Bournemouth fans could hardly be blamed for their excitement after defeating the reigning Premier League champions—a rare scene involving Manchester City as the subject of celebratory chants. Andoni Iraola’s side will want to build on this impressive display.
City’s first league loss of the season served as a stark reminder of their recent struggles. After losing to Spurs midweek in the cup, ending their unbeaten streak, Pep Guardiola’s side continued to show signs of vulnerability, ultimately losing 2-1 despite a consolation goal from Josko Gvardiol.
For those quick to declare the title race over after Arsenal’s defeat to Newcastle, City’s performance suggests they are not taking anything for granted.
Though Bournemouth didn’t necessarily “want it more,” they outworked City—a rare trait to observe in a Guardiola-led team. It was a disjointed display from City, who earned the result they received. Guardiola’s frustration was evident on the sidelines, but even he maintained a controlled reaction to the team’s ongoing issues.
Guardiola has been increasingly irritated by an injury list that only seems to grow. He recently emphasized that his players must play through injuries, yet despite the returns of Jeremy Doku, Kyle Walker, and Kevin De Bruyne, John Stones and Ruben Dias joined the sidelined ranks.
However, with City’s intentionally small squad—Guardiola’s preference—they’ve had to manage high demands, as shown by new data indicating City’s top players have averaged over 60 games per season since 2018. Four of those top players, including Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden, and Ederson, started against Bournemouth, so this is nothing new.
Yet, managing these challenges remains difficult, particularly on a wet day on the south coast against a Bournemouth team that has already defeated Arsenal here this season. Iraola has elevated Bournemouth’s play, and it was no surprise to see them celebrate the opening goal shortly after Ederson’s double save in the second minute.
The home fans roared as Milos Kerkez sped past Foden, and Antoine Semenyo held off Gvardiol before turning and firing the ball into the far corner. City’s players were just a split-second behind in speed and couldn’t find an excuse for their lapse.
City has grown accustomed to conceding first this season, but they’ve often managed to strike back at key moments. At Bournemouth, there were flashes of that potential, but as has happened frequently, it took City too long to break down their opponents.
Whenever they seemed to build momentum, Bournemouth quickly dismantled their efforts with just a few precise passes.
In a telling moment, Walker lost possession to Semenyo, fouled him, and punched the ball in frustration. Guardiola signaled to his bench, but Nathan Ake, struggling with an injury, could no longer continue, leading to the introduction of Rico Lewis.
It was a day when City’s defense had too many leaks to stop Bournemouth’s attack, as Evanilson doubled the lead with a header from Kerkez’s cross midway through the second half.
In a tense injury-time period, Bournemouth’s chants briefly quieted, and Gvardiol powered a header to inject some last-minute excitement. However, City likely lacked the energy to contest the result or any potential grievances with the officiating.
