Riyad Mahrez hat-trick helps Manchester City inflict yet more misery on Burnley
If ever there was an opponent against whom Manchester City seemed likely to end their recent struggles in front of goal, it was Burnley. City had managed just 10 goals in eight Premier League games going into this but, by the end, they were toasting another five-goal haul against Sean Dyche’s dishevelled side. Riyad Mahrez was the star turn with a hat-trick, Benjamin Mendy claimed his first goal in City colours and Ferran Torres his first in the league for the club.
To give you some idea of how painful it has been for Burnley at the Etihad Stadium in recent seasons, consider this: City became only the second side in English football history to win four consecutive home games by five or more goals against a single opponent since Notts County inflicted repeat misery on Port Vale over a 14-year period between October 1893 and February 1907.
Burnley’s four successive 5-0 defeats here have been spread over just two years and Dyche can only hope his team do not have the misfortune of drawing City in the FA Cup this term. “We just didn’t turn up,” Dyche said. “When these top sides really turn up, they punish you. It’s the rare ground in the Premier League where this [result] has unfortunately happened on a consistent basis.”
For City, this was a marked return to form. They have been rather functional going forward in the main this season - too sluggish, too passive - but they were at their fast and fluent best in this mismatch.
City’s five goals came from just six shots on target but Pep Guardiola did not sound like a man in much mood to celebrate and claimed the absence of fans was sucking the joy out of the game. “The problem today is that even with nine games the players lose the joy of playing football,” the City manager said. “Before it was nice playing football once, twice a week with spectators, now it’s like… in three days another one [game].”
Mahrez has his hat-trick! His first in a Man City shirt! 🙌
Pep Guardiola's side just love playing Burnley 🔥 pic.twitter.com/1JTYju63g9— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) November 28, 2020
Guardiola also took the opportunity to throw down a pointed challenge to his attackers, from whom he said he expects far more than they have delivered so far, especially with Sergio Aguero still struggling for fitness.
“It helps us, of course, especially for Riyad. For the others they have to score goals,” said the City manager, who claimed he had to omit Aguero after the striker woke up that morning with some pain in his knee. “Gabriel [Jesus] has to score goals. [Raheem] Sterling when he plays has to score goals and they don’t score much. They have to score more goals. That is the reason they are here and play upfront.”
Guardiola also suggested he was ready to dispense with rotation; play well and you keep your place was the blunt message from the Catalan. “It’s not about rotation now. The players who don’t make mistakes, like John Stones, deserve to play more games,” Guardiola said.
Dyche changed Burnley’s formation but it was the same old story for his team at the Etihad and before long this had become another exercise in damage limitation, his experiment with a 4-2-3-1 system blown to smithereens by two early Mahrez goals.
By the time Mendy fired in City’s third with a bullet volley from Kevin De Bruyne’s superb inswinging cross shortly before half-time, Burnley were back in their familiar 4-4-2 and even more exposed in midfield, even if Josh Benson never stopped going on a tough Premier League debut.
City had got off to a flyer. Mahrez blows hot and cold, a mercurial footballer who can excite and exasperate in equal measure but this was one of those afternoons when he smelt blood. “The last few days we’ve seen him sharper - before he was not,” Guardiola said.
James Tarkowski’s sloppy pass was intercepted by Rodri on the left touchline and the ball was worked quickly to Mahrez via Torres and De Bruyne before the Algerian slotted coolly into the bottom corner. It was a lesson in how to attack with pace and precision on the transition.
Man City are back to their ruthless best here! 🌪
Three first-half goals for the home side...
This finish from Benjamin Mendy 👌 pic.twitter.com/Z1bxPW438o— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) November 28, 2020
One became two in the 22nd minute when Burnley’s concentration again lapsed. Charlie Taylor was slow to react to Kyle Walker’s throw-in high up the right touchline and the ball sneaked past the Burnley left back into Mahrez, who side-stepped Ben Mee, rounded Tarkowski and rifled home a shot off the inside of the far post. Bailey Peacock-Farrell, another Premier League debutant, stood no chance in the Burnley goal.
