Manchester City made it eight wins in a row since Pep Guardiola took charge as they cruised to a 4-0 win at home to Bournemouth this afternoon.
Kevin de Bruyne and Kelechi Iheanacho were on the scoresheet in the first half, before Raheem Sterling and Ilkay Gundogan added to the scoring in the second 45 minutes.
The Cherries had chances of their own to find a way through, the best of which fell to half-time substitute Callum Wilson when hitting the bar late in the game, but the day ended on a sour note for the hosts as Nolito was shown a red card.
Relive how the 90 minutes of action unfolded with Sports Mole's live text coverage below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the Premier League meeting between Manchester City and Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium. The Citizens have started the season in fine form, winning each of their first four league games and making it seven out of seven in all competitions by comfortably seeing off German side Borussia Monchengladbach in a rearranged Champions League fixture in midweek.
The visitors head into this game on the back of an improved run of form, having taken four points from their last two games after successive defeats to kick off the new campaign. This is a fixture that saw the Cherries thrashed on both occasions last term, with City running riot when scoring a combined nine goals, so Eddie Howe's men will have to give a far better account of themselves today if they are to return to the South Coast with any sort of positive result.
TEAM NEWS!
MANCHESTER CITY XI: Bravo; Sagna, Otamendi, Kolarov, Clichy; Fernandinho, Gundogan; De Bruyne Sterling, Nolito; Iheanacho
BOURNEMOUTH XI: Boruc; Smith, Francis, S Cook, Daniels; Ibe, Arter, Surman, Wilshere, Stanislas; King
Starting with the home team, then, and manager Pep Guardiola has made a total of five changes to his side from that 4-0 thrashing of Gladbach three days ago. England international John Stones surprisingly drops to the bench, presumably due to squad rotation rather than any sort of injury problem, meaning Aleksandar Kolarov and Nicolas Otamendi will pair up in the heart of defence.
Nolito is another player to return to the fold from last time out, taking his place in a three-pronged attacking midfield alongside the in-form Kevin De Bruyne and a lively Raheem Sterling. Sergio Aguero will serve the second of a three-match domestic ban this afternoon, but there are no worries from a City perspective as Kelechi Iheanacho has scored in each of his last two games and looks well suited to add to that tally over the next couple of hours.
There is just the one change as far as the visitors are concerned, with Jack Wilshere coming in for his first Bournemouth start. The Arsenal loanee was given around 30 minutes in last weekend's home win over West Bromwich Albion and, having managed to prove his fitness, he will now be looking to lay down a marker on his full debut at the home of the league leaders.
Callum Wilson is the man to make way, as Howe opts to go with the one striker in Joshua King. The visitors, minus the injured Tyrone Mings this afternoon, will set up in a 4-5-1 formation and look to plug up any gaps at the back. Visiting the Etihad Stadium at this moment in time is pretty much the toughest assignment any Premier League side can face, but Howe will be confident that he can set his team out defensively enough to restrict the home side.
BENCH WATCH!
MANCHESTER CITY SUBS: Caballero, Stones, Kompany, Zabaleta, Navas, Garcia, Sane
BOURNEMOUTH SUBS: Federici, Ake, Smith, Gosling, Gradel, Afobe, Wilson
Guardiola may have rotated his team this afternoon by leaving Stones out of the starting lineup, but he was never going to rest Claudio Bravo who starts his third game in a week this afternoon. The ex-Barcelona stopper looked more assured against Gladbach after that stinker against Manchester United seven days ago, and this should - should - be an easier afternoon for him if things go to plan. David Silva is again omitted from the squad through injury, but Vincent Kompany is involved once again after a near five-month layoff.
Bournemouth have Nathan Ake back among their subs this afternoon, while Benik Afobe, Max Gradel and Wilson provide some attacking options should Howe wish to change things around at any point. The real big news as far as the visitors are concerned, though, is that Wilshere is included in the starting lineup for the first time since joining the club on a season-long loan from Arsenal on transfer-deadline day.
