Manchester City 1 Burnley 0: City player ratings as Pep Guardiola’s side go top of the Premier League

Manchester City 1 (Erling Haaland 5′)

Burnley 0

Here are the City player ratings and match report as Manchester City beat Burnley 1-0 to move to the top of the Premier League table.

A fifth minute goal from Erling Haaland was enough for City to pick up all three points and confirm Burnley’s relegation to the Championship.

City dominated the match, and should have scored more than one goal, but they did the job they had to do and that was the most important thing City had to accomplish tonight.

The biggest surprise when the starting lineups were announced was that Nico didn’t take Rodri’s place in the starting lineup.

With Rodri injured, it did seem that Nico would be a shoe-in to start.

However Rayan Ait-Nouri replaced Rodri for tonight’s match with Nico O’Reilly slotting into midfield alongside Bernardo Silva.

First half.

Erling Haaland gives Manchester City the lead with a classy finish.

Manchester City took the lead in the fifth minute.

Nico O’Reilly and Marc Guehi combined to play the ball out from deep in their own half and long ball from Marc Guehi was played to Jeremy Doku on the left on the halfway line.

Doku played a superb through ball to Erling Haaland, which sent the Norwegian international away.

Haaland kept his head and beat the oncoming Martin Dubravka with a neat chip to give City an early lead.

Both teams had their chances after Erling Haaland’s goal.

Burnley fashioned themselves a good opening immediately after Haaland’s goal, but some desperate defending from the City defence prevented the hosts from getting a shot away.

Rayan Cherki saw a shot blocked in the 8th minute from a great position as Pep Guardiola’s side pushed for a second goal.

Former Manchester City captain Kyle Walker played a superb ball from the right in the 16th minute, creating a chance for Burnley striker Zian Flemming.

Walker’s ball found Flemming in acres of space in the middle.

However, Flemming lacked any poise, took too many touches, and scuffed a weak shot wide.

It was a warning to Manchester City that they couldn’t relax after taking an early lead.

Two quality set-pieces from James Ward-Prowse for Burnley did create half an opening for the hosts, but some desperate City defending denied them an opportunity to get a shot on goal.

When the halftime whistle blew, Manchester City led 1-0 and were sitting top of the Premier League.

However, Burnley had created some half-chances, and City would be wanting to put their foot down in the second half to ensure they got the job done at Turf Moor.

Second half.

Manchester City picked up where they left off immediately after halftime.

Antoine Semenyo saw a shot blocked almost straight after the interval.

In the 49th minute, Antoine Semenyo fired over the bar from a great position after Rayan Cherki picked out the Ghana international in space on the right-hand side of the Burnley area.

However, Semenyo fired over the bar from eight yards out.

Burnley gave away the ball in midfield which allowed Rayan Cherki to run at their defence in acres of space.

Erling Haaland hit the post in the 55th minute.

Matheus Nunes kept hold of the ball superbly well in midfield and played it to Antoine Semenyo, who was breaking into the Burnley area.

Semenyo’s touch got stuck under his feet, and the ball ricocheted back to Haaland.

The Norwegian international hit a right-footed shot on goal, which hit the far post and stayed out.

You did begin to wonder if it was going to be one of those nights for City following that moment.

As the game ticked over the hour mark, you could sense the frustration as Manchester City hadn’t scored a second goal.

To Burnley’s credit, they wrre defending doggedly, and City were having a hard time breaking them down.

However, there were signs of nerves creeping into Manchester City’s play.

Bernardo Silva gave away the ball in a dangerous position in his own half on the hour mark when his team was playing out from the back.

The City defence cleared the ball as the stakes of tonight’s game become to creep into proceedings.

Manchester City push for a second goal as the game enters the final twenty minutes.

Pep Guardiola’s side were pushing for a second goal as the game entered the 70th minute.

Rayan Cherki played in Marc Guehi on the left, and the England international played a ball towards Erling Haaland.

However, Guehi’s ball was just behind Haaland, and the chance fell to Savinho at the back post.

Savinho took his time and got a shot on target.

But a combination of Martin Dubravka and the Burnley defence cleared Savinho’s tame shot off the goal line.

As the game entered the final ten minutes, Manchester City were pressing for a second goal.

Burnley’s resolute defending frustrated Pep Guardiola’s side, and Erling Haaland fired a volley over the bar after being teed up by Rayan Cherki’s cross from the right.

Nico would fire a shot inches wide of the goal in the 86th minute.

Bernardo Silva fashioned City a chance with some neat footwork and he set Nico uo for a shot from the edge of the Burnley area.

Nico’s low drive went just wide with Martin Dubravka beaten as Manchester City’s frustration continued.

Burnley would have a corner in the 94th minute which would be their final chance to find an equalizer.

However the City defence would clear the ball and the game was over.

Manchester City did what they had to to do to move back to the top of the Premier League.

After Erling Haaland opened the scoring in the fifth minute, it did seem that Manchester City would run away with the game.

However, Burnley defended for their lives and City squandered a host of chances throughout the match.

But, Manchester City’s mission was to pick up three points at Turf Moor tonight and they did just that.

Pep Guardiola’s side move to the top of the Premier League table with their win, meanwhile Burnley’s relegation to the Championship has now been confirmed.

City sit top of the Premier League and now the heat of the title race will well and truly be turned up over tje final five games of the season.

City player ratings

Gianluigi Donnarumma-6/10: Had absolutely nothing to do in goal so his rating can only be the standard 6/10.
Matheus Nunes-7/10: Did his job both defensively and in possession.

Abdukodir Khusanov-7.5/10: Manchester City’s man-of-the-match alongside Rayan Cherki in my opinion.

His pace kept Burnley out and he was very good in possession.

Marc Guehi-7/10: A good performance against from Guehi.
Rayan Ait-Nouri-6/10: Started tonight’s match with Rodri unavailable.

Ait-Nouri wasn’t poor by any stretch, but he couldn’t really influence the match.
Bernardo Silva-7/10: Once again, Bernardo did everything his team needed him to do.
Nico O’Reilly-6.5/10: O’Reilly wasn’t as impactful in midfield but he did his job.

He should hage scored late on but fluffed his lines.
Antoine Semenyo-5/10: In a continuation of his performance against Arsenal, Semenyo couldn’t get into tonight’s match.

His first touch was poor and that greatly limited his impact.
Rayan Cherki-7.5/10: Cherki was brilliant in the first half, but his influence on the match wasn’t as pronounced in the second half.

Still, he was easily the most dangerous player on the pitch by some distance.

Jeremy Doku-7/10: Grabbed an assist when his ball set up Erling Haaland’s goal.

Outside of that, Doku didn’t offer a lot up against Kyle Walker.

Erling Haaland-7/10: Haaland scored the winner and had other chances to add to his tally.

A solid performance from Haaland.

Substitutes

Nico-6/10: Came on for Rayan Ait-Nouri and did offer solidity to Manchester City’s midfield.

Savinho–6/10: As he does, he tried hard on the right wing but lacked any end product.