Link copied to clipboard
We played a really good game, unfortunately we missed a lot of chances. We defended better in the second half. Second half we had less problems.
It was such a demanding game on Sunday. It is not easy after three days but in the Premier League you have to adjust. We are used to doing it. We competed really well, we made a really good game but it’s a pity the chances we had.
Link copied to clipboard
Burnley have a free-kick in their own half, and this one is going to be launched forward.
City fail to clear their lines, and the home team have a corner after Edwards’ shot deflects behind!
Dubravka is coming up... Ward Prowse over it.
Guehi does well to head clear, and that is surely that.
Link copied to clipboard
Diligent defending from Florentino, the substitute, to run back to the edge of his back and make a crucial block to deny Cherki. City take the corner short, yet another shot blocked by Doku. Burnley’s players have defended their box stoutly.
Link copied to clipboard
O’Reilly has now missed a sitter! It would have been a sumptuous assist from Cherki, who somehow spotted an avenue to chip a pass through bodies, but the young midfielder failed to make clean contact from six yards out.
Four minutes of stoppage time to play.
Link copied to clipboard
Ward-Prowse with a free-kick in a crossing position, but Broja strayed offside so there was no nervous moment for City. It only takes a set-piece like that. Guardiola is very irritated on the touchline.
Bernardo has a shot blocked, before Haaland shoots at Dubravka.
Link copied to clipboard
Another City corner after Hartman defends against Savinho. Cherki involved in the build up yet again. Burnley stand firm to head clear, but City keep them penned in.
Bernardo waits and waits on the ball in the area – touch, touch, touch – before setting the ball back for Gonzalez to shoot. Great effort, but the ball whistles just wide. Burnley still in this, somehow.
Link copied to clipboard
Parker rolling the dice with another couple of changes: Flemming and Humphreys off, Broja and Florentino on. You would have got long odds on this scoreline when Haaland scored in the sixth minute. We have a contest going into the closing stages. Can Burnley fashion a moment?
Link copied to clipboard
Cherki has been like a one-man attack at times, which is not really the Guardiola model, but another mazy run wins a corner with Esteve blocking his cross. Taken short, worked across to Cherki again at the D. Bernardo then lifts a delightful cross to the back post, huge defensive header from Laurent.
City keep the pressure on with Bernardo and Nunes combining, Walker hooks clear the back post, before a Haaland volley flies over.
That was a more concerted spell of City pressure, Burnley cling on by their fingertips.
Link copied to clipboard
All City, knocking the ball around in the Burnley half, but their attacking play is a little laboured in comparison to that sparkling early period of the match.
Now Burnley come forward with a promising break... Flemming lifts a pass across the box, Foster slices a volley and then Anthony is flagged offside. A warning for City there, though.
Link copied to clipboard
Parker making a change: he has thrown on Lyle Foster for Tchaouna. Guardiola stood on the touchline, still barking instructions to his players. Esteve and Dubravka play a dangerous game with the ball at their feet with Cherki lurking but they get away with it.
Link copied to clipboard
That was one of City’s best attacks of the half with the ball flashing across the penalty area from the left, just beyond Haaland, and it came from Savinho in so much space. He lined up the strike, but Dubravka made an excellent save an outstretched leg.
From the corner, City worked another long shot for Cherki but he dragged it wide.
Link copied to clipboard
Guardiola has seen enough and has made a couple of changes: Ait-Nouri and Semenyo off, Gonzalez and Savinho on.
Cherki with some ball-juggling in the penalty area, but his flicked cross deflects into the arms of Dubravka.
Flemming does well to win Burnley a free-kick. The striker has enhanced his reputation in a difficult season, I’d say.
Link copied to clipboard
City’s away fans behind the goal they are attacking are starting to urge them on, a little frustrated that they have gone almost an hour without scoring that second goal. Even if Burnley were to score, you’d fancy City to find the winner, but they are maybe making this harder work than it needs to be.
Link copied to clipboard
Bernardo orchestrating a long spell of City possession but it ends with a Doku shot from range which was always rising over the bar.
Burnley win another free-kick in the City half, but Haaland defends well from Ward-Prowse’s delivery. Hartman and Anthony then slash at shots from distance when they could have brought the ball under control.
Link copied to clipboard
You cannot fault the professionalism of Burnley’s players, who are putting in a right shift in their defensive shape. City have a grip of the game now after that sloppy few minutes, but the home team are making it as difficult as they can.
Link copied to clipboard
Kyle Walker fancied a run in behind the City defence, but he had just strayed offside. Cherki almost pulled off an outside of the foot pass between about four Burnley players but it was cut out. Great vision, but can also lead to giveaways.
Then Haaland hits the post! Was a weak clearance to the edge of the box, but the striker’s right foot shot clipped the post with Dubravka beaten.
Link copied to clipboard
Walker with some good defending against Doku, and this has been quite a lively start to the half from Burnley, they are winning some second balls and playing from there. Guardiola unhappy on the touchline, his players are seeing the full range of hand gestures. Well, not quite the full range.