Burnley’s best spell in the game came in the 15 minutes after half-time when Jay Rodriguez forced a good save from Ederson and Benson went close to scoring with a free-kick but the fleeting rally eventually gave way to another City goal rush.
Mahrez found Walker, making an overlapping run, and the City defender squared for Jesus, who held off Tarkowski before prodding the ball to Torres to sweep home his fifth City goal.
Like Mahrez, De Bruyne was proving uncontainable and his superb, rangy pass split, which split Burnley’s defence and unleashed Phil Foden, was bettered only by the cross from the City substitute that Mahrez nodded in for a well deserved hat-trick. Jesus had a goal ruled out for offside and De Bruyne hit a post late on.
Burnley really do not like it in these parts.
04:58 PMStunning stat
Stunning stat
That's now the fourth time in a row in all competitions that City have beaten Burnley 5-0 at home. The last time any side beat the same opposition by five or more goals on four consecutive occasions was Notts County who from October 1893 to February 1907 heaped misery on Port Vale.
04:56 PMImpressive
Impressive
City looked back to their attacking best, responding to that defeat by Spurs in emphatic fashion. From the start they looked in the mood and were a constant threat. This wasn't the ponderous attack we have seen so far this campaign, Guardiola's side looked menacing and the 5-0 scoreline in no way flattered them.
For Burnley there are few positives to take out of this BUT whether they stay up this season - and it is early days - will not depend on the result away at the Etihad. While much will be made of the five they let in, the big worry has to be that they've scored only four goals in nine games this season.
04:52 PMFULL-TIME: City 5-0 Burnley
FULL-TIME: City 5-0 Burnley
Mahrez has a half chance to get his fourth of the afternoon but the Burnley defence gets back to smother the shot.
And that's it, the ref blows his whistle and it's 5-0 to the hosts.
04:49 PM87 mins: City 5-0 Burnley
87 mins: City 5-0 Burnley
The match is meandering to its conclusion, but City still find time to hit the post. De Bruyne puts in an overlap run and is played in by Mahrez just inside the box, the Belgian shoots first time and the ball smashes against the far post. That would have been no more than De Bruyne deserved.
04:44 PM84 mins: City 5-0 Burnley
84 mins: City 5-0 Burnley
Bit of a lull now - not a total surprise, City have the game well won and Burnley know there is absolutely no way back into this.
04:42 PM81 mins: City 5-0 Burnley
81 mins: City 5-0 Burnley
Good chance for Burnley as Taylor plays in a great cross from the left which evades Stones and then catches Rodriguez unawares - possibly not expecting the ball to beat the City defender - and the ball goes long.
04:39 PM79 mins: City 5-0 Burnley
79 mins: City 5-0 Burnley
Mahrez pops up on the left and floats in a ball which Fernandinho heads over.
04:38 PMAfrican ace
2 - Riyad Mahrez is only the second African to score a Premier League hat-trick for Man City after Yaya Toure against Fulham in March 2014. Super. #MCIBUR pic.twitter.com/H3UZukcpKy
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 28, 2020
04:36 PM74 mins: City 5-0 Burnley
African ace
2 - Riyad Mahrez is only the second African to score a Premier League hat-trick for Man City after Yaya Toure against Fulham in March 2014. Super. #MCIBUR pic.twitter.com/H3UZukcpKy
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 28, 2020
04:36 PM74 mins: City 5-0 Burnley
74 mins: City 5-0 Burnley
De Bruyne plays in a dangerous ball into the six-yard box and Peacock-Farrell in the Burnley goal does well, reading the play and coming out to intercept with Jesus lurking. But he fumbles it and it comes of his knee and into the box. Var, however, comes to his rescue and it is disallowed as the Brazilian striker was just offside.
