Manchester City 6, Bournemouth 1
Bernardo Silva scored twice and Jeremy Doku set up four goals as Manchester City ran rampant against Bournemouth to thrash them 6-1.
Jeremy Doku also got on the scoresheet alongside Manuel Akanji and Phil Foden, and Nathan Ake while Luis Sinisterra’s late goal for the Cherries was little more than a consolation as City regained stop spot in the Premier League with an ominously good performance.
At 21 years and 161 days Belgian winger Doku became the youngest player in Premier League history to get 5 goal involvements (one goal and four assists) in a single game – as well as the youngest player to get four assists in a game.
But there was a blow for the Blues as Erling Haaland went off at half time with a potential injury while Bournemouth also lost Alex Scott with a suspected knee injury.
Manchester City were in cruise control with 3 goals in 7 first half minutes after bossing the first period.
Jeremy Doku was set up by Rodri to break the deadlock after half an hour of City dominance.
The quick Belgian helped Bernardo Silva double that lead after a mazy dribble in the Bournemouth box before cutting the ball back to the Portuguese.
And Silva set up the third after 37 minutes after he cut the ball back to Doku whose shot cannoned off Manuel Akanji to wrong foot Andrei Radu and make the game safe for City.
Alex Scott had to be helped off the field after sustaining a thigh injury before half time while Erling Haaland, who had hit the post with a header earlier, appeared to pick up a knock after hesitation denied him a goalscoring chance with Illya Zabarnyi getting back to block him.
Phil Foden replaced the Norwegian at half time, allowing the lively Julian Alvarez to go up front.
Dominic Solanke was flagged offside after scoring seconds after the restart – a VAR check was needed to confirm – and soon after the hour mark he hit the crossbar as City’s defence parted briefly.
This was the cue for a trio of City changes with Rico Lewis, Matheus Nunes, and Kalvin Phillips coming on to replace John Stones, Julian Alvarez, and Rodri.
The disruption to City’s defence allowed Max Aarons’ right wing cross to reach Bournemouth sub Luis Sinisterra and he hit a consolation goal from 7 yards out with 15 minutes to go.
But City were not finished as Doku found Bernardo Silva who lifted the ball over Radu to maker it 5-1 (goal line technology intervened to give the goal after Illya Zabarnyi thought he had cleared the ball off the line).
And Nathan Ake’s diving header made it 6-1 after he met Oscar Bobb’s cross from the right.
PLAYER RATINGS – Manchester City 6, Bournemouth 1
Ederson: 6. Well protected by the defence except for Luis Sinisterra’s goal.
Kyle Walker: 6. Raided the right wing effectively and teasing cross was almost converted by Erling Haaland. Outfoxed by Luis Sinisterra late on.
Manuel Akanji: 7. Solid defending, shut down most things. Didn’t know much about his goal after Jeremy Doku’s shot came off him and past Andrei Radu.
Nathan Ake: 7. Good balls into the box. Had to dig deep to deny Antoine Semenyo a chance late on but scored a fine diving header against his old team.
John Stones: 7. Stayed deeper than usual, like a sweeper, along with Manuel Akanji. Defensively sound.
Rodri: 8. Long range shot saved by Andrei Radu. Press proof and great range of passing again.
Bernardo Silva: 9. Nominally on the right wing for the versatile midfielder who was free to cut inside. Shot over the bar in a clever cut back from a corner and sent another wide of the near post. Coolly taken goal after a smart cut back from Jeremy Doku. Lifted the ball over Andrei Radu for City’s fifth – confirmed by goal line technology – after another through ball by Jeremy Doku.
Julian Alvarez: 8. Attacked the box intelligently, good passing. One cross was headed against the post by Erling Haaland and he had a shot blocked.
Mateo Kovacic: 7. Lurked at the edge of the area, created one great chance for Erling Haaland to score. Blazed over in the second half and great chance to make it 7-0 right at the end but shot straight at Andrei Radu.
Jeremy Doku: 10. A goal and FOUR assists. Had pace to burn to beat Chris Mepham. Call for an early penalty turned down before he turned on the style to score City’s opener and shortly afterwards had Mepham on toast before cutting the ball back for Bernardo Silva to score and his shot later came off Manuel Akanji for City’s third goal before he also set up Phil Foden for City’s fourth and then Bernardo Silva for the fifth.
Erling Haaland: 6. Involved early and headed against the post. Blocked by Lloyd Kelly when going clear thanks to Mateo Kovacic through ball. Took a touch too many when the goal was at his mercy allowing Illya Zabarnyi to get back to block him. Looked to have sustained a knock and limped off to be replaced at half time.
Phil Foden (on for Erling Haaland, 46): 7. In a midfield role almost set up a chance for Julian Alvarez before exchanging passes with Jeremy Doku to score City’s fourth goal.
Rico Lewis (on for John Stones, 71): 6. Some good involvement in the game.
Matheus Nunes (on for Julian Alvarez, 71): 6. Thought he had scored late on but Bernardo Silva’s earlier shot crossed the line before he volleyed home the rebound.
Kalvin Phillips (on for Rodri, 71): 6. Gave Rodri a well earned rest.
Oscar Bobb (on for Bernardo Silva, 84): No time to mark.
GOALS – Manchester City 6, Bournemouth 1
Man City 1, Bournemouth 0: 30. Jeremy Doku exchanged passes with Rodri before thumping the ball past Andrei Radu while advancing on goal.
Man City 2, Bournemouth 0: 33. Bernardo Silva was at hand to stroke the ball home after Jeremy Doku had Chris Mepham on toast on the right before cutting the ball back to the Portuguese midfielder.
Man City 3, Bournemouth 0: 37. Jeremy Doku’s shot took a deflection off Manuel Akanji which left Andreu Radu wrongfooted. Bernardo Silva once again given free rein to set up the shot.
Man City 4, Bournemouth 0: 64. Phil Foden found Jeremy Doku with a pass to the left flank and pushed into the box to meet the return ball and which he stroked home past Andrei Radu from 7 yards out.
Man City 4 Bournemouth 1: 74. Luis Sinisterra pulled a goal back after the City defence fell asleep to allow Max Aaron’s cross from the right to reach him and the time to shoot.
Man City 5, Bournemouth 1: 82. Jeremy Doku released Bernardo Silva for a run on goal – dinked ball was cleared off the line by Illya Zabarnyi but goal line technology confirmed the goal before the ball was forced over the line from the rebound by Matheus Nunes.
Man City 6, Bournemouth 1: 88. Nathan Ake’s diving header from Oscar Bobb’s cross put the icing on the cake for Manchester City.
MATCH STATS – Manchester City 6, Bournemouth 1
Man City: Ederson, Walker (C), Akanji, Ake, Stones (Lewis 71), Rodri (Phillips 71), Bernardo Silva (Bobb 85), Alvarez (Nunes 71), Kovacic, Doku, Haaland (Foden 46)
Man City Subs not used: Ortega, Dias, Grealish, Gvardiol, Bobb
Goals: Doku 30; Bernardo Silva 33, 82; Akanji 37; Foden 64; Ake 88
Bournemouth: Radu, Aarons, Mepham (Senesi 46), Zabarnyi, Kelly (C), Kerkez, Christie, Scott (Rothwell 44), Billing (Semenyo 72), Tavernier (Sinisterra 72), Solanke (Kluivert 85)
Bournemouth Subs not used: Travers, Brooks, Outtara, A Smith
Booked: Billing 32 (foul on Erling Haaland)
Goal: Sinisterra 74
Referee: Craig Pawson