Pep Guardiola’s hopes of ending his time as Manchester City manager with a domestic treble are over after their 1-1 draw at Bournemouth handed the Premier League title to Arsenal.
Following Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Burnley on Monday, City headed to the Vitality Stadium needing to win to send the title race to the final day of the season on Sunday.
But, a day after it was reported Guardiola will leave the club at the end of the campaign, City produced a performance well below the standards their manager has set during his remarkable decade at the club.
Bournemouth took advantage to confirm they will be playing European football for the first time next season, with Junior Kroupi putting them ahead in the 39th minute.
Kroupi bent home his 13th goal of a remarkable season for the teenager and, in response, City’s attacking threat was surprisingly lacking, though they finally found a leveller in stoppage time.
It came as Erling Haaland crashed home after Rodri had hit the post, but it ultimately proved too little too late, with a trophy that looked to be in their grasp after their win over Arsenal last month now set to be presented to the Gunners at Selhurst Park on Sunday, when Guardiola will bid farewell to the team with whom he has won 17 major trophies as City host Aston Villa.
Bournemouth’s late concession leaves the prospect of them securing Champions League football through a top-five finish a remote one, as they are three points behind fifth-placed Liverpool and six goals adrift on goal difference. However, if Villa win the Europa League on Wednesday and are then leapfrogged into fourth by Liverpool, sixth will be enough for the Champions League.
At the very least, the draw confirmed Bournemouth will play continental football next term, and their performance against Guardiola’s men served as a fitting home farewell for Andoni Iraola before he departs following their finale at Nottingham Forest.
Bournemouth end Manchester City title hopes
City started relatively brightly, with Jeremy Doku denied by a Djordje Petrovic save and former Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo correctly seeing an effort ruled out by the linesman’s flag, yet it was the hosts who took the lead in style.
Adrian Truffert was the creator as he burst down the left and then picked out Kroupi on the edge of the area.
Kroupi still had a lot of work to do from that point, but the manner in which he found the back of the net was outstanding, the 19-year-old curling beyond a helpless Gianluigi Donnarumma and into the top-right corner to break the record for the most goals by a teenager in their first Premier League season.
Only Newcastle United (3) have gained fewer points from losing positions than City (4) this season, and rarely did City look like delivering a turnaround in the second half, with Bournemouth seeing several chances to double their lead go begging.
Evanilson was thwarted by Donnarumma seven minutes into the second half at the end of a neat Bournemouth move, before Kroupi blazed over from a lay-off from the Brazilian.
Rayan almost celebrated his inclusion in Brazil’s World Cup squad with a goal as he struck the post, with his replacement David Brooks doing the same late on as he spurned two opportunities either side of Evanilson again going close.
Bournemouth were ultimately punished for their profligacy as Haaland bent in off the post after Rodri was denied by the woodwork, though that goal ultimately only mattered in terms of leaving the hosts likely reliant on Villa for a place in the Champions League.