04:33 PMHat-trick hero
Mahrez has his hat-trick! His first in a Man City shirt! 🙌
Pep Guardiola's side just love playing Burnley 🔥 pic.twitter.com/1JTYju63g9
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) November 28, 2020
04:32 PM72 mins: City 5-0 Burnley
Hat-trick hero
Mahrez has his hat-trick! His first in a Man City shirt! 🙌
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) November 28, 2020
Pep Guardiola's side just love playing Burnley 🔥 pic.twitter.com/1JTYju63g9
04:32 PM72 mins: City 5-0 Burnley
72 mins: City 5-0 Burnley
Benson has no options on the edge of the box for Burnley and fires wide from distance. For all of their attacking flair City have also impressed without the ball.
04:30 PM71 mins: City 5-0 Burnley
71 mins: City 5-0 Burnley
Barnes cuts on to his left just outside the box and curls in a shot that just goes wide. Can Burnley get a consolation?
04:29 PMGOOOOOAAAALLLL!! City 5-0 Burnley
GOOOOOAAAALLLL!! City 5-0 Burnley
Mahrez hat-trick - his first for City.
Clinical stuff - De Bruyne, in the middle of the pitch, plays in Foden (on for Torres) who crosses first time to the back post and Mahrez heads home.
The quality and speed of City today has been great to watch and tough to take for the Burnley backline.
04:26 PMGOOOOOAAAALLLL!! City 4-0 Burnley
GOOOOOAAAALLLL!! City 4-0 Burnley
That was quality from the hosts, changing angles and the attack. Mahrez plays in Walker on the overlap down the right and he pulls it back for Jesus who controls the ball before laying it off for Torres who passes it into the bottom corner.
Simple and stylish, it's clear City are back to their attacking best, it's the first time this season they've scored four.
04:22 PM61 mins: City 3-0 Burnley
61 mins: City 3-0 Burnley
Wood is fouled right on the edge of the box and Burnley have a free-kick. Benson somehow gets the ball up and over the wall and it's deflected for a corner. From the resulting set piece the Burnley players crowd Ederson and the keeper does well to punch clear. In the melee Tarkowski is hurt and there's a break in play while the defender is checked out.
Good stuff from Burnley, they are at least asking some questions of City this half.
04:19 PM60 mins: City 3-0 Burnley
60 mins: City 3-0 Burnley
Lowton crosses for Wood but City head it out, the ball finds its way to Rodriguez who gets in a vicious half-volley that is well saved by Ederson.
04:17 PM57 mins: City 3-0 Burnley
57 mins: City 3-0 Burnley
More slick stuff from City and they work the ball in from the left flank. Jesus tries to play in Mahrez, on the hunt for a hat-trick, but Taylor gets in a vital and very good interception.
04:15 PM55 mins: City 3-0 Burnley
55 mins: City 3-0 Burnley
Fernandinho on for Rodri crosses to the back post for Jesus and Lowton defends well, putting the Brazilian off enough to head wide.
04:13 PM53 mins: City 3-0 Burnley
53 mins: City 3-0 Burnley
McNeil hits Wood up front but the Burnley striker had strayed offside. Wood wanted the ball earlier and looks frustrated, but some promising signs for visitors.
04:12 PMCity slickers
188 - Since 2016-17 (when Pep Guardiola joined Man City and Burnley returned to the top-flight), Man City have scored 188 Premier League goals before half-time - 21 more than Burnley have netted in total in that time (167). Entertainers. #MCIBUR pic.twitter.com/1abkcF3iQy
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 28, 2020
04:11 PM50 mins: City 3-0 Burnley
City slickers
188 - Since 2016-17 (when Pep Guardiola joined Man City and Burnley returned to the top-flight), Man City have scored 188 Premier League goals before half-time - 21 more than Burnley have netted in total in that time (167). Entertainers. #MCIBUR pic.twitter.com/1abkcF3iQy
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 28, 2020
04:11 PM50 mins: City 3-0 Burnley
50 mins: City 3-0 Burnley
De Bruyne cuts in from the right and instead of playing in a pleading Jesus decides to fire in from long range. the shot goes high and wide and Jesus doesn't look best pleased.
