English Premier
2025-05-20 - Manchester City vs Bournemouth
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: English Premier League
Tuesday 20th May 2025 - Kick Off 8pm
This game is live on TV
Manchester City
It was Pep Guardiola's first season as manager of Manchester City when the squad were learning what was expected from them that this club last failed to win a major trophy... Until 2025! The FA Cup Final defeat will have frustrated all involved with the club considering the really poor decision made by VAR to not send off Dean Henderson in the first half.
Erling Haaland then allowed Omar Marmoush to take a Penalty instead of himself and the miss ultimately proved to be costly with Manchester City losing the FA Cup Final 1-0. Attention turns back to the Premier League and the race to finish in the top five, which has become a little more awkward for Manchester City following results this weekend. They will kick off outside of the top five, but four points from the final two Premier League games should be enough for Guardiola's team in their bid to return to the Champions League.
Manchester City had been unbeaten in 10 games in all competitions before the 1-0 loss to Crystal Palace at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, but the momentum may have been halted the week prior. The side had won 5 in a row and looked to be playing with confidence, but Manchester City were then held to a goalless draw by bottom club Southampton. Manchester City have won their last 4 home Premier League games.
John Stones and Nathan Ake are set to miss out and changes will be made to the starting eleven after the disappointment of the Cup Final.
Bournemouth
Andoni Iraola and his Bournemouth squad have already put one achievement in the books by earning at least 50 points in a top flight campaign for the first time and there is still a motivation to set a new record high finish in the club's history. A few results will need to go their way over the next week if Bournemouth are going to earn a spot in European Football next season, but the focus is to finish as strongly as possible.
They may be kicking off in 11th place with the previous best finish in the Premier League being 9th, but a win on Tuesday would see Bournemouth climb into 8th place as long as Brighton have not beaten Liverpool on Monday. The Cherries have a 7-7-4 away record in the Premier League and have scored 34 goals in those matches.
Bournemouth had been unbeaten in 5 Premier League games, but that run was ended in the 0-1 home loss to Champions League chasing Aston Villa. The away form has actually been more impressive with a single loss in 13 on their travels in all competitions, and Bournemouth came from behind to beat Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in their last away League fixture.
Luis Sinisterra and Dango Outtara are both expected to miss out with the hope of being available on the final day.
Head to Head
Bournemouth beat Manchester City 2-1 at home in the Premier League and were leading 1-0 in the FA Cup Quarter Final.
However, Manchester City turned that second game around at the Vitality Stadium and secured a 1-2 victory.
Manchester City have won 9 home games in a row against Bournemouth, including a 6-1 thumping last season.
Prediction
There is plenty of pressure on the home team and Pep Guardiola has not been happy that this penultimate fixture has been scheduled for Tuesday rather than Thursday.
Chelsea, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest all won this weekend and that has punished Manchester City for the poor goalless draw with Southampton last weekend.
All of a sudden with just days remaining of the season, Manchester City are outside of the top five places open to entry into the Champions League next season.
However, they do still retain some control of one of those places and Manchester City will be targeting four points from the final two League fixtures. They will be keen to secure the majority of them in the final home game of what has been an underwhelming campaign, but Manchester City have to pick themselves up from the disappointment of losing the FA Cup Final on Saturday.
A team that has won everything will be feeling that disappointment and it may also be felt in the stands, which can make it that much tougher for players to perform.
Pep Guardiola will be reminding his team that they had their chances on Saturday and he may just freshen up the attacking options in a bid to secure the three points. Respect for Bournemouth will be clear having played two very tough matches against them already this season, but Manchester City may also enjoy facing an opponent that will want to come forward and create chances of their own.
Andoni Iraola's team have been very good on their travels and picked up some big results away from the Vitality Stadium. They secured a 1-2 win at Arsenal in the last away Premier League game and that will earn Bournemouth further respect, although the news that Dean Huijsen has been sold is a blow.
Other players have been linked with a move away and Bournemouth have been a little shaky defensively.
There is still enough quality in the final third for Manchester City to get over a slight slump- they created decent chances against Crystal Palace and the game may have changed in their favour if VAR had intervened like so many expected or if they had not missed a first half Penalty.
The first goal could be really important on Tuesday and that may ease tensions if Manchester City can go in front. The longer it is 0-0 or 1-1, the tougher it will be, but Manchester City can exploit some of the defensive vulnerabilities that Bournemouth have displayed of late and the home team can win a relatively high-scoring game.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Manchester City 2-1 Bournemouth
FIXED ODDS BETTING TIP :
I'll back Manchester City to Win & Over 1 Total Goal (Bet Builder) at 1.61 with Bet365 (early payout if a team is leading by two goals)
