Manchester City soared to the summit of the Premier League with a breathtaking 6-1 victory over Bournemouth, ignited by Jeremy Doku’s sensational performance. However, the celebrations were somewhat subdued due to an injury concern surrounding Erling Haaland.
Pep Guardiola’s squad dismantled Bournemouth, delivering three quick goals in just seven minutes during the latter part of the first half at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
Belgian maestro Doku led the charge, opening the scoring for the treble winners and subsequently setting up Bernardo Silva for the second goal.
The third goal arrived when Manuel Akanji inadvertently deflected Doku’s shot into the net. Phil Foden added a fourth goal in the second half, with yet another assist from Doku.
Silva capitalized on yet another brilliant Doku setup to make it five, and Nathan Ake put the finishing touch on City’s dominant performance.
However, concerns arose when Haaland was substituted at halftime after sustaining a knock during the first half. His fitness is in question, and City fans will anxiously await updates on his condition, especially with crucial fixtures against Young Boys in the Champions League and Chelsea in the Premier League on the horizon.
Should Haaland need time to recover, the upcoming international break following the Chelsea match would provide a welcome respite without any further club matches missed.
City’s recent run includes four consecutive victories in various competitions, underscoring their relentless pursuit of silverware after last season’s extraordinary achievements, following their October loss to title rivals Arsenal.
Remarkably, Manchester City has triumphed in each of their last 14 encounters with Bournemouth across all competitions, leaving the Cherries still in search of their maiden victory against the Manchester powerhouse after 20 fruitless attempts.
Guardiola’s men have now secured victories in every home match across all competitions in 2023, and they currently top the Premier League, edging ahead by a single point. However, Ange Postecoglou’s team has an opportunity to reclaim the top spot if they secure a win against Chelsea on Monday.