Manchester City host Burnley at the Etihad Stadium tonight and Pep Guardiola’s side are heavy favourites to record a victory against Vincent Kompany’s team
Pep Guardiola’s side have won three league games in a row since returning from their triumph at the Club World Cup. That has allowed the team to narrow the gap to leaders Liverpool to five points while having a game in hand.
City will be going up against a Burnley side in a relegation battle and the game will carry added significance for City legend and Clarets boss Vincent Kompany, who will be returning to the Etihad Stadium. Burnley have picked up four points in their last four league games and will hope to be refreshed after more than a fortnight’s break. However, the pundits agree that Burnley face an uphill task against a City side determined to make up ground in the title race.
Sutton told BBC Sport: “Former City defender Vincent Kompany will get a great reception when he brings his Burnley side back to Etihad Stadium, but I don’t fancy his chances of getting anything else.
“It’s a big night at the top of the table, with Liverpool playing Chelsea later on Wednesday, and I am not expecting City to drop any points. I like the way Burnley play football but they can be a little naive as well.
“It won’t be a pummelling but City should win comfortably, and the hardest thing for their title rivals to consider is that Kevin de Bruyne is getting fitter and Erling Haaland will be back in action soon. City have got such strength in depth and we have reached the stage of the season where they usually put their foot down. It would be a major shock if they slipped up at home to the Clarets.”
“Kevin de Bruyne is back and will play a key role in the Premier League title race, but I wouldn’t rush him if I were Pep Guardiola. They don’t really need him for a winnable home game against Burnley, so I think it’s best if he comes on against tired legs in the second half to get some game time under his belt.
“If De Bruyne does start, I think Phil Foden will be the one to miss out, as Bernardo Silva is too good a player for Guardiola to leave out of the starting XI. Jack Grealish has had a bit of a stop-start season, but he works his socks off in the big games and is a fantastic team player, so I expect him to play a big role for City in the coming weeks.”
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