AFC Bournemouth vs Manchester City Predictions

• Bournemouth have lost two of their last 11 home league games
• Manchester City have scored at least twice in eight of their last nine Premier League away games
• Mateo Kovacic has had at least two shots on goal in four of his last five Premier League appearances

Leaders City are far from convincing

Manchester City remain unbeaten in this season’s Premier League, but they have had the odd domestic wobble lately and this might be a good time for Bournemouth to be entertaining the champions at the Vitality Stadium.

City boss Pep Guardiola is having to cope with an increasingly busy treatment room with key players such as Kyle Walker, Rodri and Kevin de Bruyne being sidelined and some of their recent league performances have been fare from convincing.

They have not won any of their last six league games by more than one goal and needed late John Stones goals to earn a point at home to Arsenal and a win at Wolves, who have yet to post a league victory this season.

A 1-0 home win over bottom-of-the-table Southampton last week was underwhelming and they also have to bounce back from a League Cup defeat at Tottenham, so a visit to the Cherries is far from a straightforward assignment.

Cherries are in a good place

The Cherries find themselves in mid-table, which would do them quite nicely if they held onto it until the end of the season, but Andoni Iraola’s outfit have recently posted their most impressive results of the campaign.

Arsenal left the Vitality with their tail between their legs two weeks ago when they suffered a 2-0 defeat and the south-coast outfit will have also gained plenty of confidence from claiming a point at Aston Villa with Evanilson’s injury-time goal.

They have suffered just two defeats in their last 11 league home games, so it looks worth chancing that they can gain something against City, who are set to be further weakened by Manuel Akanji picking up an injury before the defeat at Spurs and Savinho having to leave on a stretcher during the second half.

City have scored at least twice in all but one of their last nine Premier League away games, but there is a vulnerability at the back which the Cherries can expose, so the double-chance market presents the best way to back the home side while correct-score enthusiasts may wish to look towards a 2-2 draw.

Kovacic can make his mark

The loss of newly crowned Ballon d’Or winner Rodri is keenly felt at the Etihad, but Croatian midfielder Mateo Kovacic looks to be thriving under the extra responsibility.

And his influence has not just come defensively as he has had at least two efforts on goal in four of his last five Premier League appearances.

The former Chelsea man scored twice in the recent 3-2 win over Fulham and looks a lively outsider to find the net again on Saturday.