Bournemouth vs. Man City confirmed starting lineups: No Rayan Cherki, surprise midfield inclusion from Pep Guardiola for must-win match

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has made two changes to his starting lineup for this evening’s must-win Premier League match against Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.

Just three days after beating Chelsea 1-0 in the FA Cup final, goalkeeper James Trafford has been replaced by first-choice Gianluigi Donnarumma, while Mateo Kovacic is a surprise inclusion in midfield, starting his first Premier League game of the season.

Omar Marmoush has dropped down to the substitutes’ bench as a result, with Kovacic joining Rodri and captain Bernardo Silva in the middle of the pitch.

There is no place in the starting lineup for playmakers Rayan Cherki and Phil Foden, who both begin as substitutes once again.

Antoine Semenyo, the match-winner in the FA Cup final, will face his former club for the first time since joining City in January, and he will link up with Erling Haaland and Jeremy Doku in attack.

A back four of Matheus Nunes, Abdukodir Khusanov, Marc Guehi and Nico O'Reilly remains intact for Guardiola, who is reportedly set to leave Man City at the end of the season.

The Citizens know that anything but a victory on the South Coast would hand Arsenal the Premier League title, following the Gunners' 1-0 win over Burnley on Monday.

Adams replaces suspended Christie in Bournemouth XI

As for Bournemouth, head coach Andoni Iraola will be taking charge of his final home game as Cherries boss this evening and has made just the one change to the side that beat Fulham 1-0 at Craven Cottage 10 days ago.

Ryan Christie is suspended following his red card against Fulham, so Tyler Adams has been recalled to start in centre-midfield alongside Alex Scott.

Adam Smith will be joined in a four-man defence by soon-to-be-departing Marcos Senesi, James Hill and Adrien Truffert, protecting goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic.

In-demand Eli Junior Kroupi, who is Bournemouth’s top scorer this season with 12 goals, is set to continue in an advanced central role behind Evanilson, while Marcus Tavernier and Rayan operate out wide, the latter of whom was called up to Brazil’s World Cup squad yesterday.

Bournemouth starting lineup: Petrovic; Smith, Senesi, Hill, Truffert; Adams, Scott; Tavernier, Kroupi Jr, Rayan; Evanilson

Subs: Mandas, Cook, Brooks, Gannon-Doak, Diakite, Kluivert, Adli, Enes Unal, Toth

Manchester City starting lineup: Donnarumma; Nunes, Khusanov, Guehi, O’Reilly; Rodri, Kovacic, Bernardo; Semenyo, Haaland, Doku

Subs: Trafford, Dias, Reijnders, Stones, Marmoush, Cherki, Gvardiol, Savinho, Foden

Vote in the 2025-26 Sports Mole Readers' Awards!

Cast your votes for the 2025-26 Sports Mole Reader Awards' below - pick your Premier League player of the season, worst signing of the season, European player of the season and more.

Voting will be open until 11pm on Sunday, May 24, and the winners will be announced on Monday, May 25!