Walker returns as City make seven changes for Bournemouth trip

The right back hasn’t played for Pep Guardiola‘s Premier League champions since our Etihad victory over Fulham early last month after suffering an injury on England duty.

His return is one of seven changes from Wednesday’s Carabao Cup exit at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur.

Ederson, Manuel Akanji, Josko Gvardiol, Mateo Kovacic, Bernardo Silva and Erling Haaland also come in for this clash at the Vitality Stadium.

Stefan Ortega Moreno, Rico Lewis, John Stones, Ruben Dias, Nico O’Reilly, James McAtee and Savinho step out, with all but Dias and Stones moving to the bench.

Meanwhile, Belgian duo Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku are back on the bench to boost Guardiola‘s injury-hit squad.

City have won all 14 previous Premier League meetings with Bournemouth, making it the longest 100% record in English top-flight history.

Teams

CITY XI: Ederson, Walker (C), Akanji, Ake, Gvardiol, Kovacic, Gundogan, Bernardo, Foden, Nunes, Haaland

Subs: Ortega Moreno, Doku, De Bruyne, Savinho, Wright, Simpson-Pusey, O’Reilly, Lewis, McAtee

BOURNEMOUTH XI: Travers, Smith (C), Senesi, Zabarnyi, Kerkez, Cook, Christie, Tavernier, Kluivert, Semenyo, Evanilson

Subs: Dennis, Huusen, Brooks, Adama, J.Araujo, Hill, Enes Unal, Philip, Aarons

Tactics

Ederson will be protected by a backline of Kyle Walker, Manuel Akanji, Nathan Ake and Josko Gvardiol.

Mateo Kovacic and Ilkay Gundogan will patrol the midfield with Phil Foden in the space ahead of them.

Bernardo Silva and Matheus Nunes are expected to feature on the wings in support of central striker Erling Haaland.

Matchday Live

With restrictions meaning this game will not be broadcast live in the UK, the best way to follow the action from the south coast is with our official app.

We’ll get you in the mood well before kick-off with host Chris Latchem joined by guests David James and Keith Curle on our Matchday Live Show.

As well as that, you’ll also get live text updates throughout the day from our journalists at the stadium.

Alistair Mann and Michael Brown will guide fans through proceedings with live audio commentary as they paint the pictures with Pep Guardiola’s men going in search of another three points after starting the season strongly with seven wins and two draws from the opening nine top-flight encounters.

Match stats

Bournemouth have won none of their 20 league games against Man City (D2 L18). It’s the most one side has faced another without ever winning in English Football League history.

City have won all 14 of our Premier League games against Bournemouth by an aggregate score of 45-7. It’s the best 100% record any team has against another in English top-flight history.

Bournemouth have lost all 11 of their Premier League games against sides starting the day top of the table, the worst 100% such loss rate in the competition’s history.

Bournemouth have won their last two Premier League home games, including a 2-0 win over Arsenal last time out. Only three times previously have they won three in a row at the Vitality Stadium, though the most recent occasion was in March/April this year.

We are unbeaten in all 28 of our Premier League games so far in 2024 (W23 D5). Only two teams in English top-flight history have had a longer run without defeat from the start of a calendar year – Chelsea in 2005 (29) and Nottingham Forest in 1978 (35).

Only City (179) and Tottenham (156) have had more shots than Bournemouth in the Premier League this season (140), with the Cherries’ average of 15.6 shots-per-game their highest in a single top-flight campaign.

Bournemouth have had more shots following a high turnover than any other side in the Premier League this season (20). However, Manchester City have faced a league-low three such shots so far this term.

Phil Foden has scored in each of his last five appearances against Bournemouth in all competitions (5 goals), also providing three assists in these games.

Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo has been involved in more Premier League shots following a ball carry than any other player this term (20 – 12 shots, 8 chances created).

City’s Erling Haaland has scored just one goal in four Premier League games against Bournemouth. He only has a worse minutes-per-goal ratio in the competition against Newcastle (one every 360 minutes) and Liverpool (270) than the does against the Cherries (266).