Manchester City are set to seek revenge against Bournemouth in the FA Cup quarter-finals clash at the Vitality Stadium after suffering a defeat in the Premier League back in November.
The Citizens lost 2-1 in that match, a result that perhaps did not reflect the dominance of the hosts on that day. However, Pep Guardiola's team now have the opportunity to make amends and progress to the semi-finals of the cup.
Team news
Bournemouth will be missing Adam Smith, Enes Unal, and Luis Sinisterra due to injuries, but Julian Araujo and Marcos Senesi have returned to training and could make a comeback.
Meanwhile, City will be without Nathan Ake, Manuel Akanji, John Stones, and Rodri. The fitness of Bernardo Silva and Oscar Bobb is also a concern, while Ederson is doubtful for the match due to abdominal problems.
The stats
This is only the third time Bournemouth has reached the FA Cup quarter-finals. They were knocked out at this stage in 1957 by Manchester United and in 2021 by Southampton.
In their last five games across all competitions, Bournemouth has won only one match, which was a penalty shootout victory against Wolves in the previous round.
Bournemouth has faced defeats in three of their last four home games against Liverpool, Wolves, and Brentford.
City is aiming to reach the FA Cup semi-finals for the seventh consecutive season.
They were victorious in the final of the last two editions, defeating Manchester United in 2023 but losing to them in the following year.
Prediction
Bournemouth showed promising signs under Iraola with their previous win against City, but recent form suggests they may struggle in this fixture amid the pressures of competing for a European spot in the Premier League.
On the other hand, City, despite an underwhelming season, have shown improvement lately with two wins, one draw, and one loss in their last four matches.
Considering the recent performances, City are favored to secure an away win at favorable odds.