Dimitar Berbatov provides his prediction ahead of Manchester City vs Bournemouth

Former Manchester United star Dimitar Berbatov has predicted an easy win for Manchester City when they take on Bournemouth in the Premier League this weekend. The two teams will clash horns at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, November 4.

City are currently third in the standings with 24 points from their first 10 matches, level with second-placed Arsenal and two behind leaders Tottenham Hotspur. They enter this contest with almost a full week's rest after not competing in the EFL Cup in midweek, having lost 1-0 to Newcastle United in the third round last month.

Bournemouth, meanwhile, are 17th in the Premier League table with just one win and six points from 10 games. They are only a point clear of the relegation zone and come into this match on the back of a 2-1 EFL Cup fourth-round loss to Liverpool at home in midweek.

Given their respective struggles this season, Berbatov predicted a straightforward Manchester City win on Saturday. The former forward, who scored 56 times in 149 matches for Manchester United between 2008 and 2012, wrote in his prediction column for Metro:

"Unfortunately, I love an underdog story, but all I see in this game is a Man City comfortable win. Prediction: 3-0."

City have notably won their last three matches across competitions, including a 3-0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford last weekend. Prior to that, they beat BSC Young Boys 3-1 in the UEFA Champions League and edged Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 in the Premier League.

Bournemouth, meanwhile, picked up their first win of the league season last weekend, beating Burnley 2-1 at home. However, they were handed another defeat by Liverpool in midweek.

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Manchester City hammered Bournemouth twice last season

Manchester City and Bournemouth's head-to-head doesn't make for great reading for fans of the latter. The Citizens have won each of their last 13 meetings across competitions, thumping the Cherries by an aggregate score of 40-7 in that time.

The two teams notably met twice in the Premier League last season.

Their first clash in August 2022 saw City romp to a 4-0 victory at the Etihad. Ilkay Gundogan opened the scoring in the 19th minute, and Kevin De Bruyne (31') and Phil Foden (37') made it 3-0 before half-time. Jefferson Lerma's own-goal 11 minutes before the end of regulation capped a harrowing night for Bournemouth.

Their second meeting was at the Vitality Stadium in February this year. Once again, Manchester City went 3-0 up before half-time, thanks to strikes from Julian Alvarez (15'), Erling Haaland (29') and Foden (45'). Chris Mepham's own-goal just six minutes after the restart put the Citizens 4-0 up.

Lerma was on the scoresheet once again, but found the back of the right net this time to grab an 83rd-minute consolation for the Cherries.