The Premier League is finally back, and we get some banger matchups on Sunday. Manchester City are determined to return to the top of the league, while Bournemouth seek to keep up the momentum from last year. There’s going to be a ton of talent on the pitch, and a lot of drama as well.
Manchester City are solid -215 favorites on the Moneyline for this one on DraftKings Sportsbook, with a draw available at +390. Bournemouth’s Moneyline is set at +475.
Man City vs. Bournemouth Prediction, Pick
First things first, let’s look at the moves these teams have made so far during the summer transfer window.
It was a weird summer for Manchester City. They said goodbye to some club legends, including Rodrí, Bernardo Silva, and John Stones; the kind of names and faces you’ll see in Manchester City’s biggest moments from the last decade. Though not the same level of clout, Nathan Aké and Manuel Akanji’s departures are notable as well, along with the sale of James Trafford to Leeds United. But the biggest move of all was at the helm: Pep Guardiola, who built Manchester City into a dynasty, stepped down as manager. Enzo Maresca will replace him, and the phrase “big shoes to fill” doesn’t do it justice.
But it wasn’t all departures this summer. Elliot Anderson arrives on a massive transfer from Nottingham Forest. One of the best ball-winning midfielders in the sport last season, Anderson will be the tempo-setter in the center of this Man City squad. I believe he’s up to the task.
It’s going to be a big season for this Europa League-bound Bournemouth side, and they brought in reinforcements over the summer. Álvaro Rodríguez signed from Elche CF to bolster a forward group led by Junior Kroupi, Rayan, and Marcus Tavernier. After scoring 58 goals in 38 league matches, Bournemouth aren’t content to sit back on their laurels. But they did need some help on the back end after finishing 14th in goals allowed; if they want to advance towards Champions League football, clean sheets are needed.
They made a trio of signings to bolster the defense. António Silva signed from Benfica to provide a solid center-back option, and Juanlu Sánchez has tons of potential as a wide back. The Álex Jiménez situation is a weird one, and it’s unlikely he plays for Bournemouth this season; they may pivot elsewhere to work on the defense. But it’s a necessary injection of youth and talent to a group that roundly disappointed this year.
For this matchup, the key is City’s defense against Bournemouth’s attack. I expect the Cityzens to do some damage offensively, but there’s no guarantee their back line can contain Bournemouth’s athletic, talented forward group. If they can break out well on the counter, Bournemouth have to like their chances to pull points from this contest.
Ultimately, there’s too much talent on City’s side to drop points here, but I expect Bournemouth to push things on the attack to keep it interesting. We should get a lot of scoring on this first matchday for both clubs.
