The first Super Sunday of the 2026-27 Premier League season begins with an intriguing contest between Manchester City and Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium.
Both of these teams are under new management. Enzo Maresca was handed the unenviable task of succeeding Pep Guardiola, while Marco Rose is looking to build on the platform set by Andoni Iraola on the South Coast.
City and Maresca already need a big response following the 3-0 loss to Arsenal in last weekend’s Community Shield, while it will be interesting to see how the Cherries juggle domestic and Europa League matters.
A typically fascinating contest in Manchester awaits us and we have previewed the match in full below, picking out the usual crop of online betting tips based on the latest Premier League odds.
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Where can I watch Manchester City vs Bournemouth in the UK?
Manchester City vs Bournemouth will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event, with kick-off scheduled for 2pm UK time.
Manchester City vs Bournemouth Preview
Recent results
After losing 4-3 to Inter Milan on penalties in their first pre-season friendly, Man City bounced back with consecutive 3-1 victories over K-League All-Stars and Atletico Madrid. But the 3-0 loss to Arsenal in last weekend’s Community Shield was a bit of a hammerblow.
Bournemouth’s pre-season campaign ended with a 2-1 failure against Mainz, but prior results were certainly positive. Three victories over St Pauli (4-1), Augsburg (5-2) and – most impressively – Genoa (10-1) were followed by a credible 2-2 draw vs Real Betis. Goals were a common theme in the early stages of the Rose era!
Head-to-head record
The last meeting between these sides saw City surrender the Premier League title to Arsenal. A 1-1 draw at the Vitality Stadium back in May was enough for the Gunners to officially get their hands on the trophy.
But Bournemouth’s record at the Etihad is woeful at best. The Cherries lost 3-1 at the stadium in 2025-26, suffering defeat on each of the last nine visits across all competitions. Ouch.
Team news
Jeremy Doku is out for a number of weeks after suffering an injury in the 3-0 loss to Arsenal, a big blow for City and Maresca. Omar Marmoush, Matheus Nunes and Savinho are all unlikely to feature here either. Marquee summer signing Elliot Anderson should start in midfield alongside Mateo Kovacic.
Eli Kroupi Junior, Amine Adli, Julian Araujo and Veljko Milosavljevic are set to be absent from a Bournemouth perspective, while Juanlu Sanchez, Alvaro Rodriguez, Julio Soler, Tyler Adams and David Brooks are rated as ‘doubtful’. Midfielder Ryan Christie is suspended.
Manchester City vs Bournemouth Odds
*All odds are subject to change
Manchester City are the big favourites ahead of kick-off here, priced as low as 1.46. A victory for Bournemouth is at odds of 5.50, while the draw is 4.75.
Manchester City vs Bournemouth Betting Tips
First goalscorer – Erling Haaland @ 3.60
Haaland has netted on the opening weekend in each of the last four seasons, a quite phenomenal record. As such, the Norwegian colossus is priced at 1.63 to score anytime in the match, so it is perhaps worth finding more value with this selection. Yes, Haaland looked a tad sluggish in the Community Shield, but that was to be expected. Once the bright lights of the Premier League are back shining on the three-time Golden Boot winner, expect him to revert to type.
Both teams to score – Yes @ 1.52
As mentioned above, Rose’s Bournemouth seem hell bent on goals being scored at both ends, so leaning on a BTTS pick feels like a smart pre-match move to make here. The selection landed in each of the last five top-flight meetings between these sides as well, an even bigger plus!
Player to score or assist – Evanilson @ 2.85
And with the prospect of Bournemouth joining City on the scoresheet fresh in the mind, it is time to look at the best candidates for a major contribution. Evanilson was on fire in pre-season, tallying three goals and two assists. With very talented operators in the form of Justin Kluivert and Marcus Tavernier in support, the Cherries and their Brazilian frontman can cause a bit of chaos at the Etihad.
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