Manchester City vs Burnley

Manchester City’s catch-up game with Premier League leaders Liverpool continues at the Etihad Stadium as the perennial champions entertain hot relegation candidates Burnley.

Back to Premier League action after a narrow 1-0 FA Cup win against Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City take the field in high spirits, buoyed by a seven-game winning streak across all competitions. More confidence stems from Pep Guardiola’s near-perfect managerial record against visiting Burnley, with the Spanish coach emerging victorious in 16 of his previous 17 H2Hs against the ‘Clarets’ (D1). On top of that, Guardiola’s charges have defeated Burnley in their last eight meetings without conceding a single goal. That’s not to mention they’re unbeaten in 29 consecutive Wednesday-held Premier League home fixtures, winning each of the last 18 on the trot! With only five points separating the ‘Citizens’ from Liverpool at the start of this round, an unprecedented fourth consecutive Premier League title is still on the cards.

On the other hand, Burnley’s last outing dates back to early January, when they threw away a narrow lead in stoppages to draw 1-1 against fellow newcomers Luton Town. That result at least ended their dreadful three-game losing streak in all competitions, albeit their position in the Premier League standings is still precarious. Stranded seven points adrift of safety, Vincent Kompany’s men have avoided defeat in only 29% of their top-flight assignments in 2023/24 (W3, D3, L15). Oddly enough, two of their three league victories this season have arrived on the road, though their last Premier League travel yielded a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Man City’s title rivals Aston Villa. Another disappointing outcome is a virtual-certainty, not least because their most recent top-flight away win against the ‘Citizens’ dates back to 1963!