Bournemouth vs Man City tips and predictions: Hosts to heap pressure on Guardiola’s injury-hit visitors

Bournemouth state of play 

It’s been a promising campaign for Bournemouth under the rather astute stewardship of Andoni Iraola, even if recent results haven’t been too consistent. 

The Cherries find themselves sitting in 10th position, just three points shy of the top six. Let’s be honest, it could be much worse for the south coast side. 

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On the face of it, this game against Manchester City may seem to be tricky, but Iraola’s men will likely fancy themselves to progress, such has been their level in big games this season. 

After all, they can draw on the positive experience of beating the Citizens when the pair met at Vitality Stadium in the league back in November. 

Manchester City state of play 

All season long, there’s been a waiting-for-a-recovery feel about City, but the recovery has never really materialised. It’s been a tough campaign for Guardiola’s men, who’ve simply been nowhere near as effective as they have been in recent seasons. 

Defensively weak and struggling with injuries right now, the Citizens will go to Vitality Stadium without a win in two games, most recently drawing to Brighton in rather lacklustre fashion. 

Key talking point: Home-team goals on the cards? 

It hasn’t been the best season for the visitors in a defensive sense and their cause is not helped here by the fact that several key defenders are out. 

Throw in the fact that the hosts have looked strong offensively in games of this nature, often thriving on the break, and it’s not difficult to see home goals going in here. 

Plenty of teams have notched multiple home goals against City’s dodgy away-day defence in the league this season, including Brentford, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, Brighton and Bournemouth. 

Can the Cherries repeat the trick in the cup? 

Read: Your one-stop shop to FA Cup quarter-finals betting tips and predictions

FIRST’s top tip for Bournemouth vs Manchester City 

Bournemouth to score over 1.5 goals - Evens (BetMGM)

To be honest, given everything discussed above, Andoni’s men look a little generously priced to notch a couple of goals against a leaky visiting rearguard, which has been weakened further by injury. 

Extra tips

Ryan Christie to be Booked - 9/2 (BetMGM)

Another bet that looks somewhat generously priced is ‘Ryan Christie to be booked’. The Scottish midfielder has struggled to keep a safe distance between himself and referees this season, receiving no less than nine yellows in the league, averaging 0.39 cards per 90 minutes.  

Christie has also been booked in an alarming number of big games. Getting a yellow card home and away against Chelsea, home and away against Newcastle, home and away against Liverpool and when Bournemouth hosted Man City in the league. The odds of 9/2 are too big to turn down. 

Team news

The hosts are expected to be without a few players, with Luis Sinisterra and Adam Smith both still sidelined, while Marcos Senesi also continues to be out. 

For the visitors, first-choice keeper Ederson remains out, while Rodri, Nathan Ake, John Stones and Manuel Akanji are all expected to miss out too. 

Bournemouth vs Manchester City predicted line-ups

Bournemouth: Arrizabalaga; Kerkez, Huijsen, Zabarnyi, Cook; Christie, Adams; Tavernier, Kluivert, Semenyo; Evanilson (4-2-3-1)

Manchester City: Ortega; Gvardiol, Dias, Khusanov, Lewis; Gundogan, Nico; Doku, Marmoush, Savinho; Haaland (4-2-3-1)

Form guide (all competitions)

Bournemouth: WWLWWLLDDL

Manchester City: LWLWLLWWLD

Odds correct at the time of writing.