Manchester City climbed into third place in the Premier League with a 3-1 win over Bournemouth on Tuesday, putting them in a strong position to secure Champions League qualification.
The match at the Etihad Stadium marked Kevin De Bruyne’s final home outing for the club, while Rodri returned from injury in a game where both sides ended with 10 men.
City took an early lead through Omar Marmoush’s stunning strike, breaking their streak of 54 shots without a goal across all competitions, a run that began after De Bruyne’s goal against Wolves earlier in the month.
Despite an early burst of momentum, De Bruyne missed a glaring opportunity to double the advantage, crashing his shot against the crossbar from close range with the goal at his mercy.
Bernardo Silva made it 2-0 before halftime, but Mateo Kovacic’s red card in the second half briefly put City under pressure.
Bournemouth’s hopes of capitalizing were dashed when Lewis Cook was also dismissed for a rash tackle on Nico Gonzalez, leveling the playing field.
Nico capitalized on the moment by slotting in City’s third goal, shortly after Rodri’s return to action. Though Daniel Jebbison scored a late consolation for Bournemouth, it was too little, too late.
With this win, Pep Guardiola’s men are firmly on track for a Champions League spot. A victory over Fulham on Sunday would confirm it, though even a draw would likely be enough thanks to City’s superior goal difference over sixth-placed Aston Villa, who trail by two points.
De Bruyne, despite his missed chance, had a key role in City’s dominant start. He created two chances in the match, bringing his Premier League career total to 846, tying Cesc Fabregas for the most since Opta began recording the stat in the 2003-04 season.
City registered 1.6 expected goals from their 12 shots, while Bournemouth managed 1.06 xG, having come close through Evanilson’s first-half effort that hit the woodwork.
Despite the FA Cup final heartbreak against Crystal Palace, City bounced back with a confident performance that keeps their European hopes well within reach.