Bournemouth 0-4 Manchester City: Returning Kevin De Bruyne keeps Blues in fourth

Manchester City maintained their hold of fourth spot in the Premier League with a comfortable 4-0 win at Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon.

The visitors found themselves 3-0 ahead after just 19 minutes thanks to strikes from Fernando, the returning Kevin De Bruyne and Sergio Aguero - his 17th league goal of the campaign.

Substitute Aleksandar Kolarov then added a fourth in stoppage time at the end of the game to see City extend their lead over fifth-placed West Ham to three points, while Bournemouth remain 13th.

Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe made two alterations to the team that lost 3-0 at Tottenham before the international break, with Josh King fit enough to lead the line.

City, meanwhile, made five changes from the side that lost 1-0 at home to Manchester United last time out, the most important of which saw De Bruyne return after two months out with a knee injury.

And the Belgian forward reminded everyone just what City have been missing in recent weeks with a virtuoso first-half display as the visitors raced into an early 3-0 lead.

City's opening goal came via the first corner of the game as Jesus Navas' delivery from the right somehow made its way to Fernando, lurking near the penalty spot.

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However, the Brazilian still did well to hook a volley past Bournemouth goalkeeper Artur Boruc for a seventh-minute opener.

Five minutes later and Manuel Pellegrini's men had doubled their lead after Burnley defender Charlie Daniels was caught in possession trying to dribble his way out of his penalty area.

Aguero stole the ball, though, and after a neat one-two with Silva, the latter's clever layoff was coolly passed into the back of the net by De Bruyne.

That assist was the Spanish playmaker's 11th of the season and only in the 2011/12 campaign has he managed more, when he registered 15.

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The visitors scored again seven minutes later as De Bruyne sent Navas racing clear down the right flank. The Spaniard then hung a cross up to the far post, where Aguero somehow managed to beat Adam Smith to head home a third, despite Steve Cook's presence on the goal-line.

That was effectively game over, with Fernandinho almost adding a fourth for City, only for his shot from the edge of the box to beat Boruc, but not the bar.

Meanwhile, the Cherries' sole effort on goal before half-time came early on, but King dragged his effort wide of Willy Caballero's far post from a tight angle.

In fact, the Argentine 'keeper was a virtual spectator as he deputised for City's injured No 1 Joe Hart, with the second half simply an exercise of protecting players ahead of their trip to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday night.

As such, Pellegrini opted to substitute all three of his key men - Aguero, Silva and De Bruyne - with the latter removed from the fray just before the hour-mark, although not before he came to close to scoring a second, only for Boruc to beat away his well-struck volley.

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There was further good news for City following the return of Samir Nasri after a long-term calf injury, with the France midfielder given a useful run-out in the final quarter of the game.

The real icing on the cake, though, was provided by another substitute after Serbia international full-back Kolarov - playing in midfield - cut in from the left flank, before rifling an unstoppable shot past Boruc.

Soccer Saturday verdict - Alan McInally

City were very good in the first half, they were 3-0 up in the first 19 minutes. They went from first to top gear immediately and it was too much for Bournemouth to handle. The Cherries were completely shell-shocked, they hadn't managed to get into any sort of rhythm.

City cantered to victory, David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, Aguero and Jesus Navas were superb. Aleksandar Kolarov's scored City's fourth in style and the scoreline doesn't do justice to how well they played. Goodness knows where this City team has been this season, they have to ensure they repeat this performance for their remaining fixtures to finish in the top four.

Player ratings

Bournemouth: Boruc (6), Smith (6), Francis (6), Cook (6), Daniels (7), Ritchie (5), O'Kane (7), Surman (6), Gradel (6), Grabban (6), King (5)

Used subs: Gosling (6), Elphick (5), Pugh (6)

Man City: Caballero (6), Zabaleta (7), Otamendi (8), Mangala (6), Clichy (7), Fernando (8), Fernandinho (7), Jesus Navas (8), Silva (8), De Bruyne (9), Aguero (8)

Used subs: Nasri (6), Kolarov (7), Iheanacho (6)

Man of the match: Kevin De Bruyne