Key occasions
35 min Ederson misplaces a cross from the again to search out Bournemouth’s Tavernier; he units up for a long-range shot that’s blocked.
32 min Practically a surprising crew objective from Bournemouth. Huijsen dinks a first-time ball excessive for Tavernier to chase on to on the left, and he crosses along with his first contact, too. Evanilson meets it inside the realm, stretching out to strike along with his proper foot … however the shot rattles the publish.
31 min Kovacic dinks a ball over to Nunes on the correct earlier than the full of life Marmoush performs in Gündogan … however the offside flag goes up after the German midfielder has his shot blocked.
30 min Bournemouth have had little to shout about thus far, with Gvardiol simply bouncing Kluivert out of the best way to win the ball.
26 min The Metropolis crowd have gone quiet, nonetheless in disbelief.
25 min De Bruyne misses an open objective! That’s unbelievable. Metropolis easily work it down the sector, with the ball performed throughout objective by Marmoush to De Bruyne, able to strike first time contained in the six-yard field. However he hits the bar!
22 min Practically a De Bruyne-Haaland basic. The midfielder crosses from the left, with the striker lingering on the again publish. He goes for the acrobatic, attempting to divert the ball in with the skin of his left boot, raised sky-high. Kepa saves – maybe a header was extra appropriate.
21 min Metropolis are beginning to get their groove on, the arrogance now there after taking the lead.
20 min Kovacic loses his footing in the course of the park however recovers his steadiness to maintain Metropolis ticking. Haaland holds the ball up properly to play to Gvardiol on the left, however the full-back’s cross into the realm fails to discover a teammate.
18 min Ederson collects from a Bournemouth free-kick and tries to get Metropolis shifting on the counter. Semenyo is having to do loads of defensive work out on the wing, with Gvardiol pushing excessive for Metropolis.
Omar Marmoush picks up the ball centrally from approach out, sees loads of house in entrance and advances. From round 30 yards he decides to let fly, the ball threatening to go approach over the bar … however no, it drops to search out the highest left nook. He’s moved on rapidly from that penalty miss within the cup last.
GOAL! Manchester Metropolis 1-0 Bournemouth (Marmoush 14)
A staggering, swerving, dipping hit provides Metropolis the lead!
14 min Bernardo Silva drops deep to get Metropolis shifting and performs to Gvardiol on the left … however Semenyo does a superb job monitoring again.
12 min Bournemouth get their excessive press working as Ederson goes lengthy to Haaland – however Zabarnyi and Huijsen haven’t been correctly threatened thus far, cleansing up on the again.
9 min Bournemouth are camped behind the ball, with Metropolis looking for a gap. De Bruyne finds it, threading a cross by the strains for Matheus Nunes to run on to however Kepa is fast off his line and denies the right-back.
7 min De Bruyne finds himself in that proper channel from which he has launched so many scrumptious crosses over time. His ball into the mixer is headed away earlier than Kovacic lets free from exterior the field, his low shot simply extensive of the publish.
6 min Marmoush finds Silva within the Bournemouth space however his first contact lets him down and he can’t select a teammate with a pull-back.
4 min De Bruyne exhibits off his imaginative and prescient with a reverse cross to Bernardo Silva, who’s driving into the realm, however the transfer rapidly breaks down.
3 min Some lax work on the again from Metropolis sees Justin Kluivert break by for an opportunity within the space, however he’s off steadiness as he strikes and fails to correctly threaten Ederson.
2 min No dramas from the throw as Metropolis get their passing sport going.
1 min Bournemouth push ahead as Antoine Semenyo will get able to launch an extended throw from the correct …
Peeeeep!
Manchester Metropolis kick issues off, shifting from left to proper on my display screen. Let’s go!
Manchester Metropolis unveil a ‘King’ tifo devoted to De Bruyne. It’s all about him proper now … can Bournemouth spoil the social gathering and full a league double?
