Erling Haaland is doing things that defy belief, and Manchester City are reaping the rewards. The Norwegian’s relentless goalscoring continued at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon, with another clinical brace propelling Pep Guardiola’s side to second in the Premier League table. City’s 3-1 victory lifts them within six points of leaders Arsenal, ending Bournemouth’s eight-game unbeaten run emphatically.
Haaland’s two first-half strikes took his tally to 13 Premier League goals in just 10 games this season, seven more than any other player, and moved him to within two goals of a century in the competition. His 26th goal for club and country this campaign arrived with trademark efficiency: runs from deep, clinical finishes, and an air of inevitability that makes defending against him feel futile.
Match Timeline
- 1’ – Eli Junior Kroupi’s early goal disallowed for offside after a lightning Bournemouth break
- 17’ – Haaland opens scoring after racing clear from Cherki’s clever header
- 25’ – Tyler Adams equalizes after Donnarumma’s misjudged punch from corner
- 33’ – Haaland restores lead with composed finish after rounding Petrovic
- 60’ – Nico O’Reilly seals victory with low strike into bottom corner
- 82’ – Haaland substituted, denying hat-trick opportunity
- 90’ – Rodri returns from injury as late substitute
Tactical Breakdown
The big pre-match question centred on whether Guardiola could feasibly field both Phil Foden and Rayan Cherki in the same lineup. Against Bournemouth, a team embodying the Premier League’s shift toward direct, end-to-end football, it seemed an unlikely pairing.
Those concerns evaporated within minutes. The French playmaker delivered a masterclass in creative midfield play, setting up both Haaland goals with intelligent through balls that exposed Bournemouth’s high defensive line. His first assist came via a cushioned header from Nico González’s clipped pass, while the second was a first-time ball around the corner after Foden spotted him in space.
With Bernardo Silva and González providing structure behind them, City maintained balance while granting both playmakers freedom to orchestrate attacks. Foden drifted left, Cherki operated right, and both took turns connecting with Haaland. Foden’s turn and pass set up O’Reilly for the third goal, earning him two blown kisses from Guardiola.
Cherki, making his first league start since the opening-day defeat to Spurs due to injury, received a standing ovation when substituted in the 70th minute after excelling both in this match and midweek against Swansea.
City’s approach demonstrated tactical maturity. They now have four goals from fast breaks this season compared to just three in the entire previous campaign; only Bournemouth have scored more counter-attacking goals with five. While City still dominated possession and patiently worked around Bournemouth’s press, they’ve developed the canniness to strike with devastating directness when opportunities present themselves.
Having a burly, lightning-quick striker leading the line makes those transitions lethal. Once Haaland races into space behind a high defensive line, it’s usually too late for defenders to recover. Those physical attributes make him particularly devastating against high-pressing sides like Bournemouth, whose aggressive approach leaves acres of grass for him to attack.
Standout Performers
- Erling Haaland (9/10) – Two clinical finishes, 13 PL goals in 10 games, and has now scored 98 goals in 107 Premier League games for Man City, at least 28 more than any other player since he moved to England..
- Rayan Cherki (8/10) – Two sublime assists, a headed delivery and a first-time through ball showcased vision and technique.
- Phil Foden (8/10) – Orchestrated attacks brilliantly, created O’Reilly’s goal with an intelligent turn and pass.
- Nico O’Reilly (8/10) – Excellent attacking presence from left-back, sealed victory with composed 60th-minute finish.
- Bernardo Silva (7/10) – Provided crucial structure in midfield, allowed creative players freedom to flourish.
- Ruben Dias (7/10) – Solid defensively, organised backline throughout the match.
Underperformers
- Gianluigi Donnarumma (5/10) – Badly mistimed a punch at the corner, which led to Adams’ equaliser, erupted at the referee, claiming foul despite minimal contact from David Brooks.
- Jeremy Doku (6/10) – Lost possession leading to Bournemouth’s disallowed early goal but probed well in attack, set up Haaland for a chance that Petrovic saved
Manager Reactions
- Pep Guardiola on Bournemouth’s goal: “Yeah, I saw it today, I saw it, yeah, yeah… Don’t worry, I don’t call the officials and referees. I’m not a manager to do that, when in the past a lot of prestigious managers called. I don’t do it. And of course, they will not call me.”
