Manchester City secured a hard-fought victory over Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium, moving them one point behind Premier League leaders Liverpool.
City started late but took the lead midway through the first half when Phil Foden steered home after Erling Haaland's shot was saved by Neto.
The visitors dominated the rest of the first half but were fortunate not to equalize early on for the second goal. Antoine Semenyo's cross led to Marcus Tavernier, who fired a shot on target after some great work from Dominique Solanke.
As Bournemouth kept up the pressure, Solanke had a header on the line, but it was saved by Neto with 15 minutes remaining.
Second-half substitute Enes Unal fired a agonizing header wide of the target in stoppage time for the home side as City moved into second place in early March ahead of important matches at home to Manchester United and away to Liverpool. Hardened.
Bournemouth are without a win in their last seven league games and have dropped one place to 14th, although they remain eight points above the relegation zone.
Champions get the job done.
Josep Guardiola's side were forced to work hard in their quest for three points against Brentford on Tuesday and may have been a bit lucky to emerge victorious in the test match at the Vitality Stadium. .
Haaland scored a vital goal against the Bees, but the Norwegian should have given the visitors the lead here by running into Foden's exquisitely cushioned pass before firing a right-footed shot wide of the target. was.
Haaland had a goal disallowed by Neto midway through the first half, but Foden, who has scored in his last five appearances against the Cherries, led in his 16th goal of the season. This is his most in a single campaign.
John Stones, who had a more advanced role than usual, was particularly outstanding in the first half, storming the field on numerous occasions and almost setting up Rodri's second goal for City shortly after Foden's opener.
Bournemouth came close to equalizing after half-time and a combination of wasteful finishing from the home side and some smart goalkeeping from Ederson saw the visitors riding their luck and snatching City's three hard-earned points.
City have won all 14 games against the Cherries in the Premier League, the best 100% record against any team in the history of the top flight.
Their next five league games will be against teams currently placed in the top seven and will go a long way in defining their campaign.
Bournemouth failed to take another chance.
Bournemouth were unfortunately unable to stop their winless run against Newcastle last time out, but they got off to a lively start against the champions, with Milos Kerkes testing Ederson with a dipping shot within the first 10 minutes.
It was their only goal until Ryan Christie's shot was parried away by Ederson in first-half stoppage time, but they took advantage of the opportunity in the second half and should have equalized through Tavernier 10 minutes after the break.
Solanke then headed Ederson from a corner kick, but the City keeper was standing over a yard behind his line and could barely clear the ball before it went into the goal.
Bournemouth fans thought Unal had saved another point in stoppage time after Dango Ouattara dragged his shot wide of the target in the closing stages, but the Turkish international's header just went into the side netting.
Only Burnley will have fewer points than the Cherries in the 2024 Premier League, having drawn three and lost three of their six league games since the start of the year.
But as was the case in recent matches against Fulham and Newcastle, there was enough in this performance to suggest that Andoni Iraola's side will eventually turn the tide – especially next month. Given the string of strong games scheduled for .
player of match
Fodenphil foden
AFC Bournemouth
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squad number9player nameSolanke
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squad number1player nameNeto
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squad numberTenplayer namechristie
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squad numbertwenty fourplayer nameSemenyo
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squad numberFourplayer nameL. Cook
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squad number26player nameUnal
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squad number3player nameKerkez
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squad number15player nameSmith
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squad number27player nameZabarny
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squad number19player namekluivert
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squad number14player nameScott
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squad numbertwenty fiveplayer nameSenesi
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squad number16player nameTavernier
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squad number11player nameWatara
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squad number8player nameFebvre
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squad number17player nameSinistera
lineup
bournemouth
formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Neto
- 15Smith
- 27Zabarny
- twenty fiveSenesiI made a reservation for 70 minutes.ReplacementFebvrein 80 minutesminutes
- 3KerkezReplacementSinisterain 88 minutesminutes
- TenchristieReplacementUnalin 88 minutesminutes
- FourL. CookBooked in 38 minutes
- twenty fourSemenyo
- 19kluivertReplacementScottin 69 minutesminutes
- 16TavernierReplacementWatarain 68 minutesminutes
- 9Solanke
substitute
- 6Mepham
- 8Febvre
- 11Watara
- 14Scott
- 17Sinistera
- 20Radu
- 26Unal
- 42traverse
- 48kinsey wellings
man city
formation 3-2-4-1
- 31ederson
- 6Ake
- 3Ruben Diaz
- twenty fiveAkanji
- 16Rodri
- 8KovacicReplacementDe Bruynein 84 minutesminutesI made a reservation in 90 minutes.
- Fivestone
- 47Foden
- 9haalandReplacementalvarezin 75 minutesminutes
- 27NunezReplacementPoisonin 63 minutesminutes
- 20Bernardo SilvaBooked in 87 minutes
substitute
- 2walker
- TenGrealish
- 11Poison
- 17De Bruyne
- 18ortega
- 19alvarez
- twenty onegomez
- 52bob
- 82Lewis
- Referee:
- Jared Gillette
- Attendance:
- 11,184
live text
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Game over, Bournemouth 0, Manchester City 1.
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End of the second half, Bournemouth 0, Manchester City 1.
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Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) was shown a yellow card.
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Bernardo Silva (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul on Romain Febvre (Bournemouth).
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Attempt failed. Dominic Solanke (Bournemouth) took a right-footed shot from the center of the box, but it went just wide of the target.
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Bernardo Silva (Manchester City) wins a free kick on the left.
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Foul by Adam Smith (Bournemouth).
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Attempt failed. Enes Unal (Bournemouth) took a header from the center of the box, but it went wide of the left corner. Antoine Semenyo assisted the cross.
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Substitute, Bournemouth. Luis Sinisterra replaces Milos Kerkes.
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Substitute, Bournemouth. Enes Unal replaces Ryan Christie.
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Bernardo Silva (Manchester City) was shown a yellow card for a serious foul.
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Foul by Bernardo Silva (Manchester City).
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Antoine Semenyo (Bournemouth) wins a free kick in defence.
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Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) wins a free kick on the right.
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Foul by Ryan Christie (Bournemouth).
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Attempt failed. Dango Ouattara (Bournemouth) takes a left-footed shot from the left of the box that goes wide of his right. Supported by Ryan Christie.
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Substitute, Manchester City. Kevin De Bruyne replaces Mateo Kovacic.
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Manchester City corner. Alex Scott concedes a goal.
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Attempt blocked. Jeremy Doku (Manchester City) took a right-footed shot from the left of the box, but it was blocked. Assisted by Rodri.