Right here’s how we’re wanting earlier than tonight’s fixtures:
“He has been missed,” says Pep Guardiola about Rodri’s return. On De Bruyne’s farewell, he provides: “It’s a particular sport. We’re enjoying, in fact, for Kev. It’s a large day for him emotionally, hope he can management his feelings as a result of it’s not simple. However he assist us for a few years and at present is not going to be an exception.”
“If Tom Cairney leaves for Wrexham KDB looks like the right substitute as Fulham’s geriatric midfielder,” writes Richard Hirst. “Hassle is, he’ll count on much more cash, so we’ll want to complete above Bournemouth and Palace to get extra place cash. So come on Kevin, you’re enjoying in your wage!”
“All types of particular person songs, however by no means Participant of the Month,” writes Phil Gray. “That both undermines the award or exhibits De Bruyne was by no means capable of play properly for 3 or 4 video games in a row.”
I’m certain Kevin will discover consolation in his two Participant of the Season awards.
Group information
Pep Guardiola acknowledges the emotional pull of the competition: Kevin De Bruyne will begin and lead Metropolis. Mateo Kovacic returns after lacking the FA Cup last, however right here’s the massive one: Rodri makes it on to the bench. Bournemouth are with out Alex Scott, who sustained a fractured jaw towards Aston Villa earlier within the month. There’s a begin for Dean Huijsen, quickly to be Actual Madrid’s.
Manchester Metropolis: Ederson, Nunes, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol, Kovacic, Gündogan, De Bruyne, Silva, Marmoush, Haaland
Subs: Ortega, Aké, Grealish, Doku, Nico, Rodri, Foden, Bobb, O’Reilly
Bournemouth: Arrizabalaga, Araujo, Zabaryni, Huijsen, Kerkez, Prepare dinner, Adams, Tavernier, Semenyo, Kluivert, Evanilson
Subs: Dennis, Senesi, Smith, Soler, Akinmboni, Brooks, Winterburn, Jebbison, Silcott-Duberry
Will Unwin
Earlier than the followers filtered in, a plethora of cardboard crowns have been carried across the concourse on the Etihad Stadium in preparation. There are plans aplenty to have fun the tip of Kevin De Bruyne’s time at Manchester City with the Belgian coming into the ultimate weeks of his contract – a mosaic of the 33-year-old was unveiled on the coaching floor earlier on Tuesday. This would be the final time he ever graces this stadium in blue and he’s unlikely to hold on to the Membership World Cup.
Supporters will line the gamers’ entrance for a glimpse of their hero who has made them get off their seats over the previous decade, turning into the membership’s most profitable icon within the course of, incomes trinkets and medals galore, six Premier League titles and a Champions League. The physique has failed him in latest instances however he can nonetheless present glimpses of the exceptional midfielder he may be. The ferocious schedule has taken its toll on De Bruyne however he’ll maintain going, desperate to thrash in a 30-yard shot with both foot or create one thing out of nothing. There will likely be just a few tears come full time and much more if Metropolis don’t win and put their qualification for the Champions League in jeopardy.
Preamble
We’re approaching 10 years since Kevin De Bruyne left Wolfsburg for Manchester City, signed for a club-record charge of £55m. The eyebrows have been raised to Ancelotti ranges.
This was the man Chelsea had let go only a 12 months and a half earlier for £18m, his time at Stamford Bridge yielding three league appearances and never a lot pleasure underneath José Mourinho. He was subsequently distinctive in Germany, however might he crack it within the so-called Greatest League within the World?
Six Premier League medals is the reply, certainly one of them a part of a treble marketing campaign, all types of particular person gongs to go along with them. His 420 appearances for Metropolis have returned 108 targets and 177 (!) assists, after which there’s the how: vicious passes, crosses on a string, coldly environment friendly in each transfer however nonetheless a stunning, joyous, eternally watchable footballer. At this time he says goodbye to the Etihad as Metropolis welcome Bournemouth.
However this isn’t a testimonial. Metropolis are sixth with Champions League soccer nonetheless not safe, whereas the Cherries had their quantity within the reverse fixture. There’s work to do earlier than Kev bids adieu. Kick-off’s at 8pm BST.