Jack Wilshere comes in for his full debut in Bournemouth's only change from their 1-0 win over West Brom, while City boss Guardiola makes five changes in all from his side's 4-0 demolition of Gladbach in midweek. Ilkay Gundogan starts for the second game running but the big news is that John Stones drops to the bench, where he is joined by returning skipper Vincent Kompany.
Defeat for Chelsea last night at the hands of Liverpool ensured that Man City remained top of the table heading into Saturday's Premier League fixtures; the Blues falling to first-half goals from Dejan Lovren and Jordan Henderson - the latter an absolute gem of a strike - to see their unbeaten start to life under Antonio Conte end in a disappointing manner. The Citizens poised to now extend their lead at the top, then, with second-placed Everton in action later this evening.
Many, including Guardiola himself, expected City to take some time to get going this season. A new style of play and a completely different mantra, but the results have been instant. No slip-ups at all so far - seven games played, seven games won. It has largely been achieved with the same group of players from last season, although Bravo and Gundogan have slowly been bedded in this week alongside fellow summer recruit Nolito, who has impressed in an attacking sense.
City may have been a tad fortunate to get over the line against Sunderland, requiring a late goal to seal a 2-1 opening-day win, while the 4-1 win against Stoke City was also a tad flattering on an afternoon of controversial refereeing decisions. Their first-half display against West Ham United was very bright, though, and the opening 40 minutes or so against Man United last weekend was truly astounding. There may only have been a one-goal margin between them in the end, but City were superb at times and good value for their victory on enemy territory.
Sterling and De Bruyne have received plenty of praise in Guardiola's early days, rightly so, yet Aguero has again been key to everything. The Argentina international, who will miss today's game through a domestic ban for elbowing Winston Reid, took his tally to nine goals in just five games with another hat-trick in the Champions League last week. Iheanacho has not done too badly himself over the past 12 months, mind, and he has also found the scoring trail of late with two in two.
Guardiola's perfect start has seen him become the fourth manager in Premier League history to win four out of his first four games, although it is worth mentioning that City did in fact win five on the bounce under Manuel Pellegrini last season, while Chelsea won nine on the spin to set a record that is still unbeaten under Jose Mourinho. Anyone who has watched the Citizens' last couple of games in particular will not bet against Guardiola matching, or indeed surpassing, the current record.
To be super critical for a moment, City did only beat their rivals by a one-goal margin despite the dominance, and they have also failed to keep a single clean sheet in the league so far this season. That has not mattered too much thus far as 11 goals have been scored up the other end of the field - a figure unmatched by any other side heading into the latest round of top-flight fixtures. In an ideal world, Guardiola will see his men claim a comfortable win this afternoon while also remaining solid at the back.
After today's game, City face a double-header against Swansea City in South Wales in both league and cup. They should prove to be difficult assignments for Guardiola, and a different set of challenges in his maiden campaign in English football, with attention then turning to games against Celtic and Tottenham Hotspur - both away - prior to the second international break of the season.
DID YOU KNOW? Kelechi Iheanacho's nine Premier League goals have come from a combined 13 shots on target. In short, do not give the youngster time and space to shoot and you should be just fine! Callum Wilson will start today's match on the bench for Bournemouth, but his winner against West Brom last weekend - and what a smart finish it was - saw him find the net for the first time since September 2015 when a long-term injury dashed his hopes of earning an England call-up.
Kevin De Bruyne has been a key player for Manchester City in the early days of Pep Guardiola's tenure. In fact, the Belgium international's influence goes back all the way to his first start in a City shirt, as he has scored 17 goals and claimed a further 15 assists in 46 appearances for the club. Raheem Sterling is another making up for lost time, playing a part in six of the Citizens' goals already this season.
Bournemouth have a daunting task on their hands this afternoon, then, but as Guardiola pointed out in the week today's visitors were "unlucky" in their meeting with Man United on the opening weekend of the season. A lapse in concentration cost them dearly in that one, while they were also unfortunate to leave West Ham's new London Stadium home without a share of the spoils the following weekend. To continue the theme, the Cherries were denied victory at Palace recently by Scott Dann's goal deep into added time.
