FOOTBALL RETURNS: City look to make it back to back wins as they host Burnley

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Manchester City welcome Burnley to the Etihad on Monday evening, with Pep Guardiola’s side looking to back up last week’s 3-0 win over Arsenal.

City currently sit 2nd in the table, a remarkable 22 points off Liverpool who are closing in of the Premier League title, while Burnley find themselves in 11th with 39 points, five points off a European spot.

It has been an impressive second half to the season for the Clarets. They were flirting with relegation in their opening 19 games, but they have managed to work a way out of it and are comfortably placed in the table.

Victory for the Citizens would move them nine points clear of third placed Leicester, while a win for the visitors would move them above Arsenal into the top half of the table, and put Liverpool in the position to clinch the title in their clash with Crystal Palace on Wednesday night.

Guardiola remains without goalkeeper Claudio Bravo who has a thigh strain,  John Stones has an ankle injury is still trying to work his way back to full fitness, and Eric Garcia will miss out after being struck on the head in City’s 3-0 win against Arsenal. He will go through the Premier League’s concussion protocol.

As for the visitors, they will be without strikers Chris Wood and Ashley Barnes, as well as central defender Ben Gibson. Matt Lowton and Johann Berg Gudmundsson are all nearing returns and could be ready for the trip to the champions.

City boss disappointed that Leroy Sane doesn’t want to sign a new deal

“Leroy said he doesn’t want to extend his contract.

“It means he wants to leave. So that will happen this summer or at the end of his contract.”

Dyche on difficulties of dealing with injuries with games in short timeframes:

“It’s a challenge we’ve been through before. No-one wants that situation but unfortunately it has occurred so we will look to operate with the squad and make it as potent as we can do.”

Their last encounter

The two teams last met in December when City cruised to a comfortable 4-1 win at Turf Moor thanks to a brace from Gabriel Jesus.

At the time City were still in the title race, but results flattened after that resulting in the drop in the table.

 

 

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