Undefeated Premier League leaders Manchester City have an interesting match on Saturday as they host surprise package Burnley at the Etihad Stadium. Manchester City won both direct league meetings last season, both 2-1, but the season before that Burnley grabbed a 2-2 away draw against the Citizens before a surprising 1-0 victory at home. Overall, Manchester City won just three of their last six Premier League meetings against the Clarets but they have scored in all but one match.
Manchester City are starting to look like a football machine, similar to what used to be Pep Guardiola's Barcelona a few years ago. Last weekend they steamrolled past Stoke City to record a 7-2 victory, while in midweek they played very well and clinched a 2-1 Champions League victory over in-form Serie A leaders Napoli. Guardiola's men have scored no less than 29 goals in their 8 Premier League matches this season and have recorded 7 wins and a draw. Vincent Kompany and Benjamin Mendy are the only injury concerns for Guardiola, but the Spaniard might choose to rotate a few of his players after having fielded the same eleven in the last three matches.
Burnley have lost just one of their eight Premier League matches this season, and that was a 1-0 home defeat against West Bromwich Albion. They did a lot better against the big teams: 3-2 victory at Chelsea on the first day of the season, 1-1 at Tottenham and 1-1 at Liverpool. Last weekend they were held to a 1-1 draw at home by West Ham United, but their good defensive record continued as they have conceded more than one goal in just one of their league matches so far. Dean Marney and Nahki Wells lack match fitness and they won't be risked in such a big match, while Tom Heaton and Jonathan Walters remain sidelined.
Probable line-ups:
Man City: Ederson - Walker, Stones, Otamendi, Delph - De Bruyne, Fernandinho, D. Silva - Sterling, Jesus, Sane
Burnley: Pope - Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Ward - Brady, Defour, Cork, Arfield - Hendrick - Wood
My prediction: Manchester City to win 4-0.
Here are the odds for the match at Bet365:
Man City win - 1.08
Draw - 11.00
Burnley win - 26.00
Your feedback
Please enter your comment.
Your comment is added.
Comments (1)
sharpe
10/23/17, 08:10:00 AM
Didn't saw the game but from the scorecard it maybe wasn't that one-sided as the end result shows, I saw 2 of the 3 City goals were scored after the 70-th minute...
Didn't saw the game but from the scorecard it maybe wasn't that one-sided as the end result shows, I saw 2 of the 3 City goals were scored after the 70-th minute which shows Burnley were pretty much in the game till that point. City becomes to be the hardest favourite for the title now and no wonder when we see their level of performance compared to all the others, still a long season ahead though.
Show more
