Premier League: Erling Haaland nets brace as Manchester City cruise past Burnley in season opener
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Updated 12/08/2023 at 10:19 GMT
It was as though last season had simply carried on for Manchester City as they cruised to a very comfortable victory over Burnley and showed whey they are again the team for everyone else to target in this Premier League season. Erling Haaland again showed why he is such a special goalscorer. Remember, Arsenal v Nottingham Forest will be live on TNT Sports 1 from 11.00am on Saturday, August 12.
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Manchester City started the new Premier League season in emphatic fashion, as they strolled to a 3-0 victory over newly promoted Burnley.
It took just four minutes for the defending champions to take the lead at Turf Moor, and there was no looking back from there, as they sent out a clear signal of intent for the new campaign.
The Clarets made the worst possible start, with Erling Haaland volleying the visitors in front with the first attack of the game. However, the hosts were far from deterred and Zeki Amdouni saw one shot saved before Lyle Foster curled narrowly wide.
Those hopes of a comeback were extinguished before the break, though, thanks to Haaland grabbing his second from Julian Alvarez’s pass, brilliantly finding the far corner via the bar.
Pep Guardiola’s side came close to extending their advantage after half-time, only for Burnley debutant and former City youngster James Trafford deny Rodri on two occasions.
The Spaniard would get his goal though, rounding off a sublime individual display by smashing home after a free-kick into the box wasn’t cleared.
Burnley's misery was then compounded in injury time as Anass Zaroury was sent off for a poor lunge on Kyle Walker.
TALKING POINT - Same old City, but De Bruyne concerns
Let’s be honest, it would have taken a brave person to predict anything other than a Manchester City win tonight, but they have certainly started the season in ominous fashion.
Last year’s treble winners didn’t have things all their own way though, with Kevin De Bruyne worryingly limping off injured in the first half, something that will give Guardiola much cause for concern after the Belgian's injury problems last year.
Even so, just as they were in 2022/23, City were clinical without their captain, proving as calm and composed as you would expect in possession. Having won 13 of their final 15 league matches last season, they have started the new campaign in a victorious fashion, although Newcastle in their next top flight outing could provide a sterner test.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH
Rodri (Manchester City). The midfielder really is a Rolls Royce of a player, gliding through matches and dictating the tempo as he goes along.
It was his cushioned header to Haaland that helped City get off to the perfect start, and neither he nor his teammates looked back from there.
There will be games where he is afforded less time and space on the ball, but this was an occasion where he ran the show, with Burnley unable to get close to him.
PLAYER RATINGS
BURNLEY: Trafford 7; Roberts 6, O’Shea 6, Al Dakhil 6, Beyer 6; Koleosho 7, Berge 4, Cullen 6, Vitinho 5; Amdouni 6, Foster 6. Subs: Larsen 6, Zaroury 5, Benson 6, Brownhill n/a, Redmond n/a
MANCHESTER CITY: Ederson 6; Walker 7, Akanji 7, Ake 7, Lewis 7; Silva 7, De Bruyne 7, Rodri 9, Foden 7; Alvarez 7, Haaland 8. Subs: Kovacic 7, Palmer n/a, Laporte n/a, Gvardiol n/a, McAtee n/a
KEY MOMENTS
4’ GOAL! BURNLEY 0-1 MANCHESTER CITY (Erling Haaland). Well that didn't take long! City score with the first chance of the game as a cross into the box is nodded back across goal by Rodri. Haaland meets it, volleying into the back of the net with his left foot.
29’ FOSTER CURLS WIDE. Excellent play by Lyle Foster on the left, who steps in to pick up Rodri's pass, skips past Walker's tackle and then curls just wide of the far post.
36’ GOAL! BURNLEY 0-2 MANCHESTER CITY (Erling Haaland). What an attack from City! Walker gets down the right and finds Julian Alvarez with his pull back. The striker in turn slides a short pass to Haaland, who beautifully fires into the far top corner off the bar. Immense.
75’ GOAL! BURNLEY 0-3 MANCHESTER CITY (Rodri). If anybody deserves a goal, it's Rodri. A free-kick into the box causes havoc, with Burnley failing to clear and the ball eventually falling to the midfielder, who clatters home
90+4’ ZAROURY SENT OFF! The defender lunges in and plants his foot on Walker’s calf. The referee originally awards a yellow card, but after VAR asks him to have a second look, he upgrades to a red
KEY STATS
- Burnley lose their opening game of a Premier League season for the third time running
- Manchester City have now won 12 games in a row against Burnley, scoring 43 goals and conceding just once in the process
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