Unbeaten run ends in defeat at Bournemouth

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Manchester City F.C.

·2 November 2024

Unbeaten run ends in defeat at Bournemouth

City’s long unbeaten run in the Premier League came to an end with a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.

Goals from Antoine Semenyo and Evanilson consigned Pep Guardiola’s champions to a first loss in 33 outings in the top-flight.

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Semenyo’s opener came less than ten minutes after the kick-off before Evanilson doubled Bournemouth’s advantage just after the hour mark.

City, ravaged by injury issues, never gave up and had a glimmer of hope when Josko Gvardiol scored a brilliant header in the 82nd minute.

We pushed hard right to the final whistle but couldn’t force an equaliser in a game that brings an end to the best 100% record in English top tier history, with City victorious in our previous 14 meetings with Bournemouth at this level.

What happened

An injury-hit City were boosted by the return of club captain Kyle Walker after almost a month sidelined and the news that Manuel Akanji was fit to start after missing the midweek Carabao Cup defeat at Tottenham Hotspur due to an injury in the warm up.

Pep Guardiola's side went into the game with a 100% record in 14 Premier League meetings with Bournemouth - not that the Catalan thought that would have an impact on this clash with Andoni Iraola's entertaining outfit.

Ederson had to be at his brilliant best in the very first minute of the game as an energetic Cherries side won the ball on the halfway line and rushed forward.

The Brazilian got low to deny Justin Kluivert before jumping up to divert Antoine Semenyo's follow up out with his foot.

However, he was powerless to stop Semenyo's turn and shot in the ninth minute after excellent work down the left from Milos Kerkez.

It was little more than our hosts deserved after a bright start.

That acted as the catalyst for City to take control of the ball and dominate possession.

By the midway point of the first half, Bournemouth appeared drained of their early vim and vigour and City were undoubtedly on top.

A direct Matheus Nunes run down the left was the next moment to rip the hosts' defence apart, with the Portuguese man eventually pulling the ball back to his compatriot Bernardo.

The No.20 pulled the trigger and would surely have equalised if not for a sliding block from Kerkez.

Haaland's first major opening came in the 37th minute was also the last chance of a topsy-turvy first half.

The Norwegian chested down a floated Nunes cross before smashing a left footed effort just wide of the near post.

Just as in the first half, City again needed a superb Ederson save to deny the hosts inside the first half of the second period.

It was striker Evanilson from close range this time but our No.31 made himself big to turn the ball behind.

While often lauded for his revolutionary skills with the ball at his feet, Ederson's shot stopping ability is also amongst the very best in the world.

City sparked into life from that moment, with Nunes again beating his marker down the right before teeing up Foden.

Stepping on to the ball about 12 yards out, the Academy graduate dragged his shot agonisingly beyond the far post.

While City spent most of the afternoon in Bournemouth's half, the Cherries carried a threat on the break throughout.

And it was a quick move from back to front that saw them double their advantage, with full-back Kerkez whipping a cross in that Evanilson was at full stretch to poke home.

The hosts should have an added another a few minutes later, with Marcus Tavernier curling a shot against the post before Adam Smith skied the rebound.

However, City remained spirited and fought to gain a footing in the match.

With less than 10 minutes remaining, Josko Gvardiol rose highest to meet Ilkay Gundogan's cross.

His header proved too powerful for Mark Travers in the Bournemouth goal who succeeded only in pushing the ball into the roof of hist net.

That ignited a frantic finish, with City doing our utmost to score again.

Jeremy Doku was a late introduction to the game and the Belgian thought he'd earned a point moments before the game entered added time.

Cutting in from the left, he hit a low shot that Travers needed a strong wrist to turn behind.

There was still time for City to go even closer, with Haaland seeing a header stopped unbelievably by Travers before reaching for the rebound but only getting enough on it to hit the post.

An absolute siege in the final moments ended with Phil Foden hammering a shot from 20 yards that went a hair's width wide of the post.

That was the final action on a day where it just felt like it wasn't to be.

Teams

CITY XI: Ederson, Walker (C), Akanji, Ake (Lewis 73), Gvardiol, Kovacic, Gundogan (Doku 85), Bernardo, Foden, Nunes, Haaland

Subs: Ortega Moreno, De Bruyne, Savinho, Wright, Simpson-Pusey, O'Reilly, McAtee

BOURNEMOUTH XI: Travers, Smith (C), Senesi, Zabarnyi, Kerkez, Cook, Christie (Adams 66), Tavernier, Kluivert (Brooks 77), Semenyo, Evanilson (Unal 77)

Subs: Dennis, Huusen, J.Araujo, Hill, Philip, Aarons