Bournemouth vs Man City Preview: Team News & Prediction | 2024-25 English Premier League | Champions to extend lead?

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Top-of-the-table Man City look to extend their unbeaten start to the Premier League season when they take on Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday.

KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Saturday 2nd November, 2024: UK – 3:00pm / US ET – 11:00am / US PT – 8:00am

HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – Not televised / US – Peacock

HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – Cannot be streamed / US – Peacock Premium

BOURNEMOUTH PREVIEW: COMPETING WITH THE BEST

In the midst of a difficult fixture run, Bournemouth have delivered two excellent displays in the Premier League, stunning Arsenal in a 2-0 victory a couple of weeks ago before summer signing Evanilson scored an injury-time equaliser at in-form Aston Villa last weekend.

However, the Cherries have a woeful record against Manchester City having lost all 14 meetings with the Citizens in the division, so history is very much against them in this fixture.

MAN CITY PREVIEW: GRINDING OUT WINS

Man City head into the weekend with a one-point advantage over Liverpool in the Premier League table and the reigning champions are the only unbeaten team remaining in the division.

They were made to work hard by promoted side Southampton last weekend though, Erling Haaland scoring the only goal of the game in the fifth minute, while they were eliminated from the Carabao Cup by Tottenham on Wednesday,

BOURNEMOUTH TEAM NEWS: KEPA STILL OUT, OUATTARA UNLIKELY

Kepa Arrizabalaga will miss out once more so Mark Travers will line up in goal again, with Alex Scott and Luis Sinisterra the other definite absentees.

Iraola did not seem confident that Dango Ouattara - who was withdrawn at half-time last week - would make it, so a reshuffle is likely needed in the attacking areas.

PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Travers; Araujo, Zabarnyi, Senesi, Kerkez; Christie, Cook; Semenyo, Kluivert, Tavernier; Evanilson

UNAVAILABLE: Kepa (Injured), Scott (Injured), Sinisterra (Injured)

QUESTIONABLE: Ouattara (Injured)

MAN CITY TEAM NEWS: INJURIES PILING UP

Pep Guardiola was not forthcoming with his injury news but he has previously stated that Kyle Walker, Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish will not be seen until after the international break.

Manuel Akanji should be fine after pulling up in the warm-up for the midweek Carabao Cup tie, while Nathan Ake is waiting in the wings should Josko Gvardiol fail to make it. Savinho, meanwhile, seems almost certain to miss out after being stretchered off against Spurs.

PREDICTED XI (4-1-4-1): Ederson; Lewis, Stones, Dias, Ake; Kovacic; Bernardo, Gundogan, Foden, Nunes; Haaland

UNAVAILABLE: Walker (Injured), Rodri (Injured), De Bruyne (Injured), Grealish (Injured), Doku (Injured), Bobb (Injured)

QUESTIONABLE: Akanji (Injured), Gvardiol (Injured), Savinho (Injured)

BOURNEMOUTH VS MAN CITY PREDICTION

While Man City have a dominant record against most teams in the division over recent years, few are as one-sided as this particular fixture, with Bournemouth having never taken a Premier League point off their opponents.

However, City have something approaching an injury crisis at the moment, and although they will still be able to field a side capable of winning this game, it wouldn't be a huge surprise if Bournemouth found the net at some point.

BOURNEMOUTH VS MAN CITY TIP: BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE