Man City injury crisis takes its toll as brilliant Bournemouth end remarkable record

BOURNEMOUTH 2-1 MANCHESTER CITY: Pep Guardiola's side fell to their second defeat in a week as the Cherries put in a brilliant display to earn all three points

Brilliant Bournemouth defied the odds to beat Manchester City for the first time in their history - ending the champions' remarkable 32-match unbeaten streak in the Premier League.

Knackered City, whose last top-flight defeat came at Aston Villa 11 months ago, were the walking wounded and their lack of energy was ruthlessly exposed by Andoni Iraola's hungry and rampant Cherries.

Speaking on Friday in the aftermath of the midweek Carabao Cup defeat at Tottenham, Pep Guardiola had urged his stars to play through the pain barrier "like Rafael Nadal" amid fears he would only have 11 senior players fit to compete.

Kyle Walker, who Guardiola had claimed would not return until after the international break, was a shock starter and was torn to shreds by Antoine Semenyo while, incredibly, Savinho made the bench days after leaving the field in tears on a stretcher.

For those that made themselves available - eventually it counted for precious little. Ederson was immediately thrust into action when the Brazilian produced an excellent double stop to deny Semenyo and Justin Kluivert.

However, he would prove helpless seven minutes later when Semenyo fired the hosts ahead following fine work from left-back Milos Kerkez.

Kerkez, who later prevented Bernardo Silva from equalising with a brave first-half block, drove to the byline and cut back for Bournemouth's red-hot Ghanaian to fire home after shrugging Josko Gvardiol aside.

Erling Haaland - the scorer of just one goal in City's past four Premier League matches - rolled his ankle in the turf after blasting a shot wide before the break. And he took another hefty blow for his troubles following the restart when he was on the receiving end of a strong follow through from Lewis Cook, who won the ball cleanly, first.

City's backline - without injured duo John Stones and Ruben Dias - looked jaded, Bournemouth were first to every second ball and sharper across the ground. And Guardiola's surprisingly toothless champions just could not match the Cherries' desire and mobility as Semenyo wreaked havoc.

The majestic 24-year-old appeared determined to send Walker into retirement as he continued to dart inside the struggling City full-back - later booked for hauling his marker down. Semenyo then got his just rewards when he slipped in Kerkez, who found Evanilson to turn in the second after compatriot Ederson had previously denied him with another impressive stop.

Gvardiol headed home to restore hope for City but when Mark Travers kept out Haaland from six yards before the Norwegian then hit the post, Bournemouth looked home and dry.

A late strike from Phil Foden flashed wide but Guardiola looked so drained at the full-time whistle, you sensed he'd already long accepted City's fate as the Vitality Stadium exploded into a party.

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