Kevin de Bruyne signed off from his last home game for Manchester City on a high, as they beat Bournemouth 3-1 in their English Premier League clash on Tuesday night to close in on a place in the UEFA Champions League next season – and both sides finished with 10 men.
City were stunned by Crystal Palace in Saturday’s FA Cup final and desperately needed victory against the Cherries to help ensure they finish in the Premier League’s top five in an otherwise miserable season.
Pep Guardiola’s men are now third, in a strong position heading into Sunday’s last fixture of the season at Fulham, where a point should be enough to ensure a return to Europe’s top table.
While all eyes were on De Bruyne on his final appearance at Etihad Stadium, a huge roar greeted the return from injury of Rodri, who last featured back in September.
Striker Omar Marmoush opened the scoring with a sensational 30-yard strike which swerved and crashed into the net via the post.
De Bruyne, though, was sniffing a goal and should have converted when Marmoush laid the ball to him a couple of yards out with an open net to aim at, but to the astonishment of all in attendance, he somehow scooped his effort on to the crossbar.
Bernardo Silva poked home a second but City showed their vulnerabilities at the back in between the goals, as Evanilson stretched a foot out at a cross and rattled the post.
Substitute Nico Gonzalez lashed in the third, and although Dan Jebbison grabbed a late consolation, the loss ended Bournemouth’s hopes of qualifying for Europe next season.
Both sides had players sent off as last man Mateo Kovacic was dismissed for a tug on Evanilson, while Lewis Cook was also given a red card for a lunge on Gonzalez.
Guardiola has said this campaign has not been good enough for his side, relinquishing their four-year hold on the Premier League trophy, being knocked out early from the Champions League and shocked by Palace at Wembley.
Few would have predicted at the start of the season that City would not only fail to claim any major silverware but also struggle to finish in the Champions League places.
But the three points against potentially tricky opponents Bournemouth means that avoiding defeat at Craven Cottage on Sunday should provide a modicum of satisfaction to an otherwise substandard campaign.
Marmoush set the hosts on their way with an incredible long-range strike which was a joy to behold — the Egyptian’s eighth goal for City since joining from Eintracht Frankfurt in January.
Silva added a second to put the home side in control before Gonzalez converted his first City goal, but the evening belonged to the departing De Bruyne.
The Belgian featured in his 142nd and final home league appearance for City, and should have marked the occasion with a goal but conspired to hit the frame of the goal when it seemed easier to score.
The 33-year-old lasted until the 69th minute when he was replaced by Gonzalez, and was given a standing ovation as he exited at home for the last time.
In the other Premier League fixture of Tuesday night, Eberechi Eze scored his seventh goal in six games as new FA Cup winners Crystal Palace defeated Wolves 4-2 at Selhurst Park.
BBC Sport
