Four of the last five Premier League meetings between these sides have featured three or more goals. Will we see more of the same on Sunday?
Best bets for Manchester City vs Bournemouth
- Manchester City to win and Both teams to score at odds of 2.50 with Stake
- Over 3.5 goals at odds of 2.00 with Stake
- Antoine Semenyo anytime goal or assist at odds of 1.95 with Stake
Our analysis: Form of both teams
- Score prediction: Manchester City 3-1 Bournemouth
- Goalscorers prediction: Manchester City: Semenyo, Haaland x2 - Bournemouth: Evanilson
A new era begins at both ends of the pitch on Sunday. Enzo Maresca's Manchester City host Marco Rose's Bournemouth in the first Premier League fixture of 2026-27.
City start their league campaign with their confidence slightly dented. Arsenal beat them 3-0 in the Community Shield in Cardiff. This ended a tour that had otherwise gone well: wins over Atlético Madrid and the K-League All Stars, plus a draw with Inter.
Jeremy Doku's calf problem, picked up at the Principality, rules him out. Rodri, Jack Grealish and Matheus Nunes are also unavailable, while Savinho is edging towards a move to Tottenham.
Rose enjoyed a high-scoring first pre-season in charge. Bournemouth beat St Pauli and Genoa, drew with Real Betis and suffered a late defeat to Mainz.
Last season’s sixth-place finish and a first European campaign have raised the bar. Unfortunately for the Cherries, Eli Junior Kroupi is out for months, while Ryan Christie is suspended. Adams, Adli, Brooks, Araujo and Milosavljević are all sidelined. Antonio Silva and Juanlu Sánchez await their Premier League debuts.
Probable lineups for Manchester City vs Bournemouth
Manchester City expected lineup: Donnarumma, Khusanov, Dias, Gvardiol, O'Reilly, Kovačić, Anderson, Foden, Semenyo, Haaland, Cherki
AFC Bournemouth expected lineup: Petrović, Juanlu Sánchez, Silva, Hill, Truffert, Cook, Scott, Tavernier, Kluivert, Rayan, Evanilson
City to take the win, despite goals at both ends
Maresca's first competitive outing as City boss could hardly have gone worse. Riccardo Calafiori put Arsenal ahead inside 24 seconds, and the Gunners ran out 3-0 winners in Cardiff.
Pep Guardiola’s former assistant expects an emphatic response at a full Etihad on Sunday. City are unbeaten in four against Bournemouth, and the Cherries have never won at the Etihad. However, they have scored in five of their last six visits.
There were clear cracks in City’s backline on Sunday, and Marco Rose's side will not sit off. His teams press aggressively and play on the front foot, with Rayan and Evanilson carrying a genuine counter-attacking threat.
- Manchester City vs Bournemouth Bet 1: Manchester City to win and Both teams to score at odds of 2.50 with Stake
Value on four or more goals at the Etihad
Only one of Bournemouth's last nine Premier League trips to the Etihad has finished with three goals or fewer. There’s little about either side that suggests a cagey opener this weekend either.
City’s wingers repeatedly took on their defenders throughout the Asia tour, with Maresca encouraging them to do so at every opportunity. Whenever Erling Haaland leads a frontline, it’s hard not to fancy backing goal lines.
At the other end, Rose's high line is designed to invite risk. Bournemouth shipped goals in their final warm-up defeat at Mainz. Backing four or more goals at around even-money looks appealing.
- Manchester City vs Bournemouth Bet 2: Over 3.5 goals at odds of 2.00 with Stake
In-form Semenyo to trouble his former employers
Nobody arrives in better shape than Antoine Semenyo. City scored seven goals across their three games in Asia, and Semenyo assisted four of them. His pace and power made him a constant threat, with five assists in three appearances overall.
That follows seven goals in 17 Premier League outings after his January move from Sunday’s opponents Bournemouth. He also plundered the decisive strike in the FA Cup final against Chelsea.
Now he comes up against his former club in front of the travelling fans who watched him lead the team for two years. Backing him to score or assist at a near-coinflip probability (51.28%) feels incredibly generous. That’s arguably the top value bet from our trio of Man City vs Bournemouth predictions for Sunday’s game.
- Manchester City vs Bournemouth Bet 3: Antoine Semenyo anytime goal or assist at odds of 1.95 with Stake