Window’s left open
Spirited Cherries facing relegation agony
HAD Bournemouth played with this spirit throughout the season, perhaps they might not be feeling the cold hand of relegation.
For the Cherries, although there was honour in defeat, this was a savage blow to their fading hopes of preserving their Premier League status.
Defeat means they are likely to need a minimum of four points from their final two games, against Southampton and Everton, to stay up.
With an inferior goal difference to Watford and West Ham, who meet tomorrow, the odds are firmly stacked against Eddie Howe (right) and his beleaguered side.
As vibrant as they were here, eight defeats in their last 11 Premier League games have left Bournemouth in a perilous position, their fiveyear spell in the top flight now in grave danger.
Pep Guardiola looked to be giving them a helping hand by naming his three most potent attackers – Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez – on the bench, only the latter two coming on.
Bournemouth were looking to build on their 4-1 comeback win over Leicester last weekend, which had given them renewed hope.
But they never had enough to really trouble City, who won without having to fully exert themselves ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup semifinal against Arsenal. City went ahead in the sixth minute, David Silva winning a free-kick just outside the area, then curling it beyond the reach of Aaron Ramsdale. The hosts settled into their familiar routine of keepball, the game descending into little more than a training exercise for them. Bournemouth were left to feed off scraps, but had sight of the City goal in the 22nd minute, when Josh King turned well but was unable to keep his shot on target. Ederson had to be at his best in the 34th minute, diving at full-stretch to palm a Junior Stanislas free-kick onto his left-hand post to preserve City’s lead.
Dominic Solanke had a chance to level three minutes later, but saw his effort blocked by Nicolas Otamendi. It proved a costly miss, with City doubling their lead in the 39th minute through Gabriel Jesus.
Silva threaded the ball though to Jesus, who danced his way past three opponents before applying a clinical finish low into the far corner.
The visitors had the ball in the net a minute before the hour, but VAR ruled King, who turned in a Stanislas shot, was offside.
City won a penalty when Steve Cook was judged to have fouled Jesus, but VAR overturned it.
Substitute David Brooks pulled one back for the visitors with two minutes left, but it was too little, too late.
Ederson 7, Walker 5 (Garcia 46, 6), Stones 5, Otamendi 5, Mendy 5 (Zinchenko 76), Gundogan 6 (Rodri 68, 6), Fernandinho 6, D Silva 8 MOTM, B Silva 6 (Sterling 46, 6), Jesus 7 (Mahrez, 76), Foden 6 Ramsdale 6, Stacey 5, Cook 6, Kelly 6, Rico 5, Stanislas 7 (Brooks 69, 6), Gosling 6 (L Cook 69, 6), Lerma 6, Billing 7 (Surridge 89), King 6 (H Wilson 77), Solanke 6 (C Wilson 69, 6)
Lee Mason
FROM BACK PAGE up. Bournemouth remain third from bottom, three points from safety, and Howe said: “I’m just absolutely devastated to come away with nothing after putting so much into the game.
“We have to look for two wins. We can’t prepare any other way.
“We go to the next game, Southampton, and try to win it. We’ll be looking to match and better this performance.
“It bodes well for the last two games. Hopefully we should get some more points.”
David Silva opened the scoring for City and Gabriel Jesus (above) added a second, before sub David Brooks gave the visitors hope with a goal two minutes from time.
City boss Pep Guardiola said: “It was a really difficult game we could not control. They played for their need, to stay in the Premier League.”
PREMIER LEAGUE bosses have confirmed the transfer window will be open for 10 weeks from July 27 – with a special extension for domestic deals.
The 20 top-flight clubs have backed UEFA’s recommendation to stay open until October 5 to fall into line with Champions League and Europa League deadlines.
But it will then stay open for another 11 days until October 16 for domestic deals only, which will allow Premier League clubs to sign and loan EFL players.
It is designed to help EFL clubs, who are already facing desperate times because of the pandemic.
But it does mean two deadline days in October, which could cause major disruptions if clubs lose players more than a month into the season.
PREMIER LEAGUE ARSENAL (2) 2 LIVERPOOL (1) Lacazette 32 Mane 20 Nelson 44 BURNLEY (0) Wood 90 (pen) MAN CITY (2) Silva 6 Gabriel Jesus 39 NEWCASTLE (0)
Ritchie 56
Liverpool (C) Man City Chelsea Leicester Man Utd Wolves Tottenham Sheff Utd Arsenal Burnley Everton Southampton Newcastle Crystal Palace Brighton West Ham Watford Bournemouth Aston Villa Norwich (R)
BRENTFORD (1) Watkins 4
(7.45 unless stated)
Second Test Match—day 1 of 5: England v West Indies (Emirates Old Trafford, 11am). 1
WOLVES (0) Jimenez 76
2 BOURNEMTH (0)1
Brooks 88 1 1
TOTTENHAM (1) 3 Son 27
Kane 60, 90
P W D L F A Pts 36 30 3 3 77 29 93 36 24 3 9 93 35 75 36 19 6 11 64 49 63 35 17 8 10 65 36 59 35 16 11 8 61 35 59 36 14 14 8 49 38 56 36 15 10 11 57 46 55 35 14 12 9 38 33 54 36 13 14 9 53 45 53 36 14 9 13 40 48 51 35 12 9 14 41 52 45 35 13 6 16 45 58 45 36 11 10 15 37 55 43 35 11 9 15 30 45 42 35 8 12 15 36 52 36 35 9 7 19 44 59 34 35 8 10 17 33 54 34 36 8 7 21 37 62 31 35 8 6 21 38 65 30 36 5 6 25 26 68 21
1
SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP BIRMINGHM (0) 1 CHARLTON (0) Jutkiewicz 90 Bonne 58 BRISTOL C (1) STOKE (0) Benkovic 45 Batth 64 NOTTM FOR (1) 2 SWANSEA (2) Ameobi 20, 55 Brewster 8 Ayew 45 (pen) PRESTON (0) 1 1
ITALY: AC Milan 3 Parma 1, Bologna 1 Napoli 1, Lecce L Fiorentina L, Roma L Verona L, Sampdoria 3 Cagliari 0, Sassuolo L Juventus L, Udinese L Lazio L.
Premier League
Crystal Palace v Man Utd (8.15) Everton v Aston Villa (6) Leicester v Sheff Utd (6) Southampton v Brighton (8.15) Sky Bet Championship
Leeds v Barnsley (5)
Friendly Matches
Nice v Celtic (5.15)
Lyon v Rangers
The Memorial Tournament (Dublin, Ohio).
1 1 2 0
MATCH STATS