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The Etihad Stadium welcomes Manchester City and Bournemouth for a Premier League showdown that may determine European qualification and bid farewell to a club legend. It’s Kevin De Bruyne’s final home game in a sky blue shirt—a poignant moment for City fans as the club looks to bounce back from FA Cup disappointment.

Historically, Manchester City have won all 7 Premier League home games against Bournemouth, scoring 23 and conceding just 4—a 100% home record against the Cherries.

🔍 Team Analysis

🔵 Manchester City

Form & Motivation:
Pep Guardiola’s men are reeling from their 1-0 FA Cup final defeat to Crystal Palace and a drab 0-0 with Southampton. They’ve now gone two games without scoring, a rare occurrence under the Catalan maestro. However, they still control their Champions League qualification fate, sitting just one point off fifth place with a game in hand.

Key Players:

• Erling Haaland – Despite the controversy at Wembley, he remains a constant goal threat

• Kevin De Bruyne – Playing his final home game; expect creative influence and emotion

• Phil Foden & Omar Marmoush – Expected to start, need to offer spark

Injuries & Absentees:

• Out: Rodri (ACL), Ake (ankle), Stones (thigh), Oscar Bobb (thigh)

• Doubts: Mateo Kovacic (knock)

Strengths:

• Four straight home league wins

• Proven record in final home games of the season (won last eight)

• Rotation options and youth depth

Concerns:

• Fatigue from congested calendar

• Disjointed midfield without Rodri and Kovacic

🍒 Bournemouth

Form & Motivation:
While their hopes of Conference League qualification are slim, Bournemouth can still mathematically sneak into Europe. However, with just 3 wins from their last 13, form is far from convincing. They’ve been resilient away though, losing just once in 13 road games.

Key Players:

• Evanilson – 5 goals in his last 5 away starts

• Justin Kluivert – Returning to fill in for injured Alex Scott

• Lewis Cook & Tyler Adams – Forming a stable double pivot

Injuries & Doubts:

• Out: Alex Scott (jaw), Enes Unal (knee), Ryan Christie (groin), Sinisterra (thigh), Ouattara (adductor)

• Boost: Kluivert returns to midfield

Strengths:

• Strong away form

• Compact midfield structure

• Resilience against top sides (beat City 2-1 in November)

Concerns:

• Injury-hit squad

• Over-reliance on Evanilson

• Defence vulnerable to elite attackers

🔁 Head-to-Head & Past Encounters

Manchester City vs Bournemouth has been entirely one-sided in Premier League play:

• 🏟️ FA Cup 2025: Man City 2-1 Bournemouth

• 🏟️ PL Nov 2024: Bournemouth 2-1 Man City

• 🏟️ PL 2023/24: Man City 4-1 Bournemouth

• 🏟️ Overall Premier League record at Etihad: 7 wins from 7 for City

Total goals in last 4 meetings: City 9 – 5 Bournemouth

🧠 Prediction with Goal.mu/Mauri.bet

This may not be a title decider, but it’s still a critical clash for both teams. Expect City to bounce back strongly after their Wembley blow, with Bournemouth’s defensive gaps likely to be exploited.

Predicted Score:
Manchester City 3–1 Bournemouth

City’s dominance at home, Bournemouth’s injuries, and De Bruyne’s emotional farewell point to a celebratory Etihad evening.

💸 Betting Tips

• ✅ Manchester City to Win & Over 2.5 Goals
  Strong home record and motivation to finish well

• ✅ Anytime Goalscorer:

  • Erling Haaland – Hungry to silence doubters after Palace match

  • Kevin De Bruyne – Final Etihad match; free kicks and penalties possible

  • Evanilson (Bournemouth) – In form, particularly away

• ✅ Both Teams to Score: YES
  Bournemouth scored in last 4 away matches vs City

• ✅ Correct Score Tip: 3-1
  Balanced value between defensive issues and attacking talent

📋 Possible Lineups

Manchester City (4-2-3-1):
🧤 Ederson – Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly – Gonzalez, Gundogan – Savinho, De Bruyne, Marmoush – Haaland

Bournemouth (4-2-3-1):
🧤 Kepa – Smith, Zabarnyi, Huijsen, Kerkez – Cook, Adams – Semenyo, Kluivert, Tavernier – Evanilson

⏳ Half-Time Result Prediction

Prediction: Manchester City 2–0 Bournemouth at Half-Time

• City will aim to start strong to set the tone

• Expect early intensity and pressure from Pep’s men

• Bournemouth tend to concede early against big sides

🗓️ Match Details

📅 Match Date: May 20, 2025
🏟 Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester
⏰ Kickoff Time: 8:00 PM UK Time

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