Game Week 37 Predictions: City must beat Bournemouth to stay in the title fight

Manchester City can only remain in the fight for the Premier League title if they beat Bournemouth on Tuesday night. Will the Cityzens do it...

Manchester City can only remain in the fight for the Premier League title if they beat Bournemouth on Tuesday night. Will the Cityzens do it? (Photo credit: Opta)

 Bournemouth vs Manchester City

Vitality Stadium

7:30pm

News broke out on Monday that legendary manager Pep Guardiola would step down from his role at Manchester City after ten illustrious years.

With only two games left to play, Guardiola is believed to have made up his mind to leave Manchester City at the end of the season. With the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup in the bag, the highly successful Spaniard could yet land the Premier League title on his way out.

Arsenal's 1-0 win over Burnley at the Emirates on Monday night made things harder for Manchester City in the title race, but Guardiola will keep believing until the end. To achieve what seems impossible, his team must beat Bournemouth on Tuesday.

On paper, you expect the Cityzens to make light work of Bournemouth, but things are not the same this season. The Cherries are in the hunt for Champions League football, and only a win over City will keep that hope alive.

Bournemouth sits in sixth spot. A win over the Cityzens keeps the Cherries in sixth, but just one point behind Liverpool. The reigning champions host Brentford on the final day, while Bournemouth will travel to Nottingham Forest.

Andoni Iraola has done tremendously well with Bournemouth this season. They're already poised to have their best-ever season in the top flight, and it can even get better if they beat Liverpool to the fifth spot next weekend.

A win for Villa in the Europa League final hands the Premier League an extra spot in the Champions League. This makes Tuesday night's fixture, under the lights at the Vitality Stadium, the game of their lives in the Bournemouth dressing room.

Pep Guardiola knows what to do; he is full of praise for Iraola and not oblivious of Arsenal's strength, but he is a fighter. He will give it everything until the end. So, what version of Manchester City are we going to see on Tuesday?

It's impossible to ignore City's FA Cup success over Chelsea at the weekend. It wasn't a vintage performance, but it was a professional one. City will need such a result again away at the Vitality if they want to remain in the fight until Sunday.

Bournemouth will welcome back Lewis Cook for this encounter. Ryan Christie is suspended, and Alex Scott will lead the charge in the midfield as always. Eli Junior Kroupi will be one to watch out for, alongside Rayan, who has been included in Brazil's squad for the World Cup.

With Rodri fit and available, you have a sense of quality in Manchester City's midfield. Erling Haaland will be pumped for this one, while Antoine Semenyo will hope to cement his great season with another great performance against his old club.

Verdict: City to beat Bournemouth.