Manchester City secured their 10th victory in 11 undefeated matches across all competitions, with Erling Haaland making a 20-minute appearance after recovering from a foot injury. The team’s quest for an unprecedented fourth consecutive title continues smoothly, highlighted by Julián Álvarez scoring twice on his 24th birthday, bringing his total to 15 goals.
Haaland, stepping in for the first time in 10 games, had an opportunity to score his 20th goal of the season, but surprisingly missed. Nonetheless, both he and manager Pep Guardiola were unfazed, focusing instead on the win and keeping up the pressure on Liverpool. City remains five points adrift of Liverpool, with a game in hand, and ties Arsenal with 46 points.
Guardiola acknowledged the challenge, noting the quality of teams like Arsenal and Liverpool, and emphasized the importance of staying in contention. He also mentioned that Tottenham and Aston Villa, both with 43 points, are still in the race.
Manchester City’s Dominance in Key Match Moments
In the first half hour of the game, Manchester City displayed their superiority with two quick goals, effectively sealing the match’s outcome. Matheus Nunes played a pivotal role, first having his shot blocked and then setting up City’s opening goal. He exchanged passes with Phil Foden and dashed down the right, closely followed by Josko Gvardiol. Nunes then expertly located Julian Álvarez in an ideal position for a header, leading to an effortless goal.
At that point, the other team’s manager, Vincent Kompany, went back to the bench to vent his disgust at how easily City scored. Unfortunately for Burnley’s goalkeeper James Trafford, Jérémy Doku was given too much room to cross the ball shortly after. Still, Burnley came dangerously close to sustaining more harm.
The respite was brief, as Kevin De Bruyne’s dynamic midfield run drew a foul. Demonstrating quick thinking, De Bruyne skillfully directed a free-kick around the wall to Álvarez, who struck it perfectly past Trafford. This assist marked a milestone for De Bruyne, surpassing Wayne Rooney with his 104th Premier League assist, a testament to his enduring class and contribution to the league.
After 22 minutes, City held a 2-0 lead, suggesting an easy victory in their 21st league match. However, a defensive effort by Gvardiol, who slid to block Lyle Foster after Wilson Odobert set him up, kept the game alive. Guardiola, who had just praised a coach for a free-kick strategy, became stern, urging his team to be more alert.
The city took action and did it well. Foden came close to scoring after being set up by Gvardiol’s fingertip pass. Burnley, meanwhile, kept losing and fell farther down the league cellar. They hadn’t won in four matches. While Burnley just averted any defeats, Nunes, who was lively in a flexible position, made a move on the left and sent the ball towards the goal. As a result of their obvious superiority, City nonchalantly fired at Trafford’s goal. From a cross-field pass, Gvardiol came close to scoring.
Foster closed the first half with a bold move and a shot that just missed Ederson’s left post, offering a slight ray of hope for Burnley.
But that confidence was shattered in the span of 27 seconds in the second half. After receiving a ball from Foden on the right, Rodri expertly hit the bottom left corner of Trafford’s goal.
Match Recap: City Dominates Burnley in FA Cup Clash
There were renewed fears of a similar occurrence after City’s breathtaking 6-0 FA Cup triumph against Kompany’s club last March. On a breakaway, Burnley had a golden chance, but Zeki Amdouni sent the ball over the bar.
Adding to Burnley’s woes, Haaland’s entrance to warm up ignited excitement among the City fans. The Norwegian striker observed from the sidelines as City maintained smooth control of the game.
Despite the game’s lackluster momentum, City’s only worry seemed to be complacency. Guardiola, recalling Haaland’s last appearance in the 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa, decided to bring him in. Meanwhile, Burnley showed resilience at the other end of the pitch. A confrontation arose between Connor Roberts and John Stones, resulting in bookings for both Roberts and City’s goalkeeper Ederson. In a late twist, Ameen al-Dakhil scored a consolation goal for Burnley.
Reflecting on the defeat, Kompany acknowledged the disappointment but emphasized the need to focus on their upcoming match against Fulham.