Link copied to clipboard
Another very wasteful moment from City, with Cherki running at Burnley’s defence with so much time and space, but his weight of pass forced Semenyo to stretch and he slashed his shot over the bar.
Burnley have a corner now, though. Nunes defends well on the cover against Anthony, who was found by a Flemming flick on.
Link copied to clipboard
Clever throw-in routine from Burnley, shaping to take a long one but throwing short before delivering a dangerous cross into the area. Well defending by City. At the other end, City’s press pinches the ball off Burnley but Semenyo’s touch was heavy.
Link copied to clipboard
Burnley get the second half started, and they go long from kick off.
Link copied to clipboard
Khusanov a little hesitant on the ball, before Ward-Prowse pounces on a loose touch from O’Reilly. A chance for the former Southampton man to put the ball in mixer.
That would be doing Ward-Prowse’s right foot a disservice, because he curls a delicious cross behind the City defence and it becomes a scramble at the back post. O’Reilly blocks and Burnley have a corner. City clear.
Link copied to clipboard
Cherki with a delightful left-footed pass inside the full-back for Doku to chase, but Haaland did not quite get across Esteve to convert the cross. Burnley defend the corner, and Ait-Nouri’s shot from distance is tame.
Link copied to clipboard
Dubravka does well to punch a wicked inswinging corner from Ait-Nouri off the line, before Haaland is penalised for a foul in the box. Burnley have the half-time whistle in their sights now. It would almost feel an achievement to walk back to the dressing room just the one down.
Link copied to clipboard
For once Cherki’s touch lets him down after being found by Semenyo in the box. Semenyo did not have his best game against Arsenal but he has been far more prominent tonight.
Link copied to clipboard
The respite did not last long for Burnley, with Cherki spinning away from them in midfield and carrying the ball all the way to the edge of the box, some 50 or 60 yards. As the attack continued, the ball was set back to Ait-Nouri but he was always leaning back.
Link copied to clipboard
Dubravka is fit to carry on, and Burnley survive the corner. Laurent accidentally stands on Doku’s foot which is a sore one for the City winger, but Burnley have the free-kick on halfway and some respite.
Link copied to clipboard
Semenyo and Cherki with a fantastic exchange of passes down the right side, and Doku’s cross is blocked. City corner, but Dubravka is down and receiving some treatment on what looks a knee problem.
Link copied to clipboard
This is more like the game I was expecting to watch: it is now an attack against defence session around the Burnley box. City with one-touch football involving Semenyo and Cherki around the edge of the box, with O’Reilly testing Dubravka with a curling shot from the D.
Promising break from Burnley though, with Tchaouna playing a superb outside of the foot pass to Flemming, but Khusanov’s recovery run was enough to put the striker off and his shot was sliced.
Link copied to clipboard
Hartman tries to get tight to Semenyo, but the City winger rolls his and shows him a clean pair of heels. Ait-Nouri whips in the resulting corner to the back post, where O’Reilly directed a header on target which Dubravka scooped away.
Link copied to clipboard
City calming the game down now with longer spells of possession in the Burnley half. For all the talk of goal difference, they will not want the game to become too helter-skelter and risk a shock result. Remember Liverpool going 3-0 up at Crystal Palace in 2014 and chasing more goals? Don’t think we’re in any danger of a repeat with City.
Link copied to clipboard
Cherki showing his dexterity again, dribbling from right to left across the penalty area, but his low shot was well blocked. The only risk for City in the final third is over-elaboration. They look so dangerous every time they come forward.
Link copied to clipboard
Another good chance for Burnley, created by a pass whipped behind City’s defensive line. Flemming took a couple of touches to set himself, and for a second Donnarumma had lost his footing, but the Burnley striker dragged his shot wide with defenders recovering.
So City are in front but Burnley have got in behind Guardiola’s side on three occasions in the first 17 minutes and if they had someone with Haaland’s prowess and cool head in front of goal they might have scored by now. Guardiola won’t be happy with the space they’ve leaving at the back and how passive they’ve been defending their box.
Link copied to clipboard
Haaland with a deft touch back to Cherki in the area, but Burnley just about defend. It all came from Ait-Nouri picking off a Dubravka diagonal pass. City’s forwards are playing some slick football around the edge of the box.
Link copied to clipboard
Burnley have tried to be positive, pressing when they get the chance and committing numbers forward, but you wonder if that Liverpool game would have been a wiser template. They look a threat, but this approach runs the risk of tonking.
Link copied to clipboard
This has been a wide open start to the game: seconds after Haaland’s goal hit the back of the net, Burnley had the ball in the City box and Humphreys’ shot on the turn was blocked. Then Haaland almost bustled his way through again. There are going to be more goals in this one.
Link copied to clipboard
Doku and Haaland combine to devastating effect to exploit the space behind a Burnley defence caught upfield. Doku takes the ball in and gets turned, releasing Haaland who streaks away into the acres of green grass. Haaland takes his time, waits for Dubravka to commit, and then dinks the ball into the far corner.
Link copied to clipboard
Donnarumma called into action! That would have been a turn up. Great effort from Jadon Anthony, cutting inside from the left after City lost the ball in midfield, but the goalkeeper batted the shot away.
