Bournemouth vs Manchester City Preview & Tips - Bournemouth to give Manchester City a huge scare in the FA Cup

Manchester City need to beat Bournemouth at the weekend, with their poor season threatening to end without a trophy if they cannot win the FA Cup. 

City have won nine of their last 10 against Bournemouth, with the Cherries winning their last clash earlier in the season. 

Bournemouth have been forced to battle past two Premier League opponents in their last two rounds of the FA Cup, with wins over Everton and Wolves culminating in their clash with City. 

Three wins in the FA Cup does not paper over the cracks that have appeared in their season though. The Cherries have lost three of their last five in all competitions, while they have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their last six. 

Positively for Bournemouth, their last clash with City ended in a stunning 2-1 win back in November. In that game they scored the opening goal, and I back them to do the same in this one. City have been shaky at the back, with their defence particularly bad on the road. Having conceded the first goal in four of their last five away from home, I am backing the Cherries to hit the back of the net first. 

Manchester City simply have to beat Bournemouth at the weekend or their season will end without a trophy. 

Having been knocked out of the Champions League and League Cup and sitting 22 points short of Liverpool at the summit of the Premier League, the FA Cup is their last chance to win silverware. With the likes of Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest constituting their biggest challenges left in the FA Cup, most would assume City would canter to the trophy. However, their woeful season has seen them lose matches they seemed destined to win, meaning backing them comes with more risk than usual. 

City have now conceded the first goal in four of their last five on the road in all competitions, while they have not kept a clean sheet in any of their last three. I am backing goals in this one as City concede first once again.