Manchester City certainly have a tough task, in order to keep the Premier League title race going all the way until Championship Sunday. If Arsenal win tomorrow night, and they most likely will, given how they’re home to the penultimate side Burnley, then Manchester City will need to beat AFC Bournemouth, at their place, on Tuesday night in order to stay in the race. Bournemouth are currently on a 16 match undefeated streak (8W8D) in the league, with their last defeat coming way back on January 3. And it was actually first place Arsenal who beat them. There is some good news for Manchester City though- Rodri and Abdukodir Khusanov both returned to the lineup yesterday, for City’s FA Cup title win over Chelsea.
Current Premier League Title Race Standing
Arsenal- 79 Points, 36 Matches Played, +42 Goal Differential Tie-Breaker, 68 Goals Scored Second Tiebreaker
Manchester City- 77 Points, 36 Matches Played, +43 Goal Differential Tie-Breaker, 75 Goals Scored Second Tiebreaker
Bournemouth Team News, Quest for UEFA Competition
That means they now have a fully fit squad for these last two games.
While City are fully fit, the Cherries are definitely not. Lewis Cook and Julio Soler are both doubts here with thigh injuries while Ryan Christie is suspended. The club also suspended Alex Jimenez due to some unsettling and disturbing allegations surrounding his social media behavior. So that is a total of four players that could be absent for the south coast club.
While there is obviously a lot on the line for City in this one, Bournemouth have a ton to play for as well. They’re on the verge of clinching the first UEFA competition berth in their 127-year-history.
A win here keeps hope alive of surpassing Liverpool for 5th, and with that a Champions League berth, on Championship Sunday.
If Brentford do in fact lose to Crystal Palace today (they’re currenlty down 2-1 in the second half), then the Cherries wrap up at least a Conference League slot for next year. They’re also in great shape to get a Europa League slot, as they currently sit sixth in the table.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.