Manchester City prepare to host AFC Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium this Tuesday evening in their final Premier League home fixture of the 2024/25 campaign, with Pep Guardiola’s side acutely aware of the need for a significant improvement in front of goal. The Citizens travel to Fulham on Sunday to conclude their league season.
Following a frustrating goalless draw away at Southampton in their most recent league outing, City will be aiming to rediscover their scoring touch as they pursue a coveted top-five finish and subsequent UEFA Champions League qualification. This encounter against Andoni Iraola’s Cherries represents a fixture they cannot afford to lose, with four points required from their remaining two matches to guarantee their place amongst Europe’s elite.
Bournemouth, meanwhile, arrive at the Etihad with a somewhat inconsistent recent record. An impressive away victory against Arsenal stands in stark contrast to recent home defeats at the hands of Aston Villa and newly-promoted Ipswich Town, highlighting their unpredictable nature.
On the team news front, Manchester City have just one confirmed absentee, with John Stones continuing his recovery from a long-term injury. There had been concerns surrounding the availability of Mateo Kovacic following his omission from the weekend’s FA Cup Final squad, however, he is named in the starting eleven.
Ahead of the 20:00 BST kick-off, the confirmed line-ups reveal the tactical approaches of both managers:
Manchester City: Ederson; Nunes, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol; Kovacic, Gundogan, De Bruyne (C); Bernardo, Haaland, Marmoush.
Substitutes: Ortega Moreno, Ake, O’Reilly, Nico, Rodri, Foden, Bobb, Grealish, Doku.
Bournemouth: Kepa; Araujo, Zabarnyi, Huijsen, Kerkez; Adams, Cook; Tavernier, Kluivert, Semenyo; Evanilson.
Substitutes: Dennis, Senesi, Smith, Soler, Akinmboni, Brooks, Winterburn, Silcott-Duberry, Jebbison.