- 1 Manchester City vs Bournemouth: Community Shield warning signs hang over the Etihad opener
- 2 Manchester City: a crowded treatment room for Maresca’s first Etihad test
- 3 Bournemouth: lively pre-season, but an even longer injury list
- 4 Premier League prediction Manchester City vs Bournemouth
- 5 First, a word on our free tips
- 6 No commitment from us
- 7 Information changes
- 8 Your role
- 9 Responsible gambling first
- 10 Legal age
- 11 About the images…
Manchester City vs Bournemouth: Community Shield warning signs hang over the Etihad opener 
Three goals conceded, none scored: the 3-0 Community Shield loss to Arsenal on August 16 at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium was Manchester City’s last competitive outing. Riccardo Calafiori, Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard sealed it.
That setback means the Premier League opener arrives with an unusual feel around the club. Enzo Maresca takes charge of his first league match at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
Bournemouth head in with a fresh memory of their last meeting with the Citizens. The Cherries dug out a 1-1 draw at the Vitality Stadium in May 2026, with Eli Junior Kroupi striking before Erling Haaland levelled deep into stoppage time.
That result ended City’s run of three wins in the previous four meetings, including a 3-1 home win in November 2025. The broader picture still heavily favours City, who remain unbeaten in this Premier League fixture.
Goals are the running theme here: four of the last five meetings have gone over 2.5 goals, and both teams have scored in all five. City have netted 10, Bournemouth six across that stretch.
Pre-season points the same way for both sides. City have scored and conceded eight across their last five outings, while Bournemouth have put up 22 and let in eight.
Manchester City: a crowded treatment room for Maresca’s first Etihad test 
City’s last five matches show two wins, one draw and two defeats. It mixes friendlies with competitive games, so the sample only tells you so much, but the trend is there.
The two wins came in pre-season, 3-1 against Atletico Madrid and 3-1 against the K League All Stars on tour. The draw came against Inter.
The two defeats say more. A 2-1 loss at Aston Villa in May was their final league outing, before the 3-0 defeat to Arsenal in the Community Shield. Maresca comes into this one without a recent competitive win.
The 16 August display exposed two clear problems: an early defensive wobble and blunt finishing despite spells of control in possession. Those are the issues that have shaped the week.
Selection is another headache for the Italian. Rodri, Jack Grealish, Jeremy Doku and Matheus Nunes are all ruled out.
Rodri’s absence is the big one. It strips the midfield of its balance between winning the ball and starting attacks. With Doku out too, the width and spark out wide need to come from elsewhere.
The main threat remains Erling Haaland, who scored in the last meeting with the Cherries. At the Etihad, City have scored at least three times in each of their last two home games against this opponent.
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Bournemouth: lively pre-season, but an even longer injury list 
Three wins, one draw and one defeat from five pre-season games: on paper, Bournemouth’s summer looks better than City’s. They scored 22 and conceded eight over that run.
But context matters. The standout result was a 10-1 win over Genoa, and the level of opposition raises eyebrows. The 5-2 win at Augsburg and 4-1 success against St. Pauli carry more weight.
The last two tests pulled the handbrake back on a bit, with a 2-2 draw against Real Betis followed by a 2-1 loss at Mainz 05. Their most recent outing was not exactly convincing.
Marco Rose has a seriously stretched squad to juggle for this trip. Eli Junior Kroupi, Veljko Milosavljevic, Amine Adli, David Brooks, Tyler Adams and Julian Araujo are all out injured.
Kroupi’s absence matters on more than one level. He was the man who scored the goal that earned Bournemouth the draw against City at the Vitality in May. They lose their reference point in transition.
Ryan Christie is also out, but through suspension, which removes another midfield option. Six injuries and one ban for a trip to the Etihad is a lot to swallow.
The plan is to sit compact and break fast, which is awkward when several of the players best suited to that job are missing. Bournemouth also have never won at the Etihad in the Premier League.
Expected Manchester City XI: Not available at the time of publication.
Expected Bournemouth XI: Not available at the time of publication.
Premier League prediction Manchester City vs Bournemouth
Our tip: Over 2.5 goals in the match
Four of the last five meetings between these clubs have gone over 2.5 goals, and both teams have scored in all five. That is a proper trend, not a one-off.
Both pre-season campaigns point the same way: five from five above 2.5 goals for Bournemouth, four from five for City. Bournemouth’s six absentees weaken a defence already exposed by Arsenal’s three against City.
City need a response in front of their own fans after the Community Shield letdown, and Haaland has already punished this opponent in May. Over 2.5 goals looks the play.
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