That point at Palace, combined with the first win of the season at home to West Brom seven days ago, means that Bournemouth are finally up and running for the season. This is not a division that you can afford to reflect on results feeling a little sorry for yourself, but Howe knows just how tough his side have it over the next five league games - Man City, Everton and Spurs all to come either side of the two-week international break.
Two of those games come on home soil, but Bournemouth actually fared better on their travels last season as they collected 22 points away compared to 20 points at Dean Court. They have won just one of their last six away games stretching back into the last campaign, however, with four of those matches ending in defeat. The omens do not look great on that front for the South-Coast side, though if we have learned anything about this division it is that upsets do happen.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS! Manchester City are unbeaten in eight previous meetings with Bournemouth, winning six and drawing two of those games. The Citizens won 9-1 across last season's games, scoring three in 19 minutes at Dean Court and four before half time in the reverse game. It is a fixture that Howe's men could certainly do without, then, particularly with City in this type of relentless form.
With kickoff at the Etihad Stadium now a little over 10 minutes away, let us turn attention to some pre-match thoughts from both camps.
Pep Guardiola: "After half an hour, one hour, sometimes three or four hours we are so happy. But after that you start to think again about the next [game], you start to worry about the strikers of Bournemouth and how they play. We cannot forget where we are - in September. In every game you can be better. It's a chance to improve. There are many things we can do better."
Eddie Howe: "I think they've got outstanding players and they've got a manager who, in my opinion, is right at the very top. I think the biggest compliment I can give him is the impact he's had on that team so early - you can see when they play he's stamped his authority on them. When I watch them play, I enjoy it - and it's rare for me to say that when I watch an opponent play. They've been very impressive."
Guardiola offered some interesting insight into his own personal mentality when probed by reporters on Friday, admitting that he spends very little time reflecting on his side's victories. Instead, it is straight to the drawing board to focus on the next opponents - in this case a Bournemouth side aiming to go a third game without defeat in the Premier League under young boss Eddie Howe.
Howe is certainly full of admiration for Guardiola - who isn't?! - claiming that he 'enjoyed' watching City pull apart rivals United last weekend. That derby match will live long with those who watched the first 40 minutes - a real battering and one that should have ended with the Citizens home and dry much sooner. I'm not sure Howe will enjoy himself quite so much this afternoon, though, with his Cherries side rank outsiders to claim any sort of positive result on their travels today.
PREDICTION! Both sets of players have now made their way out on to the field of play, with kickoff around five minutes or so away. It has been a dream start to life for Guardiola at Man City, with seven wins on the bounce, while Bournemouth are now unbeaten in three in all competitions after getting off to a sticky start with two defeats on the spin. I just cannot see an upset of any sort this afternoon, though, so I'll back the hosts to win 3-0 and maintain this perfect streak.
Plenty of excitement around the Etihad Stadium as we edge closer to kickoff. Plenty of eyes on Man City these days in what is an exciting period in the club's history, but they still have some way to go if they are to set a new record in terms of victories to begin a season. Chelsea hold that record with nine - five more than the Citizens' current run. Can they move closer to that record this afternoon? It is very nearly time to find out...
Can Bournemouth become the first team to halt Pep Guardiola at Manchester City? The odds would certainly suggest that will not be the case, but so often in football teams can get just a little ahead of themselves after looking invincible to open the door for others to pounce. Victory for the Citizens, though, and they could move five points clear at the top.
KICKOFF! Bournemouth get us under way at the Etihad Stadium. Just 10 seconds on the clock before the first shot arrived - Kevin de Bruyne stinging Boruc's palms with a well-hit strike from range for a Manchester City side desperate to make it eight wins from eight.
City completely dominating possession in the opening few minutes, with Bournemouth barely getting a touch of the ball thus far. The Citizens not really probing too much at the moment, and the visitors did break a few moments ago to win a corner from nothing.
City defend the corner well and themselves break up the other end, where Sterling saw his cross turned behind by Arter for a corner of their own. Kolarov goes for the spectacular which ends well wide of Boruc's goal, a few moments after De Bruyne was able to test him.
