'Iraola must shuffle his pack one last time this season'

After Bournemouth's faint hopes of playing in Europe next season were finally extinguished on a balmy east Manchester evening, fans could have been forgiven for raising their eyebrows at what the opposition manager had to say afterwards.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola bemoaned the size of his squad – in that it is too big, and he hates having to disappoint so many players by leaving them out.

Most opponents would look on with envy at City's bench on Tuesday evening with Ballon d'Or winner Rodri and £100m g Jack Grealish among those substitutes brought on, while England regular Phil Foden and former Cherries favourite Nathan Ake were among those not called upon.

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola will have the opposite problem this weekend as his team wrap up their season against Leicester at Vitality Stadium.

With the Cherries still battling for a top-half finish, Iraola is close to running out of central midfielders, after Lewis Cook's red card against City earned him a suspension.

With Cook unavailable, Ryan Christie's groin surgery and Alex Scott's fractured jaw (courtesy of Tyrone Mings' elbow), it has left Tyler Adams, who himself has had to battle plenty of injuries in his two years in Dorset, as the last man standing in the middle of the park.

With the Foxes already relegated and the road to Europe now blocked, there will be less overt pressure on Iraola's side on Sunday, though the owners will not need reminding how every place in the Premier League is worth several million pounds in prize money.

So Iraola must shuffle his pack one last time this season, with the identity of Adams' midfield partner the most interesting selection.

Marcus Tavernier and David Brooks have occasionally filled deeper, central roles when the Cherries have been flinging everyone forward in search of late goals, but rather than field a wide player or defender out of position, it could be an ideal opportunity if Iraola feels young midfielder Ben Winterburn from the development squad is ready for a first Premier League start.