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MANCHESTER CITY 3-1 BOURNEMOUTH: KEVIN DE BRUYNE SAID GOODBYE TO THE ETIHAD STADIUM AS MANCHESTER CITY EARNED THE WIN WHICH MADE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUALIFICATION ALMOST SECURE 22:12, 20 May

2025Updated 22:28, 20 May 2025 On a night when rock legend Bruce Springsteen was playing down the street, Kevin De Bruyne said farewell to the Etihad with a performance that should ensure

there will be more Glory Days. While the Boss was rocking the new Co-op Live arena about 100 yards behind the new North Stand, the Belgian was enjoying a last dance in front of the fans who

have come to love him. Goals from Omar Marmoush, Bernardo Silva and Nico Gonzalez moved Pep Guardiola’s team up to third place in the Premier League going into the final day of the season

and to within touching distance of Champions League qualification. A point at Fulham on Sunday will be enough for the Blues regardless of what Newcastle, Chelsea, Aston Villa and Nottingham

Forest do. READ MORE: How Man City's win over Bournemouth affects top five race ahead of dramatic final dayREAD MORE: Pep Guardiola misses out on top-choice Man City target and now has

two back-up options City's fans unveiled a giant tifo honouring 'King Kev' before the game. And De Bruyne should have marked the occasion with a goal, but swept a close-range

shot against the crossbar with Kepa Arrizabalaga’s goal gaping in the first half. By then, Marmoush, the Egyptian striker who missed a penalty in the FA Cup Final defeat to Crystal Palace on

Sunday, had taken his first step towards redemption with a stunning 14th-minute strike. Article continues below Marmoush couldn’t beat Dean Henderson from 12 yards at Wembley. When he took

aim from 35 yards, the swerve and dip he got on the ball gave Kepa absolutely no hope as it arrowed into the top corner. Soon after De Bruyne’s horror miss, Evanilson almost brought

Bournemouth level when he swept Marcus Tavernier’s cross against the outside of Ederson’s post. But City extended their lead in the 38th minute when Ilkay Gundogan’s clever reverse pass

allowed Silva to escape to ram home a near-post finish. City fans of a certain vintage will remember 1989. City went into the penultimate game of the season knowing that a win would see them

promoted from the old second division. The party started when they took a 3-0 first-half lead. It ended in injury-time when Luther Blissett equalised from the spot. Bournemouth started the

autumn slide that cost City any chance of winning a fifth successive title in November when they sentenced the departing champions to their first Premier League defeat of the season. Perhaps

that explained the nervousness inside the stadium at the start of the second half, when the introduction of David Brooks from the bench gave the visitors more forward momentum. Andoni

Iraola’s men knew they still had an outside chance of qualifying for Europe for the first time if they could complete the double over the departing champions and beat relegated Leicester on

the final day. When Antione Semenyo whistled a shot just wide, Guardiola ordered Rodri to warm up. Then Josko Gvardiol’s terrible pass gave Cherries’ striker Evanilson a run on City’s goal

and when Mateo Kovacic hauled down Evanilson, the Croatian was shown a red card with more than 20 minutes still to play. Guardiola immediately showed he isn’t sentimental by replacing De

Bruyne with Nico Gonzalez. But Bournemouth’s one-man advantage lasted five minutes. Lewis Cook was desperately unfortunate that his lunge took as much of Nico’s ankle as it did the ball but

referee Thomas Bramall was in no doubt. Rodri came off the bench for his first appearance since rupturing his cruciate in September - and was greeted with a roar to rival the one that marked

De Bruyne’s departure. Nico scored City's third in the 89th minute with a sensational curling finish that arced high past Kepa’s left hand. Bournemouth grabbed an injury-time

consolation when substitute Daniel Jebbison squeezed his shot under Ederson. Article continues below JOIN OUR NEW WHATSAPP COMMUNITY _AND RECEIVE YOUR DAILY DOSE OF MIRROR FOOTBALL CONTENT.

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