A very bright start for the hosts, as Iheanacho fires away a shot that deflected wide of the target. Sterling wanted the ball played to his feet in a right-sided position, but City's stand-in striker elected to take it on himself.
Bournemouth have done well over the past few minutes, looking to work the ball into City's final third which, in turn, is giving their defensive players a bit of a breather. King runs to the byline but is brilliantly tackled by Otamendi before he can shoot.
The Cherries have been the better side over the past four or five minutes but, after Bravo punched clear from a corner, the hosts quickly countered only for a cynical challenge to break up play. Clichy sends in a wicked cross which goes right through without a touch.
Bournemouth working so hard at the back to shuffle across and plug every gap, which so far they are doing well as City have had just the one shot - De Bruyne shooting from range 15 seconds in. The Cherries doing better than Man United so far.
GOAL! MANCHESTER CITY 1-0 BOURNEMOUTH (KEVIN DE BRUYNE)
A little harsh on Bournemouth, who have done well to restrict their opponents in the early stages, but they find themselves a goal down with 15 minutes on the clock. Wilshere was at fault, giving the ball away and then conceding a free kick 20 yards out, which De Bruyne smartly placed under the wall and into the back of the net.
SAVE! Bournemouth carved open for the second time since falling behind. Wilshere was again at fault when being caught in possession, allowing City to break and De Bruyne to slide in Nolito, who saw his first-time finish kept out by Boruc.
Well after such a positive start, in which they not only restricted City but also got a few bodies forward, Bournemouth have faded and look likely to concede a second shortly. City starting to enjoy themselves a little, but Guardiola will want that second goal.
Boruc at full stretch to claw the ball away from Iheanacho's head before he could nod it in. Good goalkeeping from the Polish stopper, who is in for a busy afternoon if the opening quarter of this match is anything to go by.
YELLOW CARD! Otamendi makes an error and, like Wilshere in the build-up to City's opener, quickly looks to make amends but in fact makes things worse. The defender lunges in on Arter and is shown the game's first yellow.
GOAL! MANCHESTER CITY 2-0 BOURNEMOUTH (KELECHI IHEANACHO)
Breathtaking stuff from City as, for a second time today, they punish Bournemouth. From that free kick Otamendi conceded, the Citizens break forward and, less than 10 touches later, Sterling was unselfishly squaring the ball for Iheanacho to score his 10th Premier League goal.
A penny for Eddie Howe's thoughts right now. Bournemouth have been second best, but they have looked solid enough when shifting across the pitch to plug gaps. Their downfall has come from one set-piece play and one quick counter.
All very comfortable for Guardiola's side, then, who are navigating their way past this potential banana skin fixture in the only way they know how. Two goals inside 25 minutes and they have yet to really show any signs of hitting top gear.
King has looked bright on a couple of occasions in the opening 32 minutes or so. Both his openings have come from a burst down the left-hand side, but on both occasions Otamendi has denied him with a sliding challenge. City come again but Sterling is denied by a defender's legs.
City well on top now, finding more gaps at the back but not really creating too many chances. Just a few shots on target so far, with Boruc keeping out one attempt but the other two finding a way into the back of the net, with the Citizens two goals to the good.
From pretty much out of nowhere, Bournemouth enjoy their best moment yet as King gets to a through-ball ahead of Bravo and slides the ball into a central position. City were able to clear their lines, but that was a nervy moment for Bravo.
Clichy has sent in a couple of superb crosses from the left, the latest of which Cook had to be alert to deal with. Ibe and King linked up well moments later, but the offside flag went up to deny the visitors a clean run on goal.
SAVES! City not home and dry just yet because, certainly over the last 10 minutes, King's pace has caused real problems for the hosts. City still in control, though - Kolarov seeing a shot from range palmed behind, before Iheanacho and Sterling linked up for the latter to also be denied by Boruc.
Not seen a great deal from Gundogan on his full debut in the Premier League. Guardiola will not be too concerned about that because his side are well on top as we approach the midway stage at the Etihad Stadium.
