Manchester City closed the gap to Premier League leaders Liverpool to just one point by defeating Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.

City controlled possession in the first half. Erling Haaland missed a fantastic chance, and Neto stopped his shot, but Phil Foden scored off the rebound in the 24th minute.

Bournemouth improved their performance in the second half, and Ederson made a crucial save from a Dominic Solanke header at the 67th minute. Pep Guardiola substituted Haaland with Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku to secure the win, despite Enes Unal’s late header posing a threat.

The Athletic’s Sam Lee examines the main talking points regarding Manchester City from the encounter.

Where was John Stones positioned?

In a recent match against Everton, Pep Guardiola deployed Manuel Akanji and John Stones in midfield when Manchester City were in possession, marking a novel tactical decision. It was not very effective at that time. Within 15 minutes, a change occurred where only Akanji remained in the middle position, while Stones dropped back.

Guardiola must have had compelling reasons for his decision, but it prompts the question for us ordinary individuals: why choose for Akanji in midfield instead of Stones? Throughout most of the season, Stones has been unavailable due to injury. Guardiola has experimented with various strategies to advance a defender up the pitch and create an additional attacking player for City. This includes Kyle Walker shifting to the right wing to push the actual right winger towards the centre, as well as Walker and Josko Gvardiol covering both flanks and moving both wingers inside.

It may still be a viable solution when Gvardiol returns from injury. However, on Saturday evening, Stones demonstrated his capabilities by showcasing his versatility and skill in various advanced positions, including underlapping his wide man on the wing, reminiscent of his performance at the end of last season.

What won it for City?

It felt reminiscent of the successful period from last season before half-time, with Stones venturing into midfield and numerous skilled players crowding the middle to assist City in dominating the game. Guardiola’s team has consistently dominated games against Bournemouth, preventing them from taking a single shot or earning a corner, as was the case five years ago.

In recent games, they struggled to control counter-attacks from Chelsea and Brentford. However, they managed to overcome Bournemouth’s high press by utilising Foden and Bernardo Silva in the midfield alongside Rodri and Mateo Kovacic, while targeting Haaland and Matheus Nunes with long balls.

However, the control diminished as the second half progressed, and the focus shifted towards the defensive aspect seen at the end of the previous season. Guardiola credited their treble success to it, and despite some sloppy defending this season, his back line appeared very confident when necessary. Stones, Nathan Ake, Ruben Dias, and Akanji, together with Ederson, displayed strong defensive performance similar to their performances in important matches last season, contributing to City’s win. The result may have been more decisive if they had capitalised on their first-half dominance. Bournemouth did give them some opportunities to escape, on a few of occasions.

Why was Erling Haaland taken off early?

Controversy arose around Guardiola’s choice to substitute Haaland last season, as several commentators in Spain insinuated that it was done to save Lionel Messi’s goal records. The trend was clear: Haaland was substituted only after Guardiola believed the game was effectively decided, typically with a three-goal lead.

Guardiola consistently includes Haaland in the lineup, even in matches where he is not heavily involved or City is unable to connect with him, due to the potential impact he could have if he receives the ball, and the strategic advantages it provides his team when opting for a more direct style of play. It was uncommon to witness him being substituted with 15 minutes remaining in the match against Bournemouth, especially since the home team was still posing a significant threat of scoring an equaliser.

His recent injury may have increased the necessity to preserve his energy for upcoming challenges. Alternatively, Guardiola might have believed that he was ineffective at holding the ball, leading to the decision to bring in Julian Alvarez, who is more skilled in that area but less of a dynamic threat, to help the team achieve their goal. Haaland’s performance was not poor that night, but it was unusual to see him substituted while the outcome of the game was uncertain, probably for the first time.

Fact of the match

Bournemouth has never won a league match against Manchester City in 20 games (D2 L18), losing all 14 in the Premier League. According to Opta, this is the longest winless streak between two teams in Football League history and the longest streak without avoiding defeat in Premier League history.

What did Guardiola say?

Guardiola expressed to Sky Sports his admiration for his players, referring to them as supermen. They are excellent. In our origin, there has been a pattern of playing matches every three days, while our opponents typically have a full week to get ready for the game, leaving us with less time to prepare.

“Our players are subjected to high expectations, yet they consistently deliver.” People often claim that ‘they earn a substantial amount of money,’ but I find it excessive. Truly.

Business must continue, and it always surprises me that we are still operational. They possess remarkable character and maintain a competitive spirit, even when fatigued, they exert further effort. Our fans must be extremely proud of these individuals.

What next for City?

Tuesday, February 27: Luton Town (A), FA Cup fifth round, 8pm GMT, 3pm ET