Bournemouth vs. Manchester City Preview
Where: Vitality Stadium – Bournemouth, England
When: Saturday, August 26, 2017, 7:30 AM ET
Line: Bournemouth +740 vs. Manchester City -400, tie +420; total 3.0 – view all 2017 EPL lines
TV Broadcast: NBCSN
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Betting on Bournemouth (+740)
Bournemouth are still looking for their first points—and their first goal—of the new campaign after losing their first two games against West Brom and Watford. However, they did pick up a morale-boosting 2-1 win against Birmingham City in the Carabao Cup.
Veteran striker Jermain Defoe made his first start for the club against Birmingham and will be one of the Cherries’ main weapons to find that elusive first goal. Although, it remains to be seen whether he keeps his place or if manager Eddie Howe opts to play a more defensive formation with more men in midfield to combat City’s talented attacking midfielders.
However, none of Howe’s previous plans to stop City during Bournemouth’s brief time in the Premier League have even come close to working. The Cherries have lost all four meetings against City, three of which coming by a four-goal margin. To make matters worse, Bournemouth have yet to even score a single goal in two home games against City.
Betting on Manchester City (-400)
Considering City went 1-0 down and one man down in the first half, a 1-1 draw against a very good team in Everton should be considered a fairly decent result. But after Kyle Walker’s sending off, Pep Guardiola will need to make a change to his team. Danilo will likely make his first start for City, while Benjamin Mendy could also be available for the first time on the bench.
Pep’s new 3-5-2 formation hasn’t exactly taken off offensively like many had anticipated. The two-striker pairing of Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus, in particular, has not delivered the fireworks just yet. But perhaps a matchup with Bournemouth’s defense is just the game they need to find their footing. City have scored an impressive 15 goals in four games against the Cherries in the Premier League.
Raheem Sterling, who scored the equalizer against Everton after coming on as a substitute, absolutely loves playing Bournemouth. The speedy Englishman has five goals in four meetings with Bournemouth, and that history could warrant a start against the Cherries.
Writer’s Prediction
City (-400) once again bury Bournemouth as they score a comfortable 3-0 away win.
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