Certainly would not put it past Bournemouth to bag a goal this afternoon, with King's pace the biggest threat to City. Otamendi has had a busy first half, but he has largely come out on top in his personal battle against the pacy forward. Nolito's shot deflects into the arms of Boruc.
HALF TIME: MANCHESTER CITY 2-0 BOURNEMOUTH
Manchester City take a two-goal lead into half time, which is deserved on the balance of the 45 minutes so far. Bournemouth have looked at their liveliest when King is given a chance to burst in behind, but they have yet to get a single shot on target, with Otamendi winning his battle against the Norwegian.
The early signs were ominous from a Bournemouth perspective, as Kevin De Bruyne unleashed a shot on goal with just 15 seconds on the clock which Artur Boruc was equal to. It was a very bright start to the contest for the Citizens, but they were unable to find any gaps at the back, with the Cherries' backline shuffling across well and remaining compact.
City found the breakthrough 15 minutes in through a well-taken free kick, coming after Jack Wilshere conceded a foul 20 yards from goal after initially giving away possession of the ball on his first start for the club. De Bruyne fooled everyone, including Boruc, by sending the ball under the wall rather than over it for his 18th goal in a City shirt.
Bournemouth, whose best first-half moments came when the pacy Joshua King was given a chance to stretch his legs down the left-hand side, began to leave gaps open at the back from that point on as only a fine Boruc stop denied Nolito converting from a swift City counter. The second goal of the afternoon did arrive on the 25-minute mark, however, as a breathtaking attack, with just 10 touches from start to finish, ended with Raheem Sterling unselfishly squaring the ball for Kelechi Iheanacho to make it three in three.
Boruc was being required more and more to keep his side in the game, first pushing aside a long-range drive from Aleksandar Kolarov and then preventing Sterling from scoring his third goal under Pep Guardiola after a smart piece of link-up play with Iheanacho. It probably should have been even more for the Citizens in the first half, but Guardiola will be happy enough with the way things are panning out at this stage.
Eddie Howe has a few attacking back-up options to call upon, including the returning Nathan Ake, but he will likely want to keep things tight before making a brave change. Vincent Kompany may well get a run out in this second half, meanwhile, and Leroy Sane is another who needs to be bedded in.
MANCHESTER CITY SUBS: Caballero, Stones, Kompany, Zabaleta, Navas, Garcia, Sane
BOURNEMOUTH SUBS: Federici, Ake, Smith, Gosling, Gradel, Afobe, Wilson
RESTART! We are back under way at the Etihad Stadium. There is news of a change to bring you from the break - Callum Wilson is on for club-record signing Ibe, meaning a 4-1-4-1 from Bournemouth to mirror their opponents.
Bournemouth still threatening to create something, but until they do so City will remain patient and continue making the most of the counter-attacks when they arrive. They could score a couple more in this second half.
GOAL! MANCHESTER CITY 3-0 BOURNEMOUTH (RAHEEM STERLING)
City do have a third of the match and, in a complete reversal to the second goal, Iheanacho this time squares for Sterling to tap in a few yards out after being played through by De Bruyne. Another counter, another goal - three more points in the bag.
SAVE! Good save from Boruc, who this time read De Bruyne's free kick to claw away the ball before it can find the corner of the net. Gundogan then sent a deflected shot wide of the target from the next attack.
MANCHESTER CITY SUB! Nicolas Otamendi makes way for John Stones, in a change City had been looking to make a few minutes ago. The hosts completely dominating now, as De Bruyne blasts a shot on goal which Boruc collects.
SAVE! A first save of the match for Bravo to make. It was not the toughest of stops, as he was well positioned to keep out Wilson's belter from the edge of the box, but he did well to stop the ball running loose.
SAVE! A fingertip stop from Boruc to prevent Sterling scoring a second. The former Liverpool winger is really enjoying himself, stepping inside and looking for the top corner only for Boruc to get across well.
Boruc picked up an injury in the build-up to City's third goal, with Iheanacho running his studs over the keeper's calf. Boruc has finally gone down now to receive some treatment, but he has put his gloves back on and looks likely to continue for the time being.
