Manchester City v Bournemouth: Premier League – live
The Guardian's live coverage of Manchester City v Bournemouth in the Premier League has begun, with City hosting the game at the Etihad Stadium on the first Saturday of the new season. The fixture follows a weekend of surprising results elsewhere in the division, making the outcome difficult to predict, and comes with an added edge as City will be seeking revenge for the reverse fixture last season.
That earlier meeting between the two sides ended 1-1, a result that confirmed Arsenal as Premier League champions. Elsewhere this weekend, Arsenal began their title defence with a 3-0 win over promoted Coventry City, while Manchester United suffered a shock 2-0 defeat to Hull City. Sunderland lost 2-1 to Ipswich Town, Brentford beat Tottenham 3-0, Leeds beat Nottingham Forest 1-0, and Everton defeated Crystal Palace 2-0.
- Manchester City host Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium.
- Weekend already saw shock results, including Manchester United's loss to Hull.
- Last meeting between the sides, 1-1, confirmed Arsenal as champions.
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Manchester City are entering this game looking to bounce back after being held to a 1-1 draw by Bournemouth in last season's reverse fixture, a result that ended up handing the Premier League title to Arsenal. That shared history gives this opening-weekend meeting an extra layer of interest beyond the usual start-of-season stakes.
The match is being played at City's home ground, the Etihad Stadium, on the first Saturday of the new season, as part of a wider round of fixtures that has already thrown up some unexpected results. Arsenal, the reigning champions, made a strong start with a 3-0 win, while some established Premier League sides, including Manchester United, suffered surprise defeats to promoted or lower-placed opponents.
Because of those early shocks elsewhere, the form guide going into this fixture is less predictable than usual, adding to the uncertainty around how City and Bournemouth will fare against each other this time.