- Pep Guardiola on Man City: “I liked when we were stable, when we conceded – I’m sorry to tell you – to that an unbelievable goal from the official. We were stable and we could score the second, and we had the chances one-against-one for a third and a fourth [goal].”
- Pep Guardiola on Rayan Cherki: “With the vision in the final third, he’s so good. The consistency, courage to play. But the dynamic we play, we need a little more time to adapt to the rhythm of the Premier League.”
- Andoni Iraola: “In the first half, we pressed just as we always do. You have to accept that sometimes when you play like that, they can punish us. I’m satisfied with the overall performance.”
Stats and Numbers
| Stat | Man City | Bournemouth |
| Possession | 48% | 52% |
| Shots | 15 | 8 |
| Shots on Target | 8 | 5 |
| Corners | 9 | 4 |
| Pass Accuracy | 86% | 88% |
What It Means
City’s victory, their fourth in five league matches, moves them to second place, six points behind Arsenal. Bournemouth slip to fourth after their eight-game unbeaten run ended, though they remain well-positioned for European qualification.
Haaland became just the third player to score two or more goals in four successive Premier League home games, after Robbie Fowler (1995-96) and Luis Suarez (2013). He’s set to smash Alan Shearer’s record for fewest games to 100 Premier League goals. Shearer needed 124 appearances, while Haaland has played just 107.
The victory maintained City’s exceptional record against Bournemouth; they’ve now won 16 of 17 Premier League meetings, averaging 2.82 points per game. Only Chelsea versus Portsmouth (2.86) boasts a better average against a single opponent in the competition.
Donnarumma’s Redemption
Donnarumma has made a solid start to his City career with five clean sheets in 10 games across all competitions, but his weakness at corners was exposed for Bournemouth’s equaliser. An inswinging delivery dropped into the six-yard area, and his badly mistimed punch left Adams with a simple finish.
His reaction- furiously protesting to referee Anthony Taylor about alleged contact from Brooks, seemed to galvanise City. The Etihad crowd fed off the perceived injustice, and players responded by cutting through Bournemouth almost at will for the next twenty minutes.
Donnarumma adjusted his approach to subsequent corners, using Jeremy Doku as a human shield to create space for punches. He made a crucial save to deny Kroupi from inside the box in the second half, maintaining City’s lead after learning from his earlier mistake.
Statistical Context
- City’s reliance on Haaland is unprecedented- he’s scored 11 of their 20 league goals while Phil Foden, Cherki, and Tijjani Reijnders have one apiece. Forwards Savinho, Omar Marmoush, and Doku have yet to score in the league this season.
- Phil Foden has completed 200 Premier League appearances for Manchester City, just at the age of 25, the youngest Man City player to do so.
- Jeremy Doku- The only player to create 20+ chances and complete 20+ take-ons in the Premier League this season.
- 12 – Erling Haaland has scored 12 Premier League goals this season; the only players to score as many or more in their side’s first 10 matches of a campaign in the competition are Les Ferdinand (13 in 1995-96) and Haaland himself (15 in 2022-23).
Conclusion
This was Manchester City demonstrating the tactical flexibility and individual brilliance required for title challenges. Cherki and Foden’s creative partnership unlocked Bournemouth’s high line, while Haaland’s ruthless finishing punished every defensive lapse. With Borussia Dortmund visiting in the Champions League on Wednesday and Liverpool arriving next Sunday, Guardiola’s decision to substitute Haaland after 82 minutes preserved valuable energy for upcoming challenges.
City’s four wins from their last five matches suggest momentum is building at precisely the right time. Haaland’s historic scoring run continues, Cherki is finding his rhythm, and Foden’s creativity from midfield provides balance. If they can maintain this form through a brutal fixture schedule, Arsenal’s six-point cushion might not prove sufficient.
Man of the Match: Erling Haaland
Simply inevitable- 141 goals in 159 City appearances, two away from a Premier League century, and showing no signs of slowing down.
