Manchester City vs. Bournemouth first half betting – 2018/19 EPL tips

League leaders Manchester City will be looking to maintain their place at the helm of the Premier League standings when they welcome Bournemouth to the Etihad on Saturday afternoon.

The champions maintained their two-point lead ahead of second-paced Liverpool, after cruising to a comfortable 4-0 win away to West Ham United this past weekend.

A captain’s goal put the visitors ahead, as David Silva scored the opener in the eleventh minute. Raheem Sterling, who had made his way into the box from the left flank, attempted to pass the ball through the legs of Arthur Masuaku, but the leather instead took a deflection on the left-back; falling into the path of the City skipper who poked it in after making a prolific run at the near post.

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Provider soon turned goal scorer, as Raheem Sterling doubled the advantage just eight minutes later with a simplistic finish. Leroy Sane proved too swift for Pablo Zabaleta, as he teased and turned past the former City defender before driving a left-footed cross that Sterling effortlessly tapped into the back of the net.

By the time Sane himself got in the goal scoring act ten minutes before the break, the competition was effectively over for the subdued Hammers. Receiving a brilliant long ball from Fernandinho, Sterling delivered a first time pass to Sane who sent defender Fabian Balbuena the wrong way with a decoy, before smashing in Manchester City’s third goal of the first half.

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With Pep Guardiola’s charges assuredly bouncing to victory at the interval, the Citizens lowered the tempo after the break, taking into account their midweek trip to Lyon in the Champions League. The grandstand performance was however not without a grandstand finish, as the visitors added a fourth goal—just for good measure—through Leroy Sane in the dying moments of the game.

Bournemouth fell to a third successive defeat in the Premier League, as they were beaten 2-1 by Unai Emery’s Arsenal over the weekend. Sead Kolasinac cut the ball back from the left side of the box, but it didn’t seem like anything would come out of it, as no Arsenal player was anywhere near the ball.

Jefferson Lerma however slid at full stretch to score what would have been an emphatic strike had it been on the opposite end of the pitch. Arsenal either way couldn’t mind it, as they took the lead at the half hour mark courtesy of the freak own goal.

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The lead nonetheless didn’t last for long, as the Cherries restored parity right at the stroke of half time through a clinical Joshua King strike. Alex Iwobi comically gave the ball away in Bournemouth’s box, allowing the hosts to counter brilliantly before drawing level at the very last second of the opening half.

All the hard work of clawing themselves back into the match was however undone in the second half, as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang sealed all three points for the Gunners in the 67th minute with a sliding finish.

A third defeat in a row means that Eddie Howe’s side slipped to eighth on the log, overshadowing their brilliant start to the campaign.

Given Manchester City’s brilliant run of form, it’s almost easy to forget how the champions are constantly riddled with injuries. Kevin De Bruyne, out for almost a month now, remains sidelined with a knee ligament injury, while Claudio Bravo has been on the sidelines since August.

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Benjamin Mendy has been ruled out for at least ten weeks after suffering a knee meniscus problem during the international break, but Pep could welcome the return of midfielders Bernardo Silva and İlkay Gundogan this weekend.

Full-back Adam Smith could be out for a second consecutive weekend for Bournemouth, having suffered a knee injury during the 2-1 defeat at St James’ Park.

Manchester City vs. Bournemouth betting predictions

Despite enduring a labored European outing against Olympique Lyon, one that saw them book a place in the last 16 of the Champions League, Manchester City should still be running at full throttle this weekend.

The Citizens will assuredly retain their place on top of the Premier League standings when they host the Cherries; dominating the match from start to finish.

Manchester City vs. Bournemouth recent results

Man City 4-0 Bournemouth (December 23, 2017)
Sergio Aguero 27’, 79’
Raheem Sterling 53’
Danilo 85’

Bournemouth 1-2 Man City (August 26, 2017)
Gabriel 21’
Raheem Sterling 90+7’

Bournemouth 0-2 Man City (February 13, 2017)
Raheem Sterling 29’
Tyrone Mings 69’ (OG)

Man City 4-0 Bournemouth (September 17, 2016)
Kevin De Bruyne 15’
Kelechi Iheanacho 25’
Raheem Sterling 48’
İlkay Gundogan 66’

Bournemouth 0-4 Man City (April 2, 2016)
Fernando 7’
Kevin De Bruyne 12’
Segio Aguero 19’
Aleksandar Kolarov 90+3’

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