Premier League preview: Burnley vs Man City
With the new Premier League season getting underway at Turf Moor on Friday, Burnley would love to get a point or three on the board quickly. Good luck with that.
Under Vincent Kompany, Burnley have flourished with a more attractive, attacking approach than the team has often been associated with. They won the Championship with 101 points last season, embracing a style more akin to Pep Guardiola’s passing game – not a complete surprise, given Kompany’s links to the Manchester club.
Last time these sides met, City won 6-0
Still, if it’s difficult not to trot out the old pupil-vs-master line, it might be a bit much to expect the pupil to provide a lesson to his former master here.
In this opening game of the 2023-23 campaign, Burnley will hope to take something if possible. But they’ll also probably settle for any result that doesn’t inflict too much pain.
These two sides met in the FA Cup last season, at the Etihad, where the Clarets held out for half an hour. But once that first goal went in, it began something of a deluge; City won 6-0 in the end, Kompany’s men well beaten.
This one might not be such a battering for the hosts. But it’s difficult to see Guardiola’s side coming unstuck against motivated but outclassed opposition. At 9/4 to be relegated, our traders make Burnley fourth favourites to go down, with Luton, Sheffield United and Bournemouth ahead of them in the race no-one wants to win.
Will Haaland start strongly this week?
City were beaten in the Community Shield on Sunday, though it was a pretty tight affair. In any case, it’s probably wise not to read too much into that result.
Likewise, Erling Haaland has been quiet in recent outings for City. But after scoring 52 goals in all competitions last season he’s entitled to the odd underwhelming appearance. In any case, it would hardly be a surprise if he starts the new campaign with a goal or two.
Historically, it’s not a revelation to learn that City have had the best of it when these sides have met; in 20 Prem games, City have won 16, with Burnley winning just one. The last seven meetings between the two sides in all competitions have seen the Citizens rack up a total of 25 goals without conceding.
Here it comes then, the most obvious bet imaginable – but Man City to win and BTTS No combined in a double gives you odds of 23/25, which seems reasonable. For something a little dicier, City have won their last three league matches against Burnley 2-0; you can back that scoreline to come in again at 11/2.
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