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Kevin De Bruyne ends Etihad stay in style as Man City pop Cherries to boost Champions League hopes

FOND FAREWELL: Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne, who is leaving the club when his contract expires this summer, waves to the crowd as he is substituted. Pic: Martin Rickett/PA Wire.

Manchester City 3 Bournemouth 1

MANCHESTER City edged closer to Champions League football on a night when the Etihad said farewell to one of is most beloved sons; Kevin De Bruyne, who unwittingly provided his adoring public with a moment they will never forget.

After Omar Marmoush had opened the scoring with a superb goal that vintage De Bruyne would have been proud of, the De Bruyne moment came in the form of a collector’s item the legendary playmaker would have preferred not to offer up on his last home appearance for City.

There have been few glaring, hapless errors in De Bruyne’s brilliant career but, as Marmoush’s 25th minute cross rolled through an unguarded area and the Belgian arrived to convert into an open net from six yards, he was about to leave fans with one.

With the goal empty and beckoning, De Bruyne leaned back and, somehow, thumped a left-foot shot against the crossbar with such power that the ball rebounded back into play and to safety.

It was so unexpected and inexplicable that many supporters simply laughed. Television pictures of De Bruyne’s family in the stand, replaying the miss on their phones and shaking their heads in disbelief, added to the surreal mood of the moment.

But on a night when Bruce Springsteen was playing a concert a few yards away from the Etihad, on his own last night performing in Manchester, this occasion was all about a man who has been, very much, The Boss of so many City successes in his decade with the club.

The list runs to 19 winners’ medals in that time - pretty much two a year - and there is a case to be made that De Bruyne should be ranked among the most influential players in Premier League history.

Manchester City's Rodri returns from injury. Pic: Martin Rickett/PA Wire.

Pep Guardiola, pre-game, put him number two to Lionel Messi, of course, on his list of the best passers of the ball he has ever seen. Not bad company.

Before the game, there was plenty of evidence of Belgian flags on display and a popular line in De Bruyne face masks dotted around the stadium. After it, De Bruyne went off to a guard of honour and pyrotechnics.

In between there were plenty of De Bruyne songs from the stands and City, who visit Fulham on Sunday, coasted towards three of the four points they effectively need to guarantee a top-five finish and that coveted Champions League place.

Fittingly, De Bruyne had been involved in all of City’s bright, early attacking moves although, when the first goal arrived after 15 minutes, it was very much a solo effort.

Mateo Kovacic’s short pass found Marmoush just inside the Bournemouth half and he surged forward before unleashing an astonishing right-foot shot, 30 yards from goal, which soared into the top corner.

The De Bruyne miss briefly looked costly, when Marcus Tavernier’s cross found Evanlison whose shot struck the City post. But De Bruyne need not have worried.

On 38 minutes, a spell of City pressure ended with Ilkay Gundogan slipping the ball back for Bernardo Silva to do what De Bruyne had failed to do and score from six yards.

A red card for Kovacic, for bringing down Evanlison as he broke clear on goal, robbed them of the hope of a De Bruyne goal, with Guardiola forced to take him off to boost his midfield with Nico Gonzalez after 67 minutes.

Gonzalez would gain his revenge with a fine finish at the end of an 88th minute breakaway that made it 3-0.

But first, referee Thomas Bramall evened things up by showing a straight red to Lewis Cook shortly after Kovacic’s exit, for a flying studs-up challenge on Gonzalez.

Deep in injury-time, Bournemouth’s Daniel Jebbison claimed a late consolation after a poor Matheus Nunes pass but, by then, the party had started, with home fans also celebrating the sight of Rodri coming off the bench as an 83rd minute substitute.

Out since September following knee surgery, the sight of the Ballon d’Or holder was a reminder of how much he has been missed this season on a night that left City supporters reflecting on how much they will miss De Bruyne.

Man City (4-2-3-1): Ederson 6; Nunes 7, Dias 5, Akanji 5, Gvardiol 6; Gundogan 7 (Doku 90), Kovacic 5; Silva 7 (Grealish 90), De Bruyne 7 (Gonzalez 69, 6), Marmoush 8 (Bobb 90); Haaland 6 (Rodri 83).

Bournemouth (4-2-3-1): Kepa 6; Araujo 5 (Smith 69, 5), Zabarnyi 6, Huijsen 7, Kerkez 6 (Soler 83); Adams 6, Cook 5; Tavernier 7, Kluivert 5 (Brooks 46, 5), Semenyo 6; Evanilson 5 (Jebbison 83).

Referee: T Bramall 7.