04:10 PM47 mins: City 3-0 Burnley
47 mins: City 3-0 Burnley
Hum drum start to the second period at the Etihad. Burnley have a free-kick on the right, Westwood plays the ball in to the back of the box, City clear it but the ball finds its way back to Westwood who floats a ball across the box to Tarkowski who gets a nudge from Dias, the ref sees no fault with the challenge and Burnley's attack peters out.
04:06 PM45 mins: City 3-0 Burnley
45 mins: City 3-0 Burnley
Burnley are playing, you suspect, solely for pride now, they have to find some way to get into this game.
City open up the half with a long-range shot from Mahrez, the Algerian clearly fancies it today.
04:04 PMHalf-time debate
Half-time debate
This week saw the great Diego Maradona die, aged just 60.
Was he the greatest of all time? For what it's worth, I'd say 'definitely'. What do you think, here are Telegraph Sport's finest on who they think the finest footballer ever is.
03:51 PMMendy's marvelous finish
Man City are back to their ruthless best here! 🌪
Three first-half goals for the home side...
This finish from Benjamin Mendy 👌 pic.twitter.com/Z1bxPW438o
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) November 28, 2020
03:50 PMHALF-TIME: City 3-0 Burnley
Mendy's marvelous finish
Man City are back to their ruthless best here! 🌪
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) November 28, 2020
Three first-half goals for the home side...
This finish from Benjamin Mendy 👌 pic.twitter.com/Z1bxPW438o
03:50 PMHALF-TIME: City 3-0 Burnley
HALF-TIME: City 3-0 Burnley
The referee puts the visitors out of their misery. City have found their mojo and broken their run of only scoring one a game in emphatic style. Burnley have made too many mistakes, giving the ball away ushering City attacks. The hosts haven't looked those gift horses in the mouth and are well worth their three-goal advantage.
03:48 PM44 mins: City 3-0 Burnley
44 mins: City 3-0 Burnley
Burnley again give the ball away on the edge of the box and Jesus picks it up, ignores all his team-mates screaming for the ball and fires over from close range having wriggled away from the attention of the Burnley backline.
03:46 PM42 mins: City 3-0 Burnley
42 mins: City 3-0 Burnley
It's hard to see how Burnley get back into this. They needed to get the next goal at 2-0 down but at the moment it looks as though City have an extra man and for all the hosts' defensive frailties this season there is no way they are going to surrender this three-goal advantage. City have their swagger back and it's a case of how many they'll win this now.
03:43 PMGOOOOOOAAAALLLLL!! City 3-0 Burnley
GOOOOOOAAAALLLLL!! City 3-0 Burnley
Wonderful goal - City break quickly as Jesus drives at the Burnley backline before playing in De Bruyne who plays a fine ball over the defence to Mendy on the left side of the box. The Frenchman hits it first time right into the corner of the net, he caressed it in.
This is the City of last and previous seasons. They have got their attacking mojo back and it's a delight to watch.
03:40 PM34 mins: City 2-0 Burnley
34 mins: City 2-0 Burnley
Decent stuff from the visitors - Tarkowski plays a great long ball for Wood who heads it down to Westwood, he plays in Taylor whose cross finds the head of Barnes. The striker's header is easily dealt with by Stones but promising signs at least for Dyche's men.
03:35 PM32 mins: City 2-0 Burnley
32 mins: City 2-0 Burnley
This stat will shock no one as it's revealed City have made 262 passes to Burnley's 65.
03:32 PM29 mins: City 2-0 Burnley
29 mins: City 2-0 Burnley
Dias loses the ball near the halfway line, Burnley steal it and work it down the left flank, the cross cannot find Wood, but a glimpse of hope for the visitors.
