Manchester City edge past Bournemouth to leave Cherries on the brink of relegation

Manchester City just about sealed their third Premier League win in a row with a 2-1 victory over Bournemouth at the Etihad.

David Silva gave City the lead after just six minutes, curling a sumptuous free kick in off the crossbar. Just as Bournemouth were coming back into the game, some lovely footwork and a tidy finish from Gabriel Jesus doubled City’s advantage just before half-time.

City were awarded a penalty in the second half, but it was overturned on VAR review after Gabriel Jesus was judged to have fouled Steve Cook rather than the other way around. That was followed by a frenetic end to the game, as David Brooks deservedly pulled one back with two minutes to go and Callum Wilson almost levelled it soon after.

The defeat leaves Bournemouth with virtually no margin for error in their bid to avoid relegation. They are now three points behind West Ham United and Watford having played a game extra, and also have an inferior goal difference.

Despite a spirited display from Bournemouth tonight, Manchester City still took all three points. In the second half they brought on Raheem Sterling, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Rodri, Riyad Mahrez and Eric Garcia. While Bournemouth made changes of their own, they clearly don’t have the squad depth of City. Today FIFA announced an extension of the rule allowing teams to make five substitutions in a match until August 2021. how can this do anything but create further disparity between the lavishly assembled squads at the top of the Premier League and the clubs beneath them?

The Manchester City captain is turning in some excellent performances on his farewell tour and provided another tonight. His wonderful free kick set City on their way to victory and deft pass to Gabriel Jesus opened the way to the second goal.

Manchester City (4-3-3): Ederson 7; Walker 6, Stones 6, Otamendi 7, Mendy 6; Fernandinho 6, Gundogan 6, David Silva 8; Foden 7, Jesus 7, Bernardo 6

SUBS: Sterling 6, Zinchenko 6, Rodrigo 6, Mahrez 6, Garcia 6

Bournemouth (4-5-1): Ramsdale 6; Rico 6, Kelly 6, S Cook 6, Stacey 7; King 7, Billing 6, Lerma 6, Gosling 7, Stanislas 7; Solanke 7

SUBS: Brooks 7, H Wilson 5, C Wilson 7, Surridge 6, L Cook 6

6’ GOAL! Manchester City 1 (David Silva 6) Bournemouth 0 This is glorious from David Silva. City win a free kick to the right of the area, 20 yards out. Silva whips it over the wall and it beats Ramsdale, clipping the underside of the bar before bouncing high into the roof of the net. Wonderful.

33’ EXCELLENT SAVE! Stanislas whips a wicked shot at goal, which Ederson dives full length to turn on to the lost. It then rebounds off Ederson’s head and goes behind for a corner. So close for Bournemouth!

39’ GOAL! Manchester City 2 (Jesus 39) Bournemouth 0 Just as Bournemouth start knocking, City score. David Silva slides it to Jesus just inside the area on the left. Jesus cuts in, skipping past two challenges before planting his shot into the bottom corner. That's a lovely finish.

59’ DISALLOWED GOAL! Solanke finds Stanislas with a lovely reverse ball into the City area on the right. He drives out goal and then cuts back, before whipping the ball to the back post where the unmarked King taps in from two yards out. A VAR review proves him to be a toenail offside. That was a tight one.

72’ PENALTY OVERTURNED! Brilliant from David Silva, who gets into space and fires a superb pass to Jesus in the box. As he shapes to shoot at goal Jesus seems to be brought down by Steve Cook. Replays show that Jesus stepped on Cook's foot and went down, so Lee Mason's original call of penalty is overturned.

88’ GOAL! Manchester City 2 Bournemouth 1 (Brooks 88) Well well! A lovely ball down the left channel finds Callum Wilson in the City area. He squares it to an unmarked Brooks near the penalty spot, who sweeps it past Ederson.

90’ CHANCE! Oh my, we were almost level! A terrible clearance form a cross by Garcia falls to Callum Wilson, who slashes the ball inches wide from the edge of the area.