Manchester City’s 32-game unbeaten streak in the Premier League came to an end on Saturday with a 2-1 loss at Bournemouth, leaving the English champions trailing Liverpool at the top of the league.
Antoine Semenyo and Evanilson scored for the Cherries after halftime, before City’s Josko Gvardiol equalized.
Pep Guardiola’s side were beaten for the first time this season in any competition, losing the League Cup to Tottenham in midweek, and were handicapped by a number of injuries.
Guardiola stated ahead of the game that several of his players were playing with discomfort, but Bournemouth, who defeated Arsenal in their previous home meeting, poured salt in the visitors’ wounds.
Semenyo spun onto Milos Kerkez’s cross to open the scoring on nine minutes.
Evanilson steered home another Kerkez delivery just after the hour mark.
Gvardiol’s towering header from Ilkay Gundogan’s cross gave City life eight minutes from time.
And Erling Haaland should have snatched a point deep into stoppage time when he hit the post from point-blank range.
City fell two points behind Liverpool, who came from behind to beat Brighton 2-1 at Anfield.
But a first league defeat since December was not as costly as it could have been as title rivals Arsenal also fell to defeat, 1-0 at Newcastle.