Man City are fresh from losing the FA Cup final but need to regroup fast and beat Bournemouth in order to cement their Champions League place.
Had someone told Pep Guardiola ahead of this campaign that he would chase top-five entry with two games left to play in the Premier League, he would surely have taken it as a terrible joke. Yet, the champions of 2024 only sit sixth at the moment and need to maximise profits from their game in hand to make sure the Champions League anthem will be played at the Etihad next season.
Looking at their form, I will avoid the moneyline and go for a prop. Here are my Man City vs Bournemouth predictions and free betting picks for Tuesday, May 20.
Premier League predictions for Manchester City vs Bournemouth
My Manchester City vs Bournemouth best bet: Erling Haaland 3+ shots on target (+170 at Betano)
Erling Haaland returned to action on May 10 after being sidelined for a month and a half because of an ankle injury. He played the whole 90 minutes against Southampton in the Premier League, then another whole match vs. Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final.
Despite Southampton already being relegated and having a terrible record throughout the campaign, they managed to keep City and Haaland quiet in a shocking 0-0 draw. Haaland didn't have a better day out in front of Palace either. He continued his struggle for stats in the finals. He played seven under City's crest so far, not scoring or assisting in any.
Still, he's a goal machine and should never be underestimated. The Norwegian hit the net 30 times in 42 games overall this season, assisting another four. And these numbers come in City's worst year of the Guardiola era. Haaland averages two shots on target per game this season. I'll take Betano's 3+ shots on target from Haaland vs. Bournemouth, counting to see him involved as much as possible in City's attacking game.
City aren't at their best, nor is Haaland, but he's proven to be highly resourceful again and again. Bournemouth play open, attractive football, and City can profit from that, finishing attacks with ease. That is expected to translate into Haaland beating his average shooting numbers.
Manchester City vs Bournemouth same-game parlay (SGP)
Erling Haaland 3+ shots on target
Omar Marmoush 1+ shots on target
Over 10 corners
In the absence of Haaland, City's January signing Marmoush led the attack. He averages 1.1 shots on target per game. The Egyptian is ever-present at the attacking end, so having him included in the parlay makes total sense.
City might not be doing as well as they hoped they would in the table, but they do lead the rankings in certain game parameters in the Premier League. And one of them is corners. They are on 244, despite having played a game less than Arsenal, who sit second with 243. Man City's average is close to seven corners per game. Bournemouth are not too bad either, averaging just over 6 over 90 minutes. If both teams come close to what they usually deliver, the over 10.5 corners bet to round up a nice +600 return shouldn't be a problem.
Manchester City vs Bournemouth odds
Manchester City vs Bournemouth opening odds
- Moneyline: Manchester City -200 | Bournemouth +550
- Draw: +360
- Over/Under: Over 2.5 (-192) | Under 2.5 (+157)
How to watch Manchester City vs Bournemouth
| Location | Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England |
| Date | Tuesday, 5-20-2025 |
| Time | 3:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | USA Network |
| Weather | Clear playing conditions |
 Recent EPL form |
W-W-W-W-D |
 Recent EPL form |
W-D-D-W-L |
Manchester City vs Bournemouth key injuries
Manchester City: John Stones CB (Out), Nathan Ake CB (Out), Rodri CM (Out), Oscar Bobb RW (Out).
Bournemouth: Ryan Christie CM (Out), Luis Sinisterra FW (Out), Dango Ouattara FW (Out), Enes Unal ST (Out).
Not intended for use in MA.
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