Prediction: Manchester City vs Burnley

Verdict: Total goals over 3.5

Best odds: 4/5

Bookmaker: ZetBet

Vincent Kompany is set to make a return to his former home ground as he leads his Burnley side to the Etihad Stadium for a challenging encounter against the reigning Premier League champions, Manchester City, on Wednesday night.

This match marks the first meeting between the two teams since the opening weekend of the campaign in August last year, where Manchester City secured a comfortable 3-0 victory at Turf Moor.

Manchester City

Ending a five-game winless streak without scoring at the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Manchester City finally broke their hoodoo on the North London side with a narrow 1-0 victory over Ange Postecoglou’s team in the FA Cup fourth round last Friday.

Despite dominating possession, City seemed destined for another goalless outing against Spurs, but Nathan Ake’s 88th-minute strike, marking City’s first-ever goal with their 102nd shot at the venue, secured their passage to the FA Cup fifth round. In the upcoming round, they will face Luton Town away from home at the end of February.

Heading into the second half of the season, Pep Guardiola’s men have hit their stride in trademark fashion. They have won nine and drawn one of their last 10 matches across all competitions, scoring 28 goals since their 1-0 loss at Aston Villa on December 6.

Currently sitting second in the Premier League table, level on points with Arsenal and Aston Villa, City are playing catch-up, with Liverpool holding a five-point lead at the top, though City have a game in hand. They face Burnley on Wednesday with confidence, having won 16 of their last 17 meetings with the Clarets, including the last 12 in a row with an impressive aggregate score of 43-1.

Team News

Erling Haaland (foot) and Manuel Akanji (knee) are both uncertain for the upcoming match and will undergo assessments ahead of kickoff. However, there is optimism surrounding Haaland’s return, with Guardiola stating that he is “on the verge” of coming back after missing the last 10 games.

The availability of John Stones, who recently returned to the matchday squad against Spurs and was an unused substitute, remains uncertain. Consequently, the defensive lineup of Kyle Walker, Ruben Dias, Nathan Ake, and Josko Gvardiol may persist.

Guardiola has indicated that Kevin De Bruyne is nearing readiness to start. The playmaker, who has made three substitute appearances since recovering from a long-term hamstring injury sustained in the reverse fixture against Burnley, is now in contention to be included in the starting XI.

Burnley

Burnley will enter Wednesday’s match against Manchester City with a 19-day break for rest and preparation. Their recent outing resulted in disappointment as they settled for a 1-1 draw at home against Luton Town on January 12. Despite leading with Zeki Amdouni’s first-half goal, a controversial 92nd-minute equalizer from Carlton Morris, allowed to stand after a VAR review, left Burnley frustrated.

Kompany, expressing his displeasure, labeled VAR’s decision as a “joke.” Burnley currently sit 19th in the Premier League table, trailing five points behind safety, and face challenging fixtures against City, Liverpool, and Arsenal.

Burnley’s historical record at the Etihad Stadium has been dismal, with no wins in their last 16 top-flight away games against the reigning English champions since their 5-2 victory in March 1963. City, on the other hand, come into the contest with an impressive record, winning 15 of their last 16 Premier League matches against all newly-promoted teams.

Despite Burnley’s struggles, they have performed better on the road this season, accumulating twice as many points away (eight) as at Turf Moor (four). Additionally, over the last seven seasons, Burnley have won more away games against reigning champions than any other Premier League team, securing victories against Chelsea in August 2017 and Liverpool in January 2021. This history provides a glimmer of optimism for Burnley ahead of Wednesday’s clash. Just a glimmer, though.

Team News

Charlie Taylor is sidelined with a shoulder injury, while Nathan Redmond and Luca Koleosho are also facing extended periods out due to hamstring and knee injuries, respectively. Jordan Beyer (thigh), Hannes Delcroix (knock), Sander Berge and Aaron Ramsey (both illness) are doubtful for the upcoming match.

Hjalmar Ekdal, who has struggled with injuries this season, made his second Premier League start against Luton in the previous game and is likely to partner with Dara O’Shea in the centre-back area. Ameen Al-Dakhil is set to continue at left-back in the absence of Taylor.

Johann Berg Gudmundsson and 19-year-old Wilson Odobert are expected to provide width on the flanks for Kompany’s side. Zeki Amdouni is likely to join Lyle Foster up front.

Conclusion

Trailing Liverpool at the top of the table, City will surely enter this match decisively, seeing an opportunity to close the gap to Liverpool at the top of the table, with the Merseysiders hosting Chelsea on the same evening.

Burnley shouldn’t pose much of a challenge on that path.

Verdict: Total goals over 3.5

Best odds: 4/5

Bookmaker: ZetBet