Haaland scores and City belts Bournemouth

Manchester City bounced back from winning ways with a resounding 4-1 win at Bournemouth in the Premier League.

After their disappointing 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest last week was followed by another in the Champions League at RB Leipzig, City responded with a ruthless performance at the Vitality Stadium.

Goals from Julian Alvarez, Erling Haaland, Phil Foden and an own goal from Chris Mepham brought Pep Guardiola’s men within two points of Premier League leaders Arsenal after the Gunners defeated Leicester City that the same day.

Bournemouth recovered a late goal through Jefferson Lerma, but fell to 19th in the table after West Ham and Leeds United won against Nottingham Forest and Southampton respectively.

City took the lead on 15 minutes after Rico Lewis wrestled the ball back down the right, with a quick attack leading Haaland to hit the crossbar with a deflected effort, and Álvarez capitalized on the rebound from close range as it fell nicely on him.

It was two o’clock, just before half an hour, when Ilkay Gundogan’s cross from the left found Foden, who was put off by a desperate tackle from Jordan Zemura, only for the ball to roll towards Haaland, who slammed it shut.

The third came just before halftime, courtesy of a sloppy square pass from Philip Billing, which presented the ball on a layup for Foden to easily edge past Neto in his 200th City appearance.

City continued to attack in the second half and scored the fourth after Foden’s ball from the right was cleared by Marcos Senesi but only to Álvarez, who finished off for the unlucky Mepham.

Lerma scored a consolation high into the net in the 83rd minute after a drive back from the left by Zemura, but City ultimately pulled off a beautiful win.

Some people questioned Haaland after he failed to score against Forest or Leipzig, though his manager blamed his teammates for not finding him often enough.

27 – Erling Haaland’s 27 Premier League goals this season is the most by a Manchester City player in a single top-flight campaign since Francis Lee’s 33 in 1971-72. Abundant. #BOUMCI

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 25, 2023

He was back on the scoresheet here, and his 27 Premier League goals this season is the most by a City player in a single top-flight campaign since Francis Lee’s 33 in 1971-72.