central defensive partnership will be two from the 3 available of Stones, Otamendi and Kompany. Given the exertions of the last week it may be that Kompany misses out.
Gundogan is likely to start in the Fernandinho role again and I would expect to see both David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne alongside him again. Much as I would like to see Phil Foden start I think it will be unlikely. The attack should be led by Gabriel Jesus to rest Aguero after 4 games in 11 days. Bernardo Silva and Raheem Sterling will start alongside.
Every game is important between now and the end of the season. City need to work hard, retain the ball and create the openings to score. If they do this then the result should come. There will be more twists and turns to come in the title race. The gap between the top 2 will likely increase and decrease in the weeks ahead but if City remain in touch by the end of March no one will count against us retaining the title.