Football writer Adrian Clarke looks at key tactical points and players who can be decisive in Matchweek 37.
Team analysis: Manchester City
Losing the FA Cup final for a second year in a row, while also dropping out of the top five, made it a disappointing weekend for Man City.
Failure to land a major trophy for the first time since Pep Guardiola’s debut season will feel like a crushing disappointment.
Yet there is no time at all for the players to dwell on that setback.
Tonight’s match at home to AFC Bournemouth is a hugely significant fixture, given two wins for City across the next six days would guarantee UEFA Champions League qualification.
Midfield issues at Wembley?
Guardiola knew his side would have the lion’s share of possession against Crystal Palace, which may have influenced his decision to partner Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva in central midfield.
His side had 78.3 per cent of the ball and pinned the Eagles back for sustained spells, making 551 of their 679 passes inside the opposition half.
But asking two attack-minded players who are over the age of 30 to cope with a young, athletic Palace side on the counter-attack felt like a risky move.
From transitions, would that duo have the legs to cover open spaces when play becomes stretched?
When analysing the only goal of the final, we discovered the answer.
Bypassing Man City’s high press, one long pass from Chris Richards found striker Jean-Philippe Mateta, with neither De Bruyne or Bernardo in the right position to screen that ball into the Palace forward.
Mateta then exchanged passes with Daichi Kamada, playing around the midfield duo with ease, before releasing Daniel Munoz into space down the right flank.
Teams who send a full-back deep into the opposition half to press, as City did here with Nico O’Reilly, usually rely on at least one central-midfield pivot to help cover the empty space.
In this passage of play neither De Bruyne or Bernardo was able to do so.
Munoz surged forward, crossing for Eberechi Eze to score, in a carbon copy of the goal which was disallowed at the Etihad Stadium last month for a narrow offside call.
On reflection, Guardiola may wish he had started Nico Gonzalez as one of the two pivots.
His defensive nous might have helped to disrupt this decisive Palace move.
Rediscover attacking threat
In the cup final, Man City failed to score for the second successive match.
Given they created 2.23 Expected Goals (xG) from 23 chances, it would be easy to claim they were unlucky, or that they ran into an inspired goalkeeper in Dean Henderson.
While both points are true, that does not tell the full story.
Without Omar Marmoush’s penalty, that xG tally was 1.44 and, as was the case in their 0-0 draw at Southampton in their last league outing, City lacked sharpness and imagination around the box.
In both of their matches last week, against Southampton and Palace, we saw a toiling City team resort to a stream of hopeful crosses, unable to pick holes in a well-drilled defence.
Man City's open-play crosses last two matches
| v Southampton | v Palace | |
| Open-play crosses | 29 | 27 |
|---|---|---|
| Succ. open-play crosses | 4 | 3 |
Erling Haaland was unfortunate not to hook in a terrific effort from De Bruyne’s cross at Wembley, but most of City’s deliveries were comfortably repelled.
Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth may also back themselves to defend their box, so we could see the Cherries blocking off central areas to invite deliveries from the wings once more.
Man City's open-play crosses v Palace
Can they avoid a repeat loss to Bournemouth?
Bournemouth beat Man City 2-1 in this season's reverse fixture at Vitality Stadium, and with eighth place and possible qualification for the UEFA Conference League still up for grabs, the visitors will be highly motivated to do the double.
See: How eighth place can qualify for Europe
Iraola’s side are more likely to target the opposite flank to Palace though, where Antoine Semenyo and Milos Kerkez have run amok down the left wing for much of the 2024/25 campaign.
Blessed with so much pace and directness, they dovetail beautifully down that side.
This "flank attack" graphic indicates how much Bournemouth favour that area of the pitch.
Bournemouth's flank attacks 24/25
Man City know first-hand how dangerous left-back Kerkez can be.
He produced two great assists in this season's victory over City, skipping past Phil Foden to cut the ball back for a Semenyo opener, before racing down the line to cross for Evanilson to score.
Bournemouth 2-1 Man City highlights
Bournemouth will also test City with their energetic pressing and, from any turnovers they create, they will look out for searching long balls into space behind the back four.
Over 28 per cent of Crystal Palace’s passes were long, and City will be wary of that tactic being repeated in this fixture too.
Bournemouth are quick in forward areas, with Everton the only top-flight team who attempt more long passes than them.
City have been caught out by longer passes throughout this season, so Bournemouth are set to ask further questions.
Teams with most long passes 24/25
| Team | Total |
| Everton | 2,119 |
|---|---|
| Bournemouth | 2,018 |
| Brentford | 1,989 |
| Crystal Palace | 1,969 |
| West Ham | 1,945 |
Guardiola opted for a 4-3-3 loaded with central midfielders in City’s 2-1 FA Cup quarter-final win against Bournemouth.
De Bruyne, who will make his final home appearance for the club tonight, started wide left that day, with Foden on the other wing.
On the inside, Bernardo, Mateo Kovacic and Ilkay Gundogan were used to handle their opponents’ renowned midfield energy.
Whether Guardiola sticks with 4-2-3-1 or reverts to that 4-3-3, he will surely start Jeremy Doku on the left flank, given that he was their brightest spark against Crystal Palace.
De Bruyne provides Guardiola with an option on the right, as a No 10, or as part of a midfield trio.
Meanwhile, Ballon d’Or winner Rodri could make his first appearance since September.
The Spaniard's involvement would certainly provide a timely boost for City, who must quickly get over their loss at Wembley and turn their focus back to the top-five race.