Then Dubravka makes an even better save at the other end. Bernardo waltzing his way through the Burnley players who are scared to touch him in the box, and Cherki’s shot was destined for the roof of the net before Dubravka tipped the ball on to the bar.
Link copied to clipboard
The early signs are that Bernardo and O’Reilly are going to almost play as a midfield pair, with the more experienced player close to the 21-year-old. When Burnley played Liverpool in the season’s early weeks, the bus could not have been more parked and it will surely be a similar approach tonight.
Bernardo then drives through the heart of Burnley’s midfield and things opened up for a shot at the top of the box, but his effort was blocked.
Link copied to clipboard
Man City get the game started.
There are a lot of empty seats in the home sections of Turf Moor. It’s been a tough season for Burnley back in the Premier League and a swift return to the Championship will be confirmed tonight if they lose. But they could yet have a big say at the opposite end of the table. City will be desperate to make this as smooth a night as possible and a victory would move them above Arsenal.
Link copied to clipboard
Sometimes you have to be good in the past. Arsenal have been better so far. Tonight we can equalise and get the same points. We have to do what we have to do on the pitch. To win points we have to do something.
Link copied to clipboard
An image that sums up the form of Rayan Cherki and the uncoachable ability he is bringing to this City team.
Link copied to clipboard
Speaking to Gary Neville on The Overlap earlier this season, Walker said Doku was “horrible” to play against and that Guardiola would put the pair against each other in training. Walker might not thank his former boss for the reunion tonight, it promises to be hard work for the full-back and his Burnley team-mates.
Link copied to clipboard
Thom Gibbs looked back through some of the Premier League’s closest title races to find out whether it is better to be leading or chasing in April. The final scores were surprisingly close, but Manchester City have tended to come out on the right side of them.
Link copied to clipboard
Burnley XI: Dubravka, Walker, Esteve, Ekdal, Humphreys, Hartman, Tchaouna, Ward-Prowse, Laurent, Anthony, Flemming
Subs: Broja, Edwards, Foster, Lucas Pires, Florentino, Tresor, Ugochukwu, Weiss, Worrall
Link copied to clipboard
Man City XI: Donnarumma, Nunes, Khusanov, Guehi, Ait-Nouri, Silva, O’Reilly, Semenyo, Doku, Cherki, Haaland
Subs: Trafford, Stones, Reijnders, Savinho, Marmoush, Kovacic, Gonzalez, Foden, Ake
— Manchester City (@ManCity) April 22, 2026Your City side to take on Burnley! 👊
XI | Donnarumma, Nunes, Khusanov, Guéhi, Ait-Nouri, Bernardo (C), O'Reilly, Semenyo, Cherki, Doku, Haaland
SUBS | Trafford, Reijnders, Stones, Ake, Marmoush, Kovacic, Nico, Savinho, Foden
Link copied to clipboard
My colleague James Ducker wrote this piece before the weekend when City won at Chelsea and Arsenal lost to Bournemouth, so that contrast is even more stark now. City rack up points in April better than any team in the country, while it has been a weakness for Arsenal under Arteta.
City have established a similar kind of aura in the Premier League, a competition they have won six times in the previous eight seasons, and if there is one team a wobbling Arsenal would not want chasing them down it is Guardiola’s serial winners.
You can read the piece in full here.
Link copied to clipboard
Manchester City have not been top of the Premier League since the opening weekend of the season but they will usurp Arsenal at the summit tonight with a win at Burnley.
Victory would put City top courtesy of a superior goal difference if they win by two goals or more, or on goals scored if they win by just the one.
The more realistic Arsenal fans tuning into watch will be hoping Burnley, who will be relegated by a City win at Turf Moor this evening, can simply keep the score down.
City’s 2-1 victory over Arsenal in Sunday’s entertaining duel between the country’s two best teams means the title race is now in their hands and could go to the wire.
Technically speaking, it is in Arsenal’s hands too because the two teams will be level on points and close enough on goal difference, but that measure should favour a City team full of firepower.
They have found form and tactical balance at just the right time: Marc Guehi has settled into the heart of their defence, Nico O’Reilly is flying at left-back, Rodri and Bernardo Silva are rolling back the years in midfield and an awesome foursome of Antoine Semenyo, Rayan Cherki, Jeremy Doku and Erling Haaland leads the attack.
The expectation is that City will reel off six more wins on their way to a seventh league title under Pep Guardiola while Arsenal fall away, but both contenders still have a lot of football to play.
Burnley lost 2-0 to Arsenal, 1-0 to Liverpool and drew 2-2 with Manchester United at Turf Moore, so Scott Parker’s team have been relatively competitive against the big teams at home, but this is an even harder task.
It is an unlikely outcome, but the title could be decided by goal difference so City will not relent should they get in front tonight. Rodri misses the game with a groin injury.
Full team news on the way shortly.
此内容由惯性聚合(RSS阅读器)自动聚合整理，仅供阅读参考。 原文来自 — 版权归原作者所有。