Back-to-back Premier League champions and one of the strongest teams in football today, Manchester City, travel to the Vitality Stadium to take on relegation-battling Bournemouth on Saturday evening.
Making substitutions throughout the match is one of the integral parts of the game, yet Man City boss Pep Guardiola made a strange choice during his side’s 1-1 draw at RB Leipzig on Wednesday.
Known for his tactical prowess and fanatic approach to the game, the Spaniard stunned the world as he left the same 11 men on the pitch in midweek Champions League action.
His decision saw the Cityzens waste a 1-0 half-time lead in what was an underwhelming second-half performance from a side that only last week slumped to a 1-1 league draw at Nottingham Forest.
But Guardiola defended his judgment in the aftermath.
“I have the opportunity to have five substitutions, I am the manager I apply and take it if I want,” he sarcastically told the Manchester Evening News.
“It doesn’t mean if I have the substitutions I have to do the substitutions. I’m a so good manager to decide what I have to do or not.”
After handing the top spot in the Premier League over to Arsenal last week, Man City will be looking to return to winning ways when they take on hot relegation candidates Bournemouth on their playing ground.
Under-pressure manager Gary O’Neil salvaged his job at the 11th hour as the Cherries pulled off a morale-boosting 1-0 win away to Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend.
In addition to snapping a wasteful run of seven straight Premier League games without winning (D2, L5), that result also steered the Dorset outfit outside the drop zone for the first time this calendar year.
Match Preview
Bournemouth
O’Neil told The Independent his men had ‘finally got what they deserved’ after Marcus Tavernier’s second-half winner toppled Wolverhampton last time out, but there’s no time for celebration.
Coming into this matchday, the Cherries languish a measly one point clear of the drop zone and are winless in their last three league outings at the Vitality Stadium (D2, L1).
Though O’Neil would gladly accept another draw after sharing the spoils in his last two home league matches, it’s a far-fetched dream, with Bournemouth losing 15 of their 17 league clashes against City (D2).
Manchester City
Man City’s record of 11 wins from as many Premier League meetings with Bournemouth stands as the best 100% win ratio in the competition’s history, underpinning their status as odds-on pre-match favourites.
The Cityzens are on the brink of a flattering milestone as they seek a 200th Premier League victory on the road, which is not a foregone conclusion based on their recent showings on hostile turf.
Guaardiola’s men have landed just one win on their last six competitive travels (D2, L3), frustratingly netting one goal or fewer in each failed attempt to grab three points in that run.
Bournemouth vs Manchester City Potential Line-ups
Bournemouth (4-2-3-1): Neto; Adam Smith, Jack Stephens, Marcos Senesi, Jordan Zemura; Jefferson Lerma, Philip Billing; Dango Ouattara, Hamed Traore, Marcus Tavernier; Dominic Solanke.
Manchester City (4-3-3): Ederson; Kyle Walker, Ruben Dias, Manuel Akanji, Nathan Ake; Ilkay Gundogan, Rodri, Bernardo Silva; Riyad Mahrez, Jack Grealish, Erling Haaland.
