Man City sweep aside Bournemouth after red hot first half display

Pep Guardiola's Man City have maximum points from two matches after thrashing Bournemouth 4-0 at the Etihad Stadium. The game was over as a contest before half-time as Ilkay Gundogan, Kevin de Bruyne and Phil Foden all scored against a Bournemouth side who had come to defend. The match was very one sided and an unfortunate own goal by Jefferson Lerma 12 minutes from time completed the scoring. 

Man City dominated the contest from the first whistle and only needed six minutes to have their first chance when Riyad Mahrez tested goalkeeper Mark Travers from a free-kick. City should have taken the lead inside 10 minutes when Kevin De Bruyne's shot found Foden on the edge of the box, but he went for goal instead of squaring for an unmarked Haaland and Travers made the save.

The hosts finally got their goal after 18 minutes when Gundogan laid off the ball to Haaland with a backheel and the Norwegian played the ball back to him. Gundogan was one on one with the goalie and he hit across Travers to give Man City a deserved lead.

Bournemouth had a rare sight of goal when Pearson tested Ederson from distance, but the game was soon beyond Bournemouth's reach. After Rodri had hit wide, City got the second just after the half hour through De Bruyne. Foden passed the ball to the Belgian, who went towards goal slaloming past defenders and then placing the ball into the corner. Then, in the 38th minute, Foden got the third. 

The away side lost the ball in Man City's half, Mahrez got the ball and that was disaster for Bournemouth. Mahrez played a long ball to De Bruyne who then played a through ball to Foden and his deflected effort went past Travers. The goalkeeper should have kept it out, but there was a huge gulf in class between the teams.

 

August 13, 2022

In the second half, Man City remained dominant, but they took their foot off the gas as they knew the job was done. Bournemouth, on the other hand, decided to play damage limitation to prevent more damage to their goal difference and their morale. 

De Bruyne tried his luck from a tight angle and forced a stop out of Travers while Mahrez and Gundogan also had efforts with a hour on the clock. The former's effort ended up calling Travers into action, but the goalkeeper stopped it. 

Erling Haaland had one last chance after 74 minutes, but he scuffed his effort wide. The Norwegian was then subbed off for Julian Alvarez and despite assisting in the first goal, Haaland left the pitch with the disappointment of not getting a goal himself. City did get on the scoresheet once more, but they needed Bournemouth's help to do so.

Grealish scooped the ball to Cancelo near the by-line, who cut one way and then the other before his cross went in off Lerma. That goal summed up Bournemouth's afternoon and they were outplayed from the very first minute. Even though they were not expecting to get anything from the contest, the away side will be disappointed to have folded so easily against Pep Guardiola's superstars.