Manchester: A record-equalling performance from Jeremy Doku made up for a misfiring Erling Haaland as Manchester City moved top of the Premier League table with a 6-1 victory over Bournemouth.
Doku scored one goal and provided four assists in City’s 15th home league victory in a row on Saturday night. He became the eighth player to set up four goals in a single Premier League match.
The Belgian opened the scoring after half an hour after a delightful curling strike following a neat one-two with Rodrigo.
Three minutes later it was 2-0, with Doku at the heart of it again. The 21-year-old twisted and turned on the right byline before crossing to Bernardo Silva to slot home.
On 37 minutes City had a third. Doku’s shot from the edge of the area deflected off Manuel Akanji to go in for the defender’s first Premier League goal.
Haaland, who missed a further chance, was substituted at half-time for Phil Foden.
Dominic Solanke hit the frame of the goal on the hour for Bournemouth. But Foden struck for the fourth match in a row against the Cherries, and in his second match in a row, receiving Doku’s pass in the box before firing past Radu.
Bournemouth finally got onto the scoresheet when Luis Sinisterra tucked a shot under Ederson after a fast break.
But City weren’t finished and Doku sliced through the visitors’ defence again, this time with a brilliant pass into the path of Bernardo who kept his cool to finish in style.
In the last minute of normal time, Nathan Ake added a late sixth for a victory as City extended home winning run in the Premier League to 21 matches to set a new club record.
A 13th win in a row over Bournemouth, sends City above Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal ahead of their matches this weekend. Bournemouth remain 17th with six points.
–IANS
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