Boruc will indeed continue between the sticks for the time being, despite clearly being in some discomfort. He has actually been Bournemouth's best player, despite picking the ball out of his net three times inside the opening 48 minutes.
Still more than a quarter of the game to go and Bournemouth are starting to tire at the back. It has been a gruelling afternoon for their defensive players at the Etihad Stadium, and City still have a couple of changes available to them.
SAVE! Sterling weaves his way past five players - FIVE! - after cutting in from the right and is only denied by another decent Boruc save right on the line. The Citizens deserve a fourth but they just can't find a way past Bournemouth's inspired stopper.
GOAL! MANCHESTER CITY 4-0 BOURNEMOUTH (ILKAY GUNDOGAN)
Absolutely superb from City, yet again. A fine passing move looks to be going nowhere, but then De Bruyne played a killer through-ball for Gundogan to latch on to, which the Germany international was never going to let pass him by as he swept home goal number four on his Prem debut.
BOURNEMOUTH SUB! Gosling comes on for Wilshere, who has had a full debut to forget. The Arsenal loanee was poor in the first half, giving away the free kick from which De Bruyne opened the scoring, and he struggled to get going after the restart.
Bournemouth boss Howe was ready to make a change, but Adam Smith has taken a kick to the knee and may have to be withdrawn instead. League leaders City still well on top and looking good value to score a fifth goal before this game is out.
SUBS! Gundogan makes way for Sane with 15 minutes or so left to play. The German had a quiet first half overall but grew into the game and even got his name on the scoresheet. The visitors also make their change, bringing on Gradel for Stanislas.
OFF THE BAR! Play a tad disjointed now due to injuries and subs. The latest alteration sees Garcia replace De Bruyne, who has been phenomenal once again this afternoon. Bournemouth come close to an opening goal of the match - Wilson's shot coming back off the bar.
City not quite creating chances in the same manner they were for the opening 20 minutes of this second half. A case of the job being them for them now, with just 12 minutes of the match to see through to make it a perfect eight under Guardiola.
Sane is desperate to join the party, but his shot ends well over the bar after a fine initial touch set up the chance. Sterling still looking very sharp - he would love to score a second goal to add to his tally for the season.
As strange as it may sound, Bournemouth have been far from terrible this afternoon. Arter is the latest to send a shot wide of goal, having also come close through a couple of Wilson shots. The Cherries have just taken on a side in stellar form early in the season.
The visitors are ending the game on top in terms of possession, with City just allowing them to attack. The Citizens have yet to keep a clean sheet this term, so that is another box they are close to ticking off with just six minutes to go.
RED CARD! A sour note on a positive afternoon for the Citizens, as Nolito moves his head in the direction of Adam Smith after a coming together. The referee had little choice but to reach into his back pocket there.
YELLOW CARD! This game has not had an edge whatsoever... up until these last few minutes. Smith is involved again, palming away Sterling but catching the winger in the face. He earns a yellow, which was just about the right decision.
Three minutes of added time to come, in a game that has long been over. Two goals in either half for City and they will extend their lead at the summit. Bournemouth have given a good account of themselves since falling four behind but have not done enough to find a way through.
De Bruyne is announced as the sponsors' man of the match, winning the award over Iheanacho and Sterling who have also been superb. City at their free-scoring best today, making it 13 goals against Bournemouth in their last three meetings.
FULL TIME: MANCHESTER CITY 4-0 BOURNEMOUTH
The full-time whistle sounds at the Etihad Stadium, meaning three more points for a dominant and in-form Manchester City side. Bournemouth had their moments in the second half, coming closest when substitute Callum Wilson hit the bar, but they just could not hold back the Citizens' constant waves of pressure and were perhaps fortunate to only concede four in the end.
That conclude's Sports Mole's live text updates of events at the Etihad Stadium, but be sure to check out this on-the-whistle report before heading off, while coverage of the evening Premier League match between Everton and Middlesbrough is also now under way right here. Enjoy!