03:30 PMA century of sorts for Mahrez
100 - Riyad Mahrez's opener for City was his 100th goal involvement in the Premier League (59 goals, 41 assists), becoming the sixth African player to reach this milestone in the competition after Drogba, Adebayor, Yakubu, Mane & Salah. Centurion. #MCIBUR pic.twitter.com/OsGaSQp5pI
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 28, 2020
03:29 PM25 mins: City 2-0 Burnley
A century of sorts for Mahrez
100 - Riyad Mahrez's opener for City was his 100th goal involvement in the Premier League (59 goals, 41 assists), becoming the sixth African player to reach this milestone in the competition after Drogba, Adebayor, Yakubu, Mane & Salah. Centurion. #MCIBUR pic.twitter.com/OsGaSQp5pI
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 28, 2020
03:29 PM25 mins: City 2-0 Burnley
25 mins: City 2-0 Burnley
The ball is in the net again BUT it's ruled offside. It would have been a very scrappy goal - definitely not one to rewind and watch again. Mahrez sent his cross towards the back post and Jesus looked to head home, but the ball hit against Torres and he was in an offside position. The keeper should have stopped it but a replay confirms the assistant ref made the right call.
03:27 PM23 mins: City 2-0 Burnley
23 mins: City 2-0 Burnley
De Bruyne sees Peacock-Farrell creeping out off his line and has a go from 40 yards out on the right flank. The keeper just gets back and tips over the bar.
As it's De Bruyne I'll say he definitely meant it.
03:24 PMGOOOOOOAAAAAALLLL! City 2-0 Burnley
GOOOOOOAAAAAALLLL! City 2-0 Burnley
Poor goal from Burnley's point of view, fabulous from the hosts' point of view.
Mahrez gets the ball on the byline, Mee inexplicablyallows him inside on to his dangerous left boot, the Algerian wriggles free from the attention of the Burnley backline and fires in from close range.
03:22 PM20 mins: City 1-0 Burnley
20 mins: City 1-0 Burnley
The ball comes to Stones on the edge of the box from a City corner and the defender shoots but it is blocked by Mee. City are seeing a lot of the ball but haven't created a clearcut chance over the past 10 minutes. Burnley are conceding space, dropping deep and allowing City the ball. They seem happy for the ball to go wide and to they defend the crosses.
03:19 PMMahrez makes his mark
"You blink, and they've created a chance already."
Liquid football as Mahrez puts Man City ahead! ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/Bm8OOjoz4N
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) November 28, 2020
03:18 PM15 mins: City 1-0 Burnley
Mahrez makes his mark
"You blink, and they've created a chance already."
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) November 28, 2020
Liquid football as Mahrez puts Man City ahead! ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/Bm8OOjoz4N
03:18 PM15 mins: City 1-0 Burnley
15 mins: City 1-0 Burnley
Tarkowski intercepts well from a Gundogan pass. De Bruyne has a free role and is popping up all over the pitch, Burnley are defending tenaciously and doing well to cut off any danger.
03:15 PM12 mins: City 1-0 Burnley
12 mins: City 1-0 Burnley
Burnley are settling down, they go long but cannot pick up the secondary ball, their midfield need to win those battles if they are to get back into the match.
03:12 PM8 mins: City 1-0 Burnley
8 mins: City 1-0 Burnley
Burnley are up against it at the moment. Mahrez again makes a dangerous central run in behind the backline, he just cannot find Jesus with the next pass. It's looking good for City they look dangerous when they have the ball, rather than predictable and ponderous, which they have done at times this season.
03:09 PMGOOOOAAAALLL!!! City 1-0 Burnley
GOOOOAAAALLL!!! City 1-0 Burnley
Great goal - movement, awareness and clinical finishing all wrapped up in a slick move - delightful.
Burnley lose the ball on the halfway line, the City attack move at pace playing a series of one touch passes, it finds its way to De Bruyne who plays in Mahrez and the Algerian slots home.
