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Match preview: Manchester City begin post-Guardiola era with Bournemouth test
23rd August, 2026 12:28 PM
Manchester City will begin life after Pep Guardiola in the Premier League when they host Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon, August 23, 2026, in their first match of the 2026-27 campaign.
The fixture marks the start of a new chapter for City under Enzo Maresca, who has been tasked with restoring the club to the top of English football after two seasons without the Premier League crown.
The two sides last met in May 2026 at the Vitality Stadium, where they shared a 1-1 draw that helped confirm Arsenal as league champions.
Match preview
Manchester City are entering unfamiliar territory following Guardiola’s departure after a decade packed with major trophies. Maresca now has the difficult responsibility of maintaining the standards established during that era while attempting to close the gap on Arsenal.
The new City boss has welcomed the challenge and remains confident his team can accomplish significant things this season, despite losing several experienced players during the summer. Bernardo Silva, Rodri and John Stones are among the notable departures.
City did manage to win both the FA Cup and EFL Cup last season, but their league campaign fell short of expectations. Their preparations for the new season also suffered a setback last weekend when Arsenal defeated them 3-0 in the Community Shield.
Maresca therefore starts his competitive tenure with a defeat, but City can draw encouragement from their remarkable record in opening Premier League fixtures. Their previous four managers all won their first league match in charge, with Mark Hughes the last to lose his opening game, suffering a 4-2 defeat against Aston Villa in 2008.
The Citizens have also won the first Premier League match of 14 of their last 15 seasons. Their only exception came in 2021-22, when Tottenham Hotspur recorded a 1-0 victory.
City’s home record against Bournemouth provides further reason for optimism. They have won all nine of their Premier League meetings with the Cherries at the Etihad, scoring 34 goals and conceding just six.
The hosts have also avoided consecutive home league defeats since May 2021, although Bournemouth will arrive with plenty of confidence of their own.
Bournemouth are similarly beginning a new managerial era, with Marco Rose taking charge following Andoni Iraola’s departure. The German coach, who previously managed RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund, inherits a team that enjoyed the best Premier League finish in its history last season.
The Cherries ended the previous campaign sixth after losing only seven of their 38 league matches. Only Arsenal and Manchester City had fewer defeats.
Rose’s first season in England also begins with Bournemouth carrying an impressive 18-game unbeaten league sequence into the new campaign. That run consists of eight victories and 10 draws.
However, history does not favour managers making their Premier League debut against City. The previous four coaches in that situation failed to win, recording one draw and three defeats.
Bournemouth’s pre-season offered plenty of encouragement. They won three of their five friendly matches, drew one and lost one, scoring 22 goals. Their biggest result was a remarkable 10-1 triumph over Genoa.
Despite that form, the Cherries have struggled to begin Premier League seasons positively, winning their opening fixture only twice in nine attempts. Their victories came against Cardiff City in 2018-19 and Aston Villa in 2022-23.
Their overall record against City is even less encouraging. Bournemouth have beaten the Manchester club only once in 18 top-flight encounters, with that victory coming in a 2-1 home success in November 2024.
Team news
Manchester City will be without Jeremy Doku, who is expected to spend between two and three weeks on the sidelines because of a calf problem.
Savinho is also unlikely to feature, while Omar Marmoush could miss the match as both players remain linked with a potential move to Tottenham.
Matheus Nunes, meanwhile, is back in contention after sitting out the Community Shield because of a minor muscular issue. He could come into the defence at right-back, with Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol and Nico O’Reilly completing the back four.
Doku’s absence leaves City short of natural options on the flank, potentially opening the door for Jack Grealish to make a surprise start. It would be his first starting appearance for the club in more than 600 days.
Former Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo is expected to operate on the opposite flank.
New signing Elliot Anderson is in line for his first Premier League appearance for City and should partner Mateo Kovacic in midfield. Erling Haaland will spearhead the attack, with the Norwegian having an outstanding record in August and on Premier League opening weekends.
For Bournemouth, Eli Junior Kroupi remains unavailable for an extended period with a foot problem. Amine Adli, Veljko Milosavljevic, Julian Araujo, David Brooks and Julio Soler are also sidelined.
Ryan Christie is suspended following an incident carried over from last season, meaning Alex Scott and Lewis Cook are expected to form the central midfield partnership.
Rayan, Justin Kluivert and Marcus Tavernier could provide the attacking threat further forward.
New arrivals Alvaro Rodriguez and Juanlu Sanchez, along with Tyler Adams, have resumed training, although Rose has indicated that some members of the group may require additional work before being considered for the match.
Antonio Silva, however, is expected to make his Premier League debut after joining Bournemouth from Benfica for around £25.7m. He could start alongside James Hill in central defence.
