Burnley vs Manchester City

Turf Moor is the venue as relegation-battling Burnley welcome table-topping Manchester City in a high-stakes Premier League showdown.

March’s international break interrupted Burnley’s dismal run of three consecutive Premier League defeats, handing under-pressure manager Sean Dyche’s a fortnight to rally his troops. Coming into this matchday, the ‘Clarets’ sit 19th in the table, three points adrift of safety, having won a league-low three Premier League matches this season (D12, L12). Much of Burnley’s disappointing league form has emanated from a blunt attacking line-up that has scored the division’s second-low 22 goals thus far, netting 2+ goals in a mere 19% of their top-flight outings (5/27). There’s a feeling that Dyche’s men will have to seek points elsewhere after going winless in their last 11 Premier League meetings with Man City (D1, L1), including three successive H2H defeats at Turf Moor by an aggregate score of 7-1.

In the meantime, Manchester City’s slight drop-off on the eve of the international break opened the door for Liverpool to sneak from behind and stake claim for the Premier League title. With just a single point dividing the sides ahead of the weekend, the ‘Cityzens,’ who are unbeaten in their last 14 away league games (W11, D3), can ill-afford another slip-up. Therefore, Man City’s visit to Burnley comes at an opportune moment for Pep Guardiola’s men, as they’ve won their last nine competitive H2Hs by an intimidating 32-1 aggregate scoreline. What’s more, the reigning English champions have racked up a resounding 24 victories across their last 26 Premier League fixtures against sides starting the day in the relegation zone (D1, L1). Yet, a goalless draw away to Crystal Palace last time out marked City’s fourth scoring blank this Premier League season, leaving them exposed to the possibility of failing to score in five top-flight games across a single season for the first time since 2016/17.