Last updated & checked: 10/08/2021
Burnley face up to one of their biggest challenges thus far and a huge roadblock in their recent comeback following a largely disappointing end to 2018. They’ve struggled a lot the last few months. They find themselves hanging just above the relegation drop zone in the Premier League, with a 1-0 win over League One side Barnsley bringing them through to this stage of the FA Cup.
While their latter win was one to be proud of, it does pale in comparison to their opponent’s 7-0 mauling of Rotherham in the same stage. Speaking of the defending Premier League champions, they’ll be looking to make an example of Burnley to show off how much they’ve improved since their losses to Crystal Palace and Leicester. They will no doubt prove to be ferocious opposition for any team that stands in their way.
Manchester City vs Burnley Prediction: Man City 3-0 Burnley
Burnley have had a change of fortunes lately. After barely winning at all in the last three months of 2018, they managed to finish off the year with a win over West Ham and haven’t lost a game since. Despite their impressive performances, it’s hard to see them walking away with the win here.
Manchester City have been on fire since their disappointing December, besting Southampton, Wolves, Huddersfield and their prime Premier League rivals Liverpool in quick succession. The home side look to be returning to the peak of their powers, a position from which they are nearly unstoppable. For that reason, our predicted scoreline is a definitive 3-0 win for Man City.
Our recommended tip: Man City win to nil
It’s hardly a surprise that Man City have a major advantage when it comes to the odds. They currently sit 14 places above Burnley in the Premier League, with a huge 34 point lead on their opponents. Paddy Power are offering 1/16 odds on a home side victory, compared to very high risk 35/1 odds on Burnlyy causing a major upset. However, to increase your potential ROI, you can instead wager that Man City will win to nil – as they did against Rotherham in their last FA Cup match – to get odds of 4/6.
Previous matches
While Manchester City do hold the overall statistical advantage when it comes to the head-to-head history between these two, their true dominance in this fixture is shown through their more recent encounters.
The last time Burnley bested City was back in 2015 and while that doesn’t sound too bad, you should keep in mind that there are six games between that and this upcoming contest, with their last game ending 5-0 in City’s favour. Without that 2015 victory, we’d have to go all the way back to 1974 to find a Burnley win. Predictably, City have a clear advantage in previous matches.
Top 3 Premier League Bookies
Players to watch: Leroy Sané & Dwight McNeil
Manchester City: Leroy Sané
With a squad like Manchester City, so much talent stands out. Just looking at their goalscorers from the last few months gives us a remarkable amount of worthy candidates for players to watch. However, we’re going to go with Leroy Sané: the man who not only shone against Huddersfield in the midst of many brilliant performances, but who has also managed 12 assists in his last 12 league starts. If a ball hits the back of the net, there’s a good chance Sané is involved.
Burnley: Dwight McNeil
One of Burnley’s hottest prospects is, without a doubt, teenage midfielder/striker Dwight McNeil. He recently signed a four-and-a-half year deal with the club and didn’t waste any time, scoring his first goal during their December 2-0 win over West Ham. With a natural feel for the game, an excellent passing accuracy and a developing attacking pedigree, he could easily have been the difference maker in Burnley’s 0-0 draw against Watford. It will be interesting to see what he’s capable of against a team of Man City’s calibre.
