BURNLEY 0, MAN CITY 3
Erling Haaland ended a major blip by his high standards – only one goal in nine previous Manchester City appearances – with a brace as the treble winners made a winning start to their Premier League title defence.
The Norwegian must wish he could play Burnley every week as in his only other match against them last season he netted a hat-trick in a 6-0 FA Cup win.
Haaland’s two first-half strikes ensured it was a routine victory for City with Rodri also finding the net in the second period.
Incredibly, this was a 12th straight victory for City against the Clarets and they extended their unbeaten run against them to 17 games, a run stretching back to March 2015.
And the only dampener was seeing Kevin De Bruyne, only just back from injury, limp off midway through the opening half.
City manager Pep Guardiola said: “The first game against a newly promoted will always be difficult. They give everything but we were fortunate to find a goal so quick. We gave chance to them, and we have to improve, but we showed passion and heart.
“We started well. We found a goal, but we struggled a bit after. We gave away balls, our pass created problems but after a while we played much, much better.”
Guardiola also confirmed the injury to De Bruyne was a recurrence of the hamstring injury sustained in the final of the Champions League.
“He was injured again unfortunately. Same place and position as the Champions League and he will be out for a while,” he explained.
Embed from Getty ImagesGuardiola also revealed the conversation with Haaland as they were leaving the pitch at half time.
“He wanted the ball in behind to him and that ball hasn’t to be in behind. Sometimes you have to be patient to find the right moment,” he said.
“He was not frustrated. I am not frustrated. In football it happens. Don’t be dramatic.”
Haaland said: “Good to start again after two months without football. And good to start with a win of course.
“I think we were quite controlled, for the first game of the season, I think we did quite well. We are still kind of in the ‘starting phase’ of this marathon, but it is about not stressing, relaxing and focusing on ourselves.”
And on possibly continuing where he left off, Haaland added: “We’ll see about that. I just need to keep on working, trying to relax, not think too much about things, not focus on the negatives.
City went with the same side as last season so big-money centre-back signing Josko Gvardiol was on the bench alongside fellow Croatian Mateo Kovacic.
Haaland led the line with Julian Alvarez and De Bruyne was fit to start. Joao Cancelo was not in the squad and neither was Ruben Dias as Guardiola explained the central defender had suffered concussion in training.
Burnley boss Vincent Kompany, who had 11 seasons as a player at City, gave debuts to five of his summer signings on their Premier League return.
Swiss striker Zeki Amdouni started up front with Norway international midfielder Sander Berge, Italy youth international winger Luca Koleosho and Republic of Ireland defender Dara O’Shea also included.
Goalkeeper James Trafford made his top-flight debut against his old club.
Summer signings Nathan Redmond and Jacob Bruun Larsen were among the substitutes.
The players from both sides took the knee before kick off to a mixture of applause but a sizeable chorus of boos.
City got off to a flyer as they went ahead with just over one minute played as Haaland scored the first of I wonder how many goals this season.
Burnley, who struggled to defend from corners in the Championship, were undone from the first one they conceded in the Premier League.
After a short corner, De Bruyne crossed to the far post where Rodri head the ball back across the of goal for Haaland to force home from six yards.
City then survived a penalty appeal when Manuel Akanji had hold of Zeki Amdouni when he wriggled free in the box, but referee Craig Pawson waved play on and VAR validated that decision.
There was a worrying sight as De Bruyne, only just back from injury, was forced off midway through the opening half, but not a bad replacement in Kovacic, the summer signing from Chelsea.
Burnley grew into the game as Lyle Foster cut in from the left and fired narrowly wide, a warning sign for City.
But the home fans were silenced when Haaland added a second for City nine minutes before the break.
Alvarez provided the assist with a neat lay off as Haaland swivelled and fired home a shot via the underside of the crossbar, his fifth goal in two appearances against the Clarets.
City had chances to build on their lead early in the second half as Rodri’s drive was tipped over the Trafford who also dived to keep out Rodri’s header from the resulting corner.
Rodri was not to be denied with 15 minutes left when he netted City’s third.
Burnley were undone by another set-piece as the ball ran loose in the box for Rodri to smash home.
With the game won, that was time for Guardiola to make a triple change as Rico Lewis, Ake and Haaland were replaced by Gvardiol, Aymeric Laporte and Cole Palmer.
Burnley ended with 10 men after they had substitute Anass Zaroury sent off. Pawson initially handed out a yellow card but, after being send by VAR to the pitchside monitor, it was changed to red.
City made a fifth change as Kyle Walker was replaced by James McAtee.