That's the City that terrorised defences last season, can they keep it up?
03:06 PM4 mins: City 0-0 Burnley
4 mins: City 0-0 Burnley
Gundogan plays in Torres just inside the box, he has acres of space but fires over the bar. He should have done better. Good movement by Jesus, who needs a good game, created the space for the Spaniard.
03:05 PM2 mins: City 0-0 Burnley
2 mins: City 0-0 Burnley
Mahrez wins a free-kick close to the byline. The hosts cannot create anything from the resulting free-kick as Tarkowski heads clear. Dyche will be pleased to see him and Mee back in defence together. You get the feeling a lot will depend on how that pair perform this afternoon.
03:02 PM1 min: City 0-0 Burnley
1 min: City 0-0 Burnley
From the start it's clear Burnley's front three are pressing right up on the City defence. They have not come here to just to defend.
03:01 PMWe're ready to go
We're ready to go
After a minute's applause for the great Diego Maradona - who is grandfather to Aguero's son - we're about to start.
03:00 PMBurnley's tactics
Burnley's tactics
By the looks of it Burnley have come here not to just sit back and defended with Rodriguez, Wood and Barnes all starting they will look to expose what has been, so far this season, a less than solid City backline.
02:57 PMPep's problems, 'blame me'
Pep's problems, 'blame me'
Here's what Luke Edwards had to write about Guardiola's trials.
"Pep Guardiola remains convinced Manchester City can do something special this season as he urged critics to blame him for the team’s inconsistent start to the campaign as well as their lack of goals."
02:52 PMBurnley's news is that...
Burnley's news is that...
...they could soon have new owners.
ALK Capital are moving closer to finalising a deal to buy the club - a takeover by the American sports investment company could be concluded before Christmas.
Talks are apparently at an advanced after months of negotiations and an extensive due diligence process.
Egyptian entrepreneur Mohamed Sayed Zein Elkashashy and Chris Farnell, a Cheshire-based sports lawyer, have also been vying for ownership of Burnley. However, ALK appear to be in pole position to acquire Garlick’s majority 49.24 per cent shareholding and John Banaszkiewicz’s 28.2 per cent stake in the Premier League club.
Here are the full details of what may be about to happen at Turf Moor.
02:47 PMBurnley fans look away now
1/12 - Burnley have won just one of their 12 Premier League meetings with Man City (D3 L8), beating them 1-0 in March 2015. The Clarets have shipped more Premier League goals against the Citizens than they have versus any other side (34). Apprehensive. #MCIBUR
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 28, 2020
02:44 PMSo what's gone wrong at the Etihad?
Burnley fans look away now
1/12 - Burnley have won just one of their 12 Premier League meetings with Man City (D3 L8), beating them 1-0 in March 2015. The Clarets have shipped more Premier League goals against the Citizens than they have versus any other side (34). Apprehensive. #MCIBUR
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 28, 2020
02:44 PMSo what's gone wrong at the Etihad?
So what's gone wrong at the Etihad?
Our very own James Ducker has pinpointed five things Pep needs to address to turn things around.
Foden itching for Silva role.
Rodri is no Fernandinho.
Bernardo Silva needs to find form.
There's a lack of width.
There's no substitute for Sergio Aguero.
Read the full, informative piece here.
02:39 PMSo...
So...
...the big news for City fans is that Foden and Sterling start on the bench and Aguero is deemed not even fit to do that. The side has been struggling for goals (it seems so strange writing that...) and Guardiola lines up with an attacking force of Mahrez, De Bruyne, Torres and Jesus. Will they be the ones to get City back on track to scaring the life out of opposition defences?
