Sergio Aguero comes off bench to fire 10-man Manchester City to win over Burnley

Manchester City overcame Fernandinho's first-half red card to beat Burnley 2-1 in the Premier League at the Etihad Stadium.

Fernandinho saw red on 32 minutes for a two-footed tackle on Johann Berg Gudmundsson, his third sending-off in his last seven matches.

But 10-man City went in front just before the hour mark when Gael Clichy cut onto his right foot and curled a shot past Tom Heaton and into the far corner from the edge of the box.

Sergio Aguero, who started the game on the bench along with David Silva, John Stones and Pablo Zabaleta, made it two shortly afterward with a thunderous strike from a tight angle after Heaton had saved from Raheem Sterling.

Ben Mee pulled one back after a botched punch by City goalkeeper Claudio Bravo and an almighty scramble in the City penalty area, but City held on for a much-needed win that restores them to the top four with Tottenham and Arsenal yet to play their New Year fixtures.

City have a real discipline problem. That's now four red cards for City in the Premier League, the most of any team, and seven in all competitions. That's not just bad luck, that's a serious attitude problem. Fernandinho and Aguero have both shown in the past few weeks that they can be petulant and lash out when things aren't going their way. Against Chelsea the pair were riled by masters of the craft but the Brazilian's sending-off today was totally uncalled for. At worst Fernandinho can say he was frustrated that City weren't winning, but that's a pretty pathetic excuse.

City are now back in the top four with the gap to Chelsea cut to seven ahead of the Blues' trip to White Hart Lane on Wednesday. City fans may feel they're back in the title race but their main concern should be the top four, there is a very real chance they won't get into it. City were fine today without Fernandinho but he will miss crucial games against Everton and Spurs now, how big of an impact will that have on their season?

Tom Heaton (Burnley) - His team may have lost but in the first half Heaton kept his side in it. He made two terrific stops from Iheanacho and Sterling, in situations where other keepers may well have given away a penalty. He had to be alert to make a couple of other smart stops and he commanded his penalty box well.

In a game where few stood out Heaton's assurance was particularly noteworthy given another hugely unconvincing performance from Claudio Bravo. The Chilean's kicking was poor and his role in Burnley's goal was appalling. Both are international keepers but only one showed it today.

Manchester City - Bravo 4, Sagna 6, Otamendi 6, Kolarov 4, Clichy 7, Fernandinho 2, Toure 7, De Bruyne 5, Navas 4, Sterling 6, Iheanacho 4. Subs: Aguero 7, Silva 6, Stones 5.

Burnley - Heaton 7, Lowton 5, Keane 5, Mee 6, Ward 6, Boyd 5, Hendrick 6, Arfield 6, Gudmundsson 5, Gray 5, Barnes 5. Subs: Vokes 6, Bamford 5, Defour 5.

7' - DOUBLE SAVE! That's excellent goalkeeping from Tom Heaton. Iheanacho is played through and he looks to take it around the Burnley keeper but Heaton parries it away. The ball is then played to Raheem Sterling by Yaya Toure who tries the same trick but again Heaton reads it and does well.

19' - SAVE! Another good stop from Heaton. City have a corner and it goes short to Navas. He pulls it back to Toure who tries to curl one but Heaton is equal to it and parries it wide.

32' - RED CARD! (FERNANDINHO) Well that's just stupid from Fernandinho. City's captain for the today goes flying in two-footed on Gudmundsson with a scissor action and he's straight off.

58' - GOAL! MANCHESTER CITY 1-0 BURNLEY (CLICHY) That's a fine strike by Clichy. The ball came in from Sagna on the right but it is worked out to Clichy. He takes the ball onto his right and curls the ball into the bottom corner. Heaton had no chance, terrific finish.

62' - GOAL! MANCHESTER CITY 2-0 BURNLEY (AGUERO) Heaton makes another fine stop to deny Sterling but the ball falls to Aguero and he absolutely hammers it home. Replays show that Sterling actually tripped over himself which was impressive. Aguero's shot hit the inside of the near post and came in off Lowton. Still a fine finish.

71' GOAL! MANCHESTER CITY 2-1 BURNLEY (MEE) CHAOS! ABSOLUTE CHAOS! My word the scenes here. Corner comes in, it's flick on, Bravo punches it into his own player and it's cleared off the line. Then Mee smashes the ball into a player and it hits the crossbar. Then the ball is bundled over by Gray. However I think we're giving it to Mee.

90+1' - SAVE! Ward sends it in and Keane volleys into the ground. It's dipping in but Bravo tips it over. From the corner City win a free-kick.

Manchester City have kept just two clean sheets in their 10 games at the Etihad this season.

Gael Clichy's goal is just his third in 311 games, two for City and one for Arsenal.

City have won three consecutive games at the Etihad now.

Sergio Aguero has scored 113 goals for City, more than any other player since he joined the league.