Bournemouth 2 Man City 1: Guardiola and Co dealt major title blow after shock first Premier League defeat in 11 MONTHS
PEP GUARDIOLA’S imperious champions were brought down to earth by little Bournemouth.
The Blues sank to their first Premier League defeat in 32 matches – and they can have no complaints.
It is the Bournemouth forward’s fourth Premier League goal of the season[/caption]
For Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth must now be taken seriously in the Premier League – and you had better believe it.
The sensational Antoine Semenyo fired the Cherries ahead in the first half and Brazilian Evanilson added a second just after the hour.
Josko Gvardiol pulled a late goal back but Guardiola can have no complaints because they were second best for most of the match.
They didn’t muster a shot on target until ten minutes from time and Gvardiol’s header was their second.
And to think this followed Bournemouth’s unthinkable victory over Arsenal on the same pitch two weeks ago.
That day the Gunners’ own undefeated run was shot down 2-0 after they suffered a first-half sending off.
But there was no helping hand for the hosts this time because this was no ordinary day out at the seaside for Guardiola and his merry, supposedly depleted, men.
Pep had been talking up a serious injury list – and an irritating Carabao Cup defeat at Spurs had their trophy-laden gaffer worried.
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
But maybe he was just telling porky pies because Kyle Walker was surprisingly back in the starting line-up with Kevin de Bruyne on the bench.
And of course it does help team morale when you can recall a robotic goal machine in Erling Haaland.
Haaland stepped off the coach with 74 Premier League goals in his pockets from 75 games with 11 of them arriving this season alone.
The Norwegian monster was “rested” at Tottenham with this fixture in mind – even if it was against little old Bournemouth.
Then again, the striker’s goalscoring record of just one in four league meetings against the minnows isn’t one of his best stats.
Guardiola’s unbeaten league leaders had won their previous 14 top-flight games against the Cherries, scoring over three goals per match.
Even worse, Bournemouth had never beaten City in their 20 league meetings – a record for most matches lost against the same opponent in the top four tiers.
But there again the hosts couldn’t be underestimated having just ended Arsenal’s undefeated league campaign on the same grass last time out.
And a fighting late, late draw at Aston Villa last weekend served notice that Andoni Iraola’s boys are now serious top-flight opposition.
Just a minute after The Last Post was beautifully played by a military bugler, the Cherries came so close to posting the first goal.
Marcus Tavernier robbed former Cherries star Nathan Ake in midfield and set Semenyo racing clear.
Semenyo’s drive was blocked by goalkeeper Ederson, who reacted superbly keeping out Justin Kluivert’s follow-up shot with his outstretched leg.
Iraola had instructed his team to go full-out from the off to try and score first because they hadn’t notched a goal in the first 15 minutes all season.
And Semenyo followed his orders immaculately when he put the Cherries deservedly ahead on nine minutes.
Milos Kerkez brushed past Phil Foden down the left wing before he picked out Semenyo.
The ball was behind the Ghana striker but he had time to spin round and strike his fourth goal of the campaign into the far corner.
Semenyo is the new Premier League shooting sensation with only Haaland having more shots on goal than him this campaign.
And to be fair Haaland was virtually a spectator as the hosts kept his defence on the back foot in the opening 20 minutes.
But that was never going to last and alarm bells were soon ringing in the home defence when Foden picked the Norwegian out at the back stick.
The blonde giant rose highest but instead of trying for goal he headed the ball sideways and Bernardo Silva couldn’t reach it.
Bournemouth nearly shook their mighty visitors with a second goal straight after the break.
A long ball over the top reached the ever-dangerous Semenyo but when he took a bad touch Evanilson took on shooting duties.
Luckily for the Blues, Ederson was alive to the danger and diverted the Brazilian forward’s shot for a corner.
City responded well and should have levelled on 51 minutes but Foden pulled his effort wide from Matheus Nunes’s pass.
The visitors were concerned just before the hour when Haaland was injured in a clash with Lewis Cook.
Cook apologised to the Norwegian who received no sympathy from the home fans who sang “You will be crying in a minute.”
Up popped Semenyo again when he left Walker on the deck before he charged forward and saw his shot deflected wide.
City pulled a goal back eight minutes from time when Gvardiol’s headed Ilkay Gundogan’s cross into the top corner.
The Blues scented a comeback and should have escaped with a draw but Haaland had a header cleared off the line in stoppage time.
But this spirited Bournemouth bunch deserved their most famous victory in the club’s history.
