Manchester City 4-0 Bournemouth: De Bruyne Runs The Show As City Thrash Cherries

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Manchester City extended their winning start to the new Premier League season to five games after a 4-0 home victory over Bournemouth in the Etihad sunshine on Saturday afternoon, the second straight year in which the club has begun a campaign in such dominant fashion, 90min reports.

Pep Guardiola’s team cruised to an easy win over Borussia Monchengladbach in Europe in midweek and there were barely 15 minutes on the clock when Kevin De Bruyne broke the deadlock after City had controlled every aspect of the opening stages – it had taken mere seconds for the Belgian to sting the palms of visiting goalkeeper Artur Boruc from kick-off.

It was a piece of opportunistic genius from De Bruyne, now the club’s principal playmaker, as he slid a free-kick underneath a jumping Bournemouth wall.

Nolito should have doubled the lead shortly afterwards, but was then involved as Kelechi Iheanacho did make it two inside half an hour, playing a key ball to De Bruyne to setup up a blistering counter attack goal. De Bruyne found Raheem Sterling, who in turn laid it on a plate for Iheanacho.

For Bournemouth, it was real backs to the wall stuff as they attempted to keep the home side at bay or put together any moves of their own. On his full debut for the Cherries, Jack Wilshere found life incredibly tough and was guilty of giving the ball away more than once.

Iheanacho and Sterling combined excellent in the closing stages of the first half. Sterling saw his effort saved by Boruc on that occasion, but the winger was played in by Iheanacho again within minutes of the break and couldn’t miss an open net after a ball across the face of goal – De Bruyne the original architect of the move.

Bournemouth substitute Callum Wilson tested Claudio Bravo in a rare chance for Eddie Howe’s side, while Sterling forced two more good saves out of Boruc either side of the hour mark, one from distance, one after a strong, powerful run right through a crowded penalty area.

De Bruyne was involved yet again when Ilkay Gundogan marked his Premier League debut with a goal, working the ball in from the left and splitting the defence with a pinpoint pass as the German slotted home to extend the lead to 4-0.

Harry Arter threatened from distance for Bournemouth in the closing stages. City always remained in control, but their day was soured at the end when Nolito was needlessly sent off for violent altercation with Cherries defender Adam Smith. He will now serve an automatic three-game ban.