Bournemouth end Manchester City’s 32-match Premier League unbeaten run – Irvine Times

City had not lost in the league since losing to Aston Villa on December 6 last year, but from the opening moments on the south coast, Andoni Iraola’s side looked the match for them, their energy and industry rewarded with goals from Antoine Semenho and Evanilsson.

At times it looked like Bournemouth would run away from City. Marcus Tavernier hit the post at 2-0, leaving Pep Guardiola’s side on the tip of their toes, before Josko Guardiola produced a nervy finish when he headed in Ilkay Gundogan’s cross.

Guardiola had told his players they would have to play through the pain during his side’s injury problems and so there were starters for Guardiola, Kyle Walker and Manuel Akanji, all of whom were doubts. Kevin De Bruyne was only fit enough for the bench, where he was flanked by three teenagers with no Premier League appearances between them.

John Stones and Ruben Diaz were completely absent from the squad and how could City use their central defensive pairing in an opening 20 minutes in which Bournemouth attacked fearlessly.

A goal was seemingly instigated after a minute when first Semenho and then Justin Kluivert were held up by Ederson, the City keeper recovering from a loose save to make a brilliant second stop.

It was a warning that the champions did not heed and nine minutes in they fell behind. Milos Kerquez succeeded by rounding Phil Foden on the left and cutting it into the centre, where Semenho, who had stepped on the ball in his haste to shoot, recovered to turn Guardiola and angled past Ederson and inside.

Kerquez produced a superb block on Bernardo Silva to preserve the lead, then Erling Haaland squandered City’s best chance of the first half.

City hardly troubled Mark Travers in the Bournemouth goal and whatever concerns Guardiola may have had about his fitness before the kick-off proved significant.

The second half almost got off to a spectacular start, Ederson doing well to deflect Evanilsson’s shot with his foot before City went close to equalizing through Foden, who headed home after Mateus Nunes’s clearance.

Lewis Cook was perhaps lucky to get away without a penalty for a challenge that put him through Haaland, who was left needing treatment, much to City’s chagrin.

Semenho and Kluivert were a constant threat to the visitors’ improvised backline. Nathan Eyke, in particular, found the Bournemouth pair’s speed and direct movement almost impossible to contain and their link-up play almost produced a second goal, with Semenho’s shot deflected away with little of a quick clearance.

Again City were warned and again Bournemouth repeated the trick to see them through. The outstanding Kerquez was the architect who got away from Walker on the left and crossed to where Ake and Guardiol had left Evanilson in the middle, giving the Brazilian space to pick his corner and finish against Ederson.

Tavernier fired against the inside of the post as Bournemouth threatened to sweep City’s unbeaten record before their eyes.

Travers was able to guard and stick to Haaland’s will as the prospect of defeat grew closer to reality.

Guardiol’s header gave late hope that the streak could continue and maybe Travers didn’t beat Haaland’s effort from the line in stoppage time.

Foden then fired inches wide with the last kick as Bournemouth held on.