Headline: Manchester City Set to Kick Off New Era Against Bournemouth
Manchester City embarks on a new chapter this weekend as Enzo Maresca takes charge for his first Premier League match of the 2026/27 season, hosting Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium.
This marks City’s first campaign since 2016/17 without Pep Guardiola at the helm, but confidence remains high in Maresca, who previously served as an assistant to the Spanish coach.
Returning to the top position after a less than stellar stint at Chelsea, Maresca aims to steer City back to the pinnacle of the Premier League. However, he faces significant challenges, with the team having lost key players like Rodri and Bernardo Silva during the summer. Despite a recent 3-0 defeat to Arsenal in the Community Shield, which raised some flags, City needs a strong start to the season to dispel any concerns about broader issues within the squad.
Bournemouth is also set to begin a new era under Marco Rose, who hopes to build on the groundwork laid by Andoni Iraola, leading the Cherries into their inaugural season in European competition.
Here are the key details you need to know:
When is Man City v Bournemouth?
Manchester City will host Bournemouth on Sunday, 23 August, with kick-off scheduled for 2 PM BST.
How can I watch it?
Viewers in the UK can catch the match live on Sky Sports Main Event, with coverage beginning at 1 PM. For those without a Sky subscription, a NOWTV Day Pass is available to watch the game without a long-term commitment.
Team news
For Manchester City, Jeremy Doku will miss the opening weeks of the season due to a calf strain. City has also struck a deal to sell Savinho to Tottenham, while Omar Marmoush is likely to be unavailable as he nears a transfer to Spurs. Matheus Nunes is fit to play, and there are no additional injury concerns.
On the other hand, Bournemouth faces its own injury struggles, with Eli Kroupi Jr., Veljko Milosavljevic, and Julian Araujo all sidelined for the long term. Amine Adli is expected to return next month, and Ryan Christie is suspended. Tyler Adams is fit, but David Brooks, Juanlu Sanchez, Alvaro Rodriguez, and Julio Soler will all undergo late fitness evaluations.
Predicted line-ups
Man City XI: Donnarumma; Khusanov, Dias, Guehi, Gvardiol; Kovacic, Anderson; Semenyo, Cherki, Foden; Haaland.
Bournemouth XI: Petrovic; Smith, Silva, Hill, Truffert; Toth, Adams; Rayan, Smith, Kluivert; Evanilson.
Manchester City begin a new era this weekend as Enzo Maresca takes charge of his first Premier League game of the 2026/27 season at home to Bournemouth.
City begin their first season since 2016/17 without Pep Guardiola at the helm, though there is plenty of faith in Maresca, who himself previously served under the Spaniard as an assistant manager.
Advertisement
The Italian returns in the top job after an underwhelming spell at Chelsea, and he is tasked with returning City to the summit of the Premier League.
He will have to do it the hard way though, with City having lost the likes of Rodri and Bernardo Silva over the summer. The 3-0 loss to Arsenal in the Community Shield comes too soon to cause real worry, but City will have to make a good start to the season to allay fears of wider troubles across the team.
As for Bournemouth, they begin a new era of their own under Marco Rose, with the German hoping to build on the foundations laid by Andoni Iraola as he leads the Cherries in their first ever season in Europe.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Advertisement
When is Man City v Bournemouth?
Manchester City host Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday 23 August, with kick-off at 2pm BST.
How can I watch it?
Viewers in the UK can watch the match on Sky Sports Main Event, with coverage starting at 1pm. If you’re not a Sky customer, you can grab a NOWTV Day Pass here to watch without a subscription.
Team news
The big news out of City is that Jeremy Doku is unavailable, with the Belgian set to miss the first few weeks of the season with a calf strain. The Cityzens have also agreed a deal to sell Savinho to Tottenham, while Omar Marmoush will also be unavailable as he nears a move to Spurs. Matheus Nunes has been passed fit, while there are no more injury concerns.
Advertisement
For the Cherries, Eli Kroupi Jr., Veljko Milosavljevic and Julian Araujo are long-term absentees, while Amine Adli is set to return next month and Ryan Christie is suspended. Tyler Adams has been passed fit, but David Brooks, Juanlu Sanchez, Alvaro Rodriguez and Julio Soler will face late fitness tests.
Predicted line-ups
Man City XI: Donnarumma; Khusanov, Dias, Guehi, Gvardiol; Kovacic, Anderson; Semenyo, Cherki, Foden; Haaland.
Bournemouth XI: Petrovic; Smith, Silva, Hill, Truffert; Toth, Adams; Rayan, Smith, Kluivert; Evanilson.
[/gpt3]