Manchester City’s 32-match unbeaten run in the Premier League came to an end in a 2-1 defeat at Bournemouth on Saturday, that saw the English champions usurped by Liverpool at the top of the table.
The Cherries struck either side of half-time through Antoine Semenyo and Evanilson, before Josko Gvardiol pulled one back for City.
Pep Guardiola’s men were beaten for the first time this season in any competition in a League Cup exit to Tottenham in midweek and were hampered by a number of injuries.
Guardiola said ahead of the game that many of his men were playing through the pain barrier but Bournemouth, who beat Arsenal in their last home match, rubbed salt in the visitors’ wounds.
Semenyo spun onto Milos Kerkez’s cross to open the scoring on nine minutes.
Evanilson steered home another Kerkez delivery just after the hour mark.
Gvardiol’s towering header from Ilkay Gundogan’s cross gave City life eight minutes from time.
And Erling Haaland should have snatched a point deep into stoppage time when he hit the post from point-blank range.
City fall two points behind Liverpool, who came from behind to beat Brighton 2-1 at Anfield.
But a first league defeat since December was not as costly as it could have been as title rivals Arsenal also fell to defeat, 1-0 at Newcastle.
Madukwe B. Nwabuisi is an accomplished journalist renown for his fearless reporting style and extensive expertise in the field. He is an investigative journalist, who has established himself as a kamikaze reporter.