02:29 PMThis is the Burnley XI that will battle City
LINE-UP | Here is how the Clarets line-up against Manchester City this afternoon. ⬇️
A Premier League debut for goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell and midfielder Josh Benson. 👏#MCIBUR | #UTC pic.twitter.com/2hJ3PGm1il
— Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) November 28, 2020
02:28 PMThis is how City line up
Here's how we line-up this afternoon...👇
XI | Ederson, Walker, Dias, Stones, Mendy, Gundogan, Rodrigo, Mahrez, De Bruyne (C), Torres, Jesus.
SUBS | Steffen, Sterling, Bernardo, Fernandinho, Cancelo, Foden, Garcia.
📋 @HaysWorldwide
🔷 #ManCity | https://t.co/axa0klD5re pic.twitter.com/FeOiZAHbKu
— Manchester City (@ManCity) November 28, 2020
02:19 PMHello and welcome
This is the Burnley XI that will battle City
LINE-UP | Here is how the Clarets line-up against Manchester City this afternoon. ⬇️
— Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) November 28, 2020
A Premier League debut for goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell and midfielder Josh Benson. 👏#MCIBUR | #UTC pic.twitter.com/2hJ3PGm1il
02:28 PMThis is how City line up
Here's how we line-up this afternoon...👇
XI | Ederson, Walker, Dias, Stones, Mendy, Gundogan, Rodrigo, Mahrez, De Bruyne (C), Torres, Jesus.
SUBS | Steffen, Sterling, Bernardo, Fernandinho, Cancelo, Foden, Garcia.
📋 @HaysWorldwide
🔷 #ManCity | https://t.co/axa0klD5re pic.twitter.com/FeOiZAHbKu
— Manchester City (@ManCity) November 28, 2020
02:19 PMHello and welcome
This is how City line up
Here's how we line-up this afternoon...👇
— Manchester City (@ManCity) November 28, 2020
XI | Ederson, Walker, Dias, Stones, Mendy, Gundogan, Rodrigo, Mahrez, De Bruyne (C), Torres, Jesus.
SUBS | Steffen, Sterling, Bernardo, Fernandinho, Cancelo, Foden, Garcia.
📋 @HaysWorldwide
🔷 #ManCity | https://t.co/axa0klD5re pic.twitter.com/FeOiZAHbKu
02:19 PMHello and welcome
Hello and welcome
This time last year Manchester City at home against side not just in the bottom half of the table but flirting with the relegation zone tended to mean one thing: sit back, put your feet up and watch a flood of goals. City under Pep Guardiola against any side showing weakness, under pressure and in need of points have been much like like a hungry lion picking off a weak, injured gazelle - clinical and merciless.
This year, however, is different and not just for the obvious reasons of there being no crowds, some ridiculous results and a Jose Mourinho seemingly happy with life. No, this campaign is remarkable for the fact that City look goal shy. Seemingly out of nowhere Pep's players have gone from blood-thirsty killers in front of goal to meek, lumbering also-rans.
This campaign has seen City not manage to score more than one goal in any of their past six Premier League matches, and their 12-point tally is their lowest after eight matches since the 2008-09 season. Their goal count of 11 is the fewest times they've found the back of the net in 14 years. They lie 13th in the table and come into the match on the back of a 2-0 defeat to Tottenham, looking a far cry from the side that could bend any match to their attacking will and virtually end a contest before half-time.
In need of a pick-me-up victory you could argue that Guardiola's side, at home, are up against the perfect opponents. Burnley have spent most of the season in the bottom three, have only one win to their name and have earned just two points from four away matches.
But this being 2020, and there being a perennial need to take some sort of positive from a host of negatives then Clarets fans can grab some crumbs of comfort from the fact that the side can equal the club's top-flight record of three successive away cleansheets today, a feat achieved most recently in 1955.
So, if the season's stats are anything to go by we should expect a low-scoring match with City just edging it. That doesn't inspire any neutrals wanting to see a goal-fest but Pep Guardiola's side still oozes attacking flair and class and there is a feeling that the team will click sooner rather than later.
Stay here to find out if they do and for all the pre-match news and analysis.