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Bournemouth 0 - Man City 2: Worry over Jesus injury as Aguero takes centre stage
IT MAY well be too little too late, but Manchester City showed that they can tough it out on a cold night on the South Coast - and keep the Premier League title race alive.
Raheem Sterling scores Man City's opener
Pep Guardiola's team cut Chelsea's lead at the top to eight points with this win on a night when Sergio Aguero came off the bench to prove a point to his manager as his goal sealed a win that had been set up by Raheem Starling's opening strike.
Aguero had once again been frozen out, but the Argentine got his break when whizzkid Brazilian teenager Gabriel Jesus was injured early on - and he took it.
That slump October-November slump may still have cost Manchester City dear this season. But they are still there fighting.
BOURNEMOUTH V MANCHESTER CITY: AS IT HAPPENED
Sergio Aguero was keen to get on the field following Jesus' injury
Aguero was benched for a third successive game
Ibe was causing City the greatest danger with his bursts down the right, with Fernandinho far from certain in an unfamiliar left back role. But Bournemouth were unable to profit from his energy and trickery.
Instead, with Silva and De Bruyne calmly controlling the midfield, it was City who looked the more likely to score again. Bournemouth, however hard they worked and however far they willingly ran, simply did not have enough.
The City fans certainly showed that they still love Aguero, singing his name loudly as the chill wind, whipping in off the English Channel, swept around the Vitality Stadium.
For the Cherries, without Wilshere in their midfield, there was simply not enough creativity. Only carelessness by City, it seemed could cost Pep's men.
For once, City's normally creaky back line looked solid and organised, John Stones in particular making several good interceptions when the Cherries threatened to break through.
Gabriel Jesus (left) injured his foot after 14 minutes
Bournemouth's Jack Wilshere also came off injured
Sergio Aguero's 3 best goals for Manchester City
Howe's men never give up though, and when Benik Afbe cut inside, Caballero had to react quickly to turn Harry Arter's shot from the edge of the penalty area around the post.
Then the killer blow. Sterling dribbled to the byeline on the left and pulled the ball back, and Aguero was quickest to the ball amid a posse of red shirts to jab in his first goal since January 6.
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