Manchester City’s Premier League title dreams were snuffed out on the south coast on Tuesday with a heartbreaking 1-1 draw at Bournemouth that handed Arsenal an unassailable lead at the top, and its first league trophy after a 22-year wait.
Needing victory to keep alive the race ahead of Sunday’s season finale, City was undone by Eli Junior Kroupi’s brilliant first-half strike at Vitality Stadium, extinguishing City’s hopes of a seventh league title for Pep Guardiola in what is expected to be his final season after a glittering decade as manager.
The draw left City on 78 points, four behind Arsenal. Bournemouth — unbeaten in 17 league games and sixth on 56 points — secured European qualification for the first time.
Kroupi fired Bournemouth in front in the 39th minute when Adrien Truffert was played through down the left, and he picked out the 19-year-old Frenchman, who took a touch before unleashing a brilliant curving shot just inside the far post past Gianluigi Donnarumma, who was rooted to the spot.
City’s Erling Haaland pulled back a goal deep in injury time, when Rodri’s shot bounced off the post and dropped to the Norwegian but the final whistle sounded seconds later to seal City’s fate.
Bournemouth vs Manchester City player ratings:
AFC Bournemouth: Djordje Petrović (7.4/10), Adam Smith (6.2/10), James Hill (6.6/10), Marcos Senesi (7.2/10), Adrien Truffert (7.8/10), Tyler Adams (6.4/10), Alex Scott (6.7/10), Marcus Tavernier (7.3/10), Rayan (6.5/10), Eli Junior Kroupi (8.2/10), Evanilson (6.0/10)
Subs: Justin Kluivert (6.1/10), David Brooks (6.2/10), Enes Ünal (5.9/10), Lewis Cook (6.0/10)
Manchester City: Gianluigi Donnarumma (7.0/10), Matheus Nunes (7.3/10), Abdukodir Khusanov (6.9/10), Marc Guéhi (6.4/10), Nico O’Reilly (6.9/10), Rodri (8.3/10), Antoine Semenyo (6.7/10), Mateo Kovačić (6.5/10), Bernardo Silva. (6.4/10), Jérémy Doku (6.8/10), Erling Haaland (7.9/10)
Subs: Rayan Cherki (6.3/10), Phil Foden (6.4/10), Savinho (7.0/10), Omar Marmoush (6.2/10)
(with inputs from Agencies)
Published on May 20, 2026
