Manchester City take on Bournemouth in top-of-the-table clash.
Manchester City vs. Bournemouth kicks off at 16:30 [GMT] on Sunday, November 2, at the Etihad.
Fifth-placed Manchester City have endured a slightly inconsistent start by their high standards. Pep Guardiola’s side have already lost three of their opening nine league games—the first time that has happened since the 2013-14 campaign, which they famously went on to win. City’s attacking rhythm has been somewhat muted; they are averaging 13.7 shots per game this season, their lowest average since 2007-08. Despite that, they remain the only Premier League team to have spent more than half of their total match time in a winning position (51.3%), reflecting their dominance in most fixtures even when not firing on all cylinders. They will be looking to maintain their flawless home record against the Cherries, having won all eight of their previous Premier League meetings at the Etihad. In top-flight history, only Manchester United (16/16 vs Luton) and City themselves (9/9 vs Swansea) boast a better 100% home record against a single opponent. In addition, they have won 15 of their 16 Premier League games against Bournemouth, with the sole defeat coming in a 2-1 loss at the Vitality Stadium last season. Bouncing back to winning ways will be the ultimate objective as City [DWWWL] look to close a six-point gap to the top of the table. On a personal note, Phil Foden could make his 200th Premier League appearance in this fixture. At 25 years and 158 days, he would become the youngest player in club history to reach that milestone, a testament to his consistency and importance to the team’s recent success. A 4—1—4—1 formation with Erling Haaland in attack is expected against Bournemouth.
The Cherries [DDWDW], in 2nd place, are currently on the longest unbeaten run of any Premier League side, going eight games without defeat since their opening-day loss to Liverpool. With five wins and three draws in that stretch, Bournemouth’s tally of 18 points from nine matches marks their best-ever start to a top-flight campaign. Under Andoni Iraola, the Cherries have shown tactical maturity, defensive solidity, and attacking creativity that has taken many by surprise. Bournemouth have scored more goals from outside the box than any other team this season (six), showcasing their ability to produce moments of quality even against compact defences. A 4—2—3—1 formation with Kroupi in attack is expected against Manchester City. Evanilson is ruled out due to injury.