Man City can extend Premier League rival's worst streak in English football history
Today at 01:16 PM
Man City already hold the record for the most one sided head-to-head in English football league history, and now have the chance to extend it.
Pep Guardiola’s men face Bournemouth on Saturday looking to continue their historic unbeaten streak, while the Cherries will want to end almost 40 years of misery.
Bournemouth have won none of their 20 league matches against Man City, losing 18 and drawing two.
It’s a run that stretches all the way back to 1987, when the clubs were both in the old Second Division, to the present day in the Premier League.
However, Saturday's 3pm kick-off might provide the reigning English champions with their hardest test against Bournemouth to date, due to a City injury crisis and the south coast side still flying high after a morale-boosting victory over Arsenal.
Pep Guardiola had six players sidelined ahead of their midweek Carabao Cup tie with Tottenham, but then Manuel Akanji suffered a calf issue in the warm-up and Savinho was taken off on a stretcher in the second-half with an injured ankle.
Those two join Ballon d'or winner Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne, Oscar Bobb, Kyle Walker, Jack Grealish and Jeremy Doku on the injury list – leaving Guardiola with just 13 fit outfield players.
Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola said about the record: "It’s 14 games, 14 losses [in the Premier League]. There is a reason and also this year they are unbeaten in the Premier League, top of the table.
"It’s not just difficult for Bournemouth, it’s difficult for everyone. But we have to play against them twice a season so we have to maximise our options, give our best and see if it’s enough."
Their first encounter was in Division Two, December 1987, with Man City claiming the first three points of the streak with a 2-0 win.
February 1999 was the last meeting between the clubs in the Football League before both eventually made it to the top tier.
They finally met 16 years later in the Premier League in October 2015.
Manuel Pellegrini's side thrashed Bournemouth 5-1 thanks to a hat-trick from Raheem Sterling and a Wilfried Bony brace.
Glenn Murray netted the only goal for the away side.
That day was the start of a 14 match losing streak for the south coast team at the top level of the English game.
Last season's result was a particularly memorable one for Man City fans – Guardiola's side smashed six past Andrei Radu in goal with only Luis Sinisterra managing to put himself on the Cherries' scoresheet.
Man City had six different goalscorers, with Jeremy Doku being the first and then being crowned man-of-the-match with four assists.
Doku became the ninth player in Premier League history to assist four times in a single match, joining the likes of Harry Kane, Dennis Bergkamp and Cesc Fabregas.
He also became the youngest player at 21 years and 161 days to do so, and record five goal involvements in a single Premier League match.
Bournemouth did get close in February 2024, when they only lost 1-0 to a Phil Foden goal in the 24th minute.
Dominic Solanke nearly drew the score level heading goal wards but Ederson was positioned well to save the ball on the line.
Enes Unal also had a golden opportunity but narrowly missed the goal with a header as Ederson was scrambling to his right post.
But after beating Arsenal and holding Aston Villa to a draw in their last two games, Bournemouth can be quietly confident of claiming another huge scalp and finally end their 37-year Man City hoodoo.
