Prediction: Burnley vs Manchester City

After moving 15 points clear at the top of the Premier League table, Pep Guardiola’s side now travels to Turf Moor to meet a Burnley side who have now failed to pick up a win in their last nine matches.

Despite starting the first half of the season brightly, Sean Dyche’s Burnley side have begun to struggle recently. Although the Clarets might be sat an impressive seventh the table, Burnley are now without a win in their last nine matches in all competitions. They have also lost their last two home matches at Turf Moor, to Liverpool and Man United, while they have already lost to City since the turn of the year too. A 4-1 FA Cup third round defeat, earlier this month. The mid-week draw with Newcastle saw Karl Darlow’s late own goal earn the Clarets their first point of the New Year.

Team News

Midfielder Steven Defour is set two miss the next two months with a knee injury. Having missed the mid-week game against Newcastle, he joins a lengthy injury list which already features goalkeeper (and club captain) Tom Heaton, winger Robbie Brady, defender Stephen Ward and attacking duo Jonathan Walters and Chris Wood.

Aaron Lennon could make his home debut after coming off the bench in midweek.

Manchester City

For the Premier League’s current runaway leaders, Pep Guardiola’s high-flying Manchester City side once again produced another professional performance in midweek. Picking up a 3-0 home win against West Brom, thanks to Manchester United slipping up, the Citizens have now moved 15 points clear at the top of the table. Currently on a four-match winning run since their first Premier League defeat against Liverpool earlier this month, City’s dominant form has seen them move 12 points clear of Manchester United who sit in second. For Guardiola’s Citizens, the blue half of Manchester have won a huge 21 of their 24 games so far this season, scoring 70 goals in the process.

David Silva is set to miss the trip to Turf Moor, after going off injured in the mid-week win against West Bromwich Albion. Club-record signing Aymeric Laporte made his debut in that win, with John Stones missing out through illness.

• Burnley have not won in their last seven matches against Man City (D3, L4).
• The Clarets have now failed to win in their last nine attempts (D4, L5).
• No team has scored more Premier League goals than Manchester City this year (73).
• Pep Guardiola’s side have now scored two or more goals in their last eight consecutive matches.
• Sergio Aguero has scored nine goals in his last eight matches.