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MANCHESTER City will be ‘ready’ for the visit of the Cherries after their FA Cup final defeat to Crystal Palace, Andoni Iraola said.
AFC Bournemouth will use their strong showings earlier in the season against the Citizens as proof that they can get something from the game – one that Iraola described as a ‘difficult scenario’.
But City may be wounded following their cup final defeat – and will be hoping to secure three points in their chase of Champions League football this season.
Asked if the Cherries need to be wary of the Citizens’ emotional reaction to their defeat at the weekend, Iraola told the Daily Echo: “I think City, they are very ready for this game.
(Image: Richard Crease) “Even before the FA Cup, I think in the press conference before, I heard Pep two or three times talking about no, we have the game Tuesday against Bournemouth and he was talking about already this game because he knows it's a very important game for them.
“We are talking about Champions League qualification for a team like City.
“For us it’s, I don't know if the most difficult scenario because you don't want to meet City playing for qualification for Champions League, in the last game of Kevin de Bruyne in the Etihad, it’s not the easiest place, but it's also challenging and it's something that we have to accept.
“It's going to be difficult. They are very ready for this game.
“But also I think if we are very good and we perform well, I think we have our chances.”
Bournemouth have been excellent in three out of the four halves they have played against City this season.
They beat the Manchester side 2-1 at home in the league at November, but were beaten by the same scoreline in the FA Cup in March, having led 1-0 at the break.
(Image: Richard Crease) “I think we have to use these good moments we've had against them, like an assurance of if we are very good, we can compete with these guys,” Iraola said.
“But knowing that it will take the best from ourselves if we drop a little bit, if we are not towards this level, it's going to be almost impossible.”
Guardiola made some changes to his side for the cup final, with no recognised defensive midfielders and Erling Haaland starting alongside Omar Marmoush.
Three players which started against Southampton the weekend previous were dropped from the squad entirely.
(Image: Richard Crease) Asked how he prepares for so many different potential lineups, Iraola said: “I think some of the players that didn't play the other day will start against us.
“I expect some changes and I think they had also in their mind, obviously it's a final, but they also knew that in three days they had our game where they have to win.
“With the numbers they have because we are talking about the other day, they had to leave very good players out of the squad, out of the bench even, so they have a lot of options.
“It's impossible even for me to try to guess, I think I have my ideas and I think it's going to be different the team, the approach that he had against Palace to the one he will have against us, but we'll see tomorrow.”
AFC Bournemouth visit Manchester City on Tuesday, May 20, kick off at 8pm.