Scoring is okay for Ilkay
Ilkay Gundogan was a happy man yesterday after netting Manchester City’s third in the win over Bournemouth.
Manchester City march on at the top of the league as they maintained their perfect home record.
But they were given a scare by the Cherries after Callum Wilson had the temerity to equalise just before half-time.
Pep Guardiola knew it and he has promised to use that dodgy spell as a warning to his players about taking their foot off the gas.
“I have a weapon in my pocket,” he said. “I can say, ‘Guys, remember the last 20 minutes of the first half were not good enough.’
“They scored a goal in the last minute, but they had three chances before that.
“When you concede crosses, other teams are better than us.
“But after 10 minutes in the second half, we started to play like we can.”
Normal order was restored after the break as strikes from Raheem Sterling and Ilkay Gundogan sealed the points.
It means City are now five points ahead of Liverpool, who play Everton in today’s Merseyside derby.
Pep will have an eye on that one as he prepares his team for Tuesday’s trip to Watford, but he is more concerned about being ready to go again at Vicarage Road.
“It is too early to see how decisive the lead is,” he says. “We have not finished the first round. Our success in the last 15 months has been that we don’t care too much about the other teams.
“We must expect Liverpool to only drop the minimum number of points. That’s why the demand on us is to keep winning games.”
At the start of a month in which City play nine times, Guardiola had opted to change half of his outfield players from the midweek draw in Lyon.
The headline was Sergio Aguero being left out of the squad, as Guardiola admitted that doctors had ordered a rest for the league’s joint leading scorer.
David Silva began on the bench, but namesake Bernardo was back along with Gundogan to underline City’s options.
Bournemouth had begun with a fiveman defence, but even with that extra
man, they were still unpicked when Oleksandr Zinchenko delivered an inchperfect ball for Leroy Sane, who was denied by the on-rushing Asmir Begovic.
The ball ran loose, and Silva was on to it in a flash to thump it into the net in between two Cherries defenders.
It was a customary fast start for City as they scored within the first 20 minutes for the ninth time in their 14 League games this season.
However, the game did not take on the customary pattern and as the half wore
on, Bournemouth grew in confidence.
Ederson was called into action to push away Josh King’s teasing cross with Wilson not far from getting a toe to it.
But England’s newest striker deservedly brought his side level on the stroke of half time with a fine header from Simon Francis’ cross.
The visitors began the second half purposefully too, and King delivered another dangerous cross, which was only just beyond Charlie Daniels.
City needed a spark, so Sterling took matters into his own hands as he embarked upon a mazy run into the box, only for his deflected shot to strike the base off the post.
But the winger was not to be denied. Moments later, Begovic couldn’t hold on to Danilo’s shot and, as Nathan Ake got the ball stuck between his feet, Sterling pounced to put his team back in front.
City’s football speeded up and they threatened a third following super skill from Gabriel Jesus near the dead-ball line, but Fernandinho could only steer his effort wide.
The visitors remained dangerous, not least thanks to Steve Cook’s long throws.
Wilson was snuffed out by Aymeric Laporte from one of them before Fernandinho headed another clear, while appearing to push Tyrone Mings away in the process.
David Silva was summoned from the bench and before long, victory was sealed as the Spaniard played a sweet one-two with Sane, whose cross was turned home by Gundogan.
Sane nearly added a late fourth but for a fine save from Begovic, yet that would have been harsh on the visitors.
Having troubled City at times, Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe was rueful afterwards as they suffered a fourth defeat in a row.
“You are always vulnerable to their individual quality,” he said. “But I felt the goals we conceded were scrappy.
“It was very similar to the last few games. “We did OK and the performance was good, but we were on the wrong end of the result.”