Man City handed early boost for Bournemouth clash as Andoni Iraola decision backfires 'horrendously'

Manchester City have received an early boost for next weekend's Premier League clash with Bournemouth, which Ryan Christie will miss due to suspension.

The Sky Blues are firstly aiming to move to within two points of leaders Arsenal - who have played a game more - in the Premier League table when they tackle Brentford on Saturday evening.

The Gunners will then have the opportunity to respond when they travel to West Ham United on Sunday afternoon, before Man City return to action in midweek against Crystal Palace.

Following the FA Cup final showdown with Chelsea on May 16, Pep Guardiola's side play their penultimate league game of the season against Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on May 19, and Andoni Iraola's midfield will be partially weakened for that fixture.

The Bournemouth boss swapped out Tyler Adams for Christie in Saturday's Premier League clash with Fulham, but his decision backfired in the first half, when the latter was dismissed for serious foul play.

Bournemouth's Ryan Christie to miss Man City match through suspension

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Christie was originally booked for a late tackle on Timothy Castagne, but following a VAR review, his punishment was upgraded to a red card.

Former England forward Sue Smith blasted Christie's challenge on Sky Sports' Soccer Saturday, saying: "Initially it just looked like a strong challenge.

"Mike [Dean] spotted it straight away. When you see the still, it's a red card. It's a really nasty challenge. In slow motion it looks horrendous."

As red cards for serious foul play carry a three-game suspension, Christie's Premier League season is over, meaning that he will miss the visit of Man City and the trip to Nottingham Forest on the final day.

Shortly after Christie's dismissal, Fulham also went down to 10 men, as defender Joachim Andersen took the walk of shame for a similarly poor challenge on Adrien Truffert.

How can Bournemouth replace Ryan Christie against Man City?

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Christie's absence against Man City will deprive Bournemouth of an experienced option against the title chasers, but the 31-year-old has only started nine Premier League games in the 2025-26 season.

Adams and Alex Scott are Iraola's first-choice pairing when fully fit, and the USA international should be a straight swap for his banned teammate in gameweek 37.

Alternatively, 20-year-old January signing Alex Toth could be introduced into the first XI, while Lewis Cook could also return from a hamstring injury in time to face Guardiola's side.