Erling Haaland returned to scoring form with a decisive brace as Manchester City defeated Bournemouth 3-1 to reclaim second place in the Premier League and close the gap on leaders Arsenal to six points.

Pep Guardiola’s men were looking to bounce back after last weekend’s 2-0 loss to Aston Villa, a match that saw Haaland fail to score for only the second time this season.

The Norwegian responded emphatically, proving once again why he remains City’s most lethal weapon.

Early scare, swift response

Bournemouth thought they had the perfect start when teenager Eli Junior Kroupi found the net after just 44 seconds, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.

City capitalised soon after, as Rayan Cherki’s clever header released Haaland, who calmly slotted past Djordje Petrovic in the 17th minute to make it 1-0.

The hosts’ lead was short-lived, though, as Tyler Adams pounced on a poor punch from Gianluigi Donnarumma to smash home an equaliser, his first goal in English football.

Haaland restores control

City’s dominance soon resurfaced. Cherki again combined brilliantly with Haaland, who rounded the goalkeeper and finished with composure for his 13th league goal of the campaign and 26th across all competitions.

The striker came close to a hat-trick before the break but was denied by Petrovic’s sharp save.

O’Reilly seals the win

After Kroupi forced Donnarumma into another stop, City struck the killer blow on the hour mark. Midfielder Nico O’Reilly surged forward and buried a low shot into the corner to seal an assured victory for Guardiola’s side.

The win puts Manchester City back on track after their stumble at Villa Park, while Bournemouth’s run hits a temporary setback despite another spirited performance.