Clarets suffer opening day loss to champions
Burnley fell to a 3-0 defeat to Manchester City in their opening Premier League fixture on Friday night as an Erling Haaland braced and Rodri strike secured the three points for the visitors.
Haaland fired in the opener in the fourth minute before curling home his second half-an-hour later to double City’s lead at Turf Moor before Rodri then sealed the victory for the away side in the 75th minute.
There were six debutants as Clarets boss Vincent Kompany handed starts to Sander Berge, James Trafford, Dara O’Shea, Zeki Amdouni and Luca Koleosho and introduced Jacob Bruun Larsen from the bench in the second half.
First Half
City got off to the perfect start in Lancashire when Kevin De Bruyne whipped in a fine cross to find Rodri at the back post with the Spanish midfielder heading it back across the face of goal into the path of Haaland to fire home in the fourth minute.
Kompany’s men looked for a response just 10 minute later when Amdouni found Koleosho inside the area but the young Italian forward could only lift it over Ederson’s crossbar.
The Clarets certainly settled into the clash after the early opener and were enjoying as much as the ball as their opponents as the hosts pushed for an equaliser.
Pep Guardiola’s men were then dealt a blow midway through the first half when De Bruyne was then forced to make way for Mateo Kovacic after picking up a knock.
Lyle Foster was next in line to attempt to grab Burnley’s first goal of the Premier League season, after seeing his effort fizz wide of the post from just inside the box.
Despite the Clarets’ constant pressure to level things up, it was the visitors who struck again when Julian Alvarez teed up Haaland lurking in the area to curl home an unstoppable strike into the back of the net.
Phil Foden tried his luck to add a third in stoppage time of the first half after racing into the area but an excellent challenge from Vitinho denied the forward to increase the lead.
Second Half
After a fairly even opening 10 minutes in the second half, it was Alvarez who carved open the first opportunity after breaking towards goal but his effort was struck well wide of the target.
Kompany turned to his bench on the hour mark as the home side searched for a way back into it as Anass Zaroury and Bruun Larsen were introduced with the latter on for his debut.
The Clarets were enjoying plenty of possession around the hour mark with Berge and Cullen looking to break up the play, as the Norwegian midfielder intercepted Bernardo’s pass before threading in Vitinho down the left.
The damage was increased with just 15 minutes left on the clock as Rodri hammed in from close range after picking up a loose ball from a corner.
The hosts’ night got worse in the final few minutes when substitute Zaroury was sent off for a challenge on Kyle Walker.
Burnley: Trafford, O’Shea, Beyer (Benson 72), Al-Dakhil, Roberts, Cullen, Berge (Brownhill 90), Vitinho, Amdouni (Zaroury 60), Koleosho (Bruun Larsen 60), Foster (Redmond 90)
Unused substitutes: Muric, Cork, Gudmundsson, Ekdal
Manchester City: Ederson, Walker (McAtee 90), Ake (Laporte 78), Akanji, Lewis (Gvardiol 78), Rodri, De Bruyne (Kovacic 24), Haaland (Palmer 78), Bernardo, Foden, Alvarez
Unused substitutes: Ortega, Phillips, Grealish, Gomez
Goals: Haaland 4’, Haaland 36, Rodri 76′
