The arrival of a new centre-back could lead Scott Parker to tweak the team which beat Aston Villa 2-0 last weekend

There is nothing more daunting in English football than travelling to the Eithad to play Manchester City... unless, of course, they then sign Erling Haaland.

This is the case for Bournemouth, who next face the current English champions on what will be the talismanic striker's home debut. The crowd will also be buoyed by the Norwegian's brace against West Ham and the fact they have a 100 percent Premier League record against this weekend's opponents. 10 games played, 10 games won. Quite simply, City love to play against the Cherries.

Football is not as black and white as the record books would suggest, though. While previous incarnations of both football clubs have gone toe-to-toe and left the south coast outfit the losers on every occasion, there is always hope.

After all, following a convincing and assured performance against Aston Villa, Scott Parker's men have already surprised many.

Last week's team selection turned some heads, and also left egg on the face of this reporter's attempt to predict his starting XI. The task now is to take a punt on who he will pick this week, as he tries to mastermind Bournemouth's first-ever points haul against Pep Guardiola's juggernauts.

Tactically, we now know how the visitors are likely to shape up. However, there have been new additions through the door since that 2-0 win last weekend, and the head coach may tinker with his team as he looks to thwart Haaland and Co.

Mark Travers put in a solid performance against Villa, making several saves and looking assured as a Premier League goalkeeper. Yes, the arrival of Brazilian international Neto will give the Irish shot-stopper some much-needed competition for the number one jersey, but his position is safe for now. Parker will keep the status quo between the sticks.

In front of Travers, we can expect to see the same shape from last time out. Three central defenders will be flanked by wing-backs to provide stability, and this backline will become a flat five when City push forward.

The first name down for the defence is, of course, Lloyd Kelly. The Cherries' captain was instrumental in his side keeping their discipline and concentration during long spells without the ball just a matter of days ago, and his leadership and organisational skills will be relied upon again at the Etihad.

Alongside Kelly, in the centre of the back three, Marcos Senesi could well make his debut. With a reputation for no-nonsense and hard tackling enforcement, his presence could be vital in staving off the threat of the powerful Haaland.

While Chris Mepham performed this role brilliantly last week, the Cherries' new signing is left-footed and may not suit playing on the right. He is also unlikely to oust Kelly from the skipper's preferred position.

The final man to make up the trio will be the aforementioned Mepham. A solid display against Villa will mean he will replace Jefferson Lerma on the right, allowing the midfielder to push up, where he can be more effective at nullifying City’s creative players at the root.

They may be called wing-backs for the purpose of Parker’s system but, in truth, against City, they will most likely be playing as traditional full-backs in a five.

That is not to say Bournemouth won't look to use their wing-backs to push Joao Cancelo and Kyle Walker into holding more traditional positions themselves and stop them from playing as inverted full-backs in midfield. This will be a crucial tactical step if the Cherries want to disrupt City's patterns of play.

Down the left, Jordan Zemura will again be the preferred option. With Tavernier deputising so well in midfield, it looks, at least for now, that Zemura's spot in the side is secure until form would suggest otherwise.

The pacey full-back will need to use all of his defensive prowess, though, as City plough forward. His ability offensively will also be key, as keeping Walker pushed back down his flank will play into the visitor's hands.

On the opposite flank, it will be no other than Adam Smith. The veteran defender’s experience will prove invaluable this season and he is the number one choice at right wing-back. Assured defensively and on the front foot, the 31-year-old, who recently signed a new contract until 2024, will offer balance to the right side of Parker’s line-up and will know when to push and when to hold.

The midfield has sparked much debate in recent weeks. Until the league opener against Villa, many, including this reporter, considered Lewis Cook a shoo-in to start, and never expected Ben Pearson to fill the holding role.

In hindsight, it was a great tactical decision, with Cook's best attributes arguably lost when Bournemouth spend much of the game out of possession. So, with that in mind, Pearson will again fill the anchor role, as he did so brilliantly last weekend.

On the right of him, Lerma will step forward to replace Philip Billing.

Billing did nothing wrong last week, but Lerma's ability to intercept and break up play will be a huge advantage to Parker as the Cherries attempt to limit City’s ability to pass through them and find Haaland in the final third. His energy going forward is not lost either, and after scoring the first goal at the Vitality on matchday one, he will be full of confidence.

To the left of Pearson, Tavernier will continue in his role as the main creator. His performance against Villa suggests Bournemouth have secured a real gem, one who will slot into the Premier League seamlessly. Good on the ball and constantly scanning for passing options, the 23-year-old will be the architect that will look to cut City open when the visitors win back the ball.

Kieffer Moore grabbed himself a goal last week and has hit the ground running in the top-flight. The partnership he is building with Dominic Solanke could prove extremely fruitful this season and the towering frontman provides a new dimension to the attack.

The striker's presence in the box makes him a danger and a real goal threat from set pieces, and he is also an invaluable fall-back option for his more defensive-minded team-mates when they clear long to attempt to relieve pressure.

Alongside Moore, Solanke will continue to perform in his new role within the side. No longer playing up front on his own, he can drop deep and help link play whilst also providing a lot of the leg work by chasing down lost causes and running the channels. These are areas he has increasingly flourished in under Parker.

At the Etihad, Solanke will be required to do a lot of chasing, and he will need to be at his very best to put pressure on City's defenders. Incidentally, a match-up against his friend and former team-mate Nathan Ake will be a riveting watch.

If City play with their inverted full-back system, there could be space to expose down the channels, and Solanke's constant hard work may pay dividends if the right ball splits City's central defenders.

PREDICTED XI: Mark Travers, Adam Smith, Chris Mepham, Marcos Senesi, Lloyd Kelly, Jordan Zemura, Jefferson Lerma, Ben Pearson, Marcus Tavernier, Dominic Solanke, Kieffer Moore

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