Manchester City

John Bennett
BBC Final Score reporter at Etihad Stadium

He won the 'man of the match' prize against Burnley, was highly praised by manager Pep Guardiola in the post-match interviews and there was a buzz every time he received the ball on the left flank; Jeremy Doku is starting to feel like the key difference-maker for Manchester City this season.

In his chat with BBC Sport after the match, Guardiola highlighted that Doku is particularly important against teams who set up with a low block and he hinted that Doku's decision-making is getting better and better all the time.

On another day, Doku would've scored against Burnley and he deserved something to celebrate because his overall contribution was second to none, as he battled against his former captain Kyle Walker.

Doku continuing this form will be vital as Manchester City try to return to their best.

In his post match interview, Matheus Nunes admitted that the team are still trying to reach the levels of control they used to have in every game. That control element would be helped by a fully fit Rodri but, when it comes to flair, Doku is the man who can be relied on to get fans off their seats and drive forward the City attack.

He is a joy to watch and he must strike fear into every Premier League right-back right now.

Pundits Alan Shearer and Micah Richards join host Kelly Cates to bring you the action and talking points from Saturday’s Premier League fixtures.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Crystal Palace 2-1 Liverpool

• Nottingham Forest 0-1 Sunderland

Shamoon Hafez
Manchester City reporter

Image source, Getty Images

When Manchester City face Burnley, they always win.

For the 14th consecutive meeting in all competitions, City got the better of their opponents, while they have scored 51 goals and conceded only three during that run of results.

The hosts did not have it all their own way on Saturday afternoon though and the result could have been very different had Maxime Esteve not converted twice into his own net and had Erling Haaland's interventions late on not happened.

But City had 68% possession and posed a threat for large periods of the 90 minutes, highlighting why they cannot be ruled out of this season's title race after leaders Liverpool were beaten at Crystal Palace.

City often played some lovely interchanges in the final third and Tijjani Reijnders should have finished off one such move, but instead blazed over from the edge of the area.

It looked like being a rare off-day for striker Haaland, but the Norway international took his tally to 15 goals in nine games for club and country this season, continuing his blistering form by converting from Jeremy Doku's low cross in the 90th minute and running through to finish again three minutes later.

Portugal midfielder-turned-right-back Matheus Nunes did score from Haaland's assist and was heavily involved in the third goal, as it was his cross which was turned in by Esteve.

That goal left the result in no doubt and Haaland took the acclaim, as City picked up their 23rd victory in their past 25 matches against promoted sides.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola spoke to BBC Match of the Day after his side hit five goals past Burnley: "We behaved very well, the second half was much better than the first."

On winger Jeremy Doku: "He is so important when teams play in a low block. His decisions are becoming better and better."

On Rodri missing out on the squad: "I don't know right now how the pain is in his knee. He said to us that he was not ready to play [this weekend]."

Goalscorer Matheus Nunes also spoke to Premier League Productions after the match: "We shouldn't have conceded a goal, that's what we take from this game. It was a difficult game, but we controlled it better in the second half. It was a good victory.

"We are still trying to reach the level we used to be, with control in every game. We want to win every game but sometimes it isn't easy. We will get there."

Did you know?

• Jeremy Doku has three assists in his last three Premier League games for Manchester City, more than he had managed in his previous 17 appearances for the club (2).

• After scoring another two goals, Erling Haaland has scored more than once in 22% of his Premier League appearances (23 times out of 103), the highest share of any player in the competition's history.

Hear more from Guardiola on BBC Sounds

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on City's performance

What did you make of Burnley's display?

Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies

Manchester City make six changes to the side that won at Huddersfield in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.

The major team news sees the return of striker Erling Haaland up front, after the Norwegian missed the trip to West Yorkshire because of a back injury.

Gianluigi Donnarumma, Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol, Nico Gonzalez and Jeremy Doku all start with James Trafford on the bench against his old club, while John Stones, Nathan Ake, Rico Lewis, Oscar Bobb and Divine Mukasa all drop out.

Manchester City XI: Donnarumma, Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O'Reilly, Reijnders, Gonzalez, Savinho, Foden, Doku, Haaland

Burnley boss Scott Parker reverts to his strongest XI after their shock Carabao Cup defeat by League One Cardiff City.

Former City captain Kyle Walker makes a return to Etihad Stadium where he enjoyed eight trophy-filled years under Pep Guardiola.

The likes of Armando Broja, Hannibal Mejbri, Marcus Edwards and Axel Tuanzebe drop out of the starting line-up.

Burnley XI: Dubravka, Walker, Esteve, Ekdal, Hartmann, Florentino, Tchouna, Cullen, Laurent, Anthony, Foster

There are seven games in the Premier League on Saturday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Brentford v Manchester United (12:30)

• Chelsea v Brighton - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2

• Crystal Palace v Liverpool - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Leeds United v Bournemouth

• Manchester City v Burnley

• Nottingham Forest v Sunderland (17:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Tottenham v Wolves (20:00)

Kick-off times 15:00 BST unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Crystal Palace v Liverpool" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Nottingham Forest v Sunderland", for instance.

Find out more about how to listen to Premier League football on BBC Sounds

Pep Guardiola parks the bus - or at least he did against Arsenal last week - but it is going to be Burnley who try to do that this time.

The Clarets almost held out against Liverpool and they ran Manchester United close too, but I don't see them keeping City quiet

Sutton's prediction: 3-0

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Noel Sliney
BBC Sport senior journalist

BBC Sport examines some of the main talking points as Manchester City prepare to host Burnley on Saturday.

Pep Guardiola spoke this week of his City side "recovering many, many things that last season we were missing", but statistically they have made their worst start to a top-flight campaign since 2006.

City are ninth in the table, eight points adrift of leaders Liverpool. They have been in the lead for 54% of their total minutes played, more than any other side, yet have only won two of five league games.

There has been heavy scrutiny of Sunday's draw at Arsenal, when City's 32.8% share of possession was the lowest of Guardiola's 601 top-flight matches as a manager. The Catalan admits the increasingly daring approach of opposition sides has forced him to adapt tactically after years of City dominating through patient build-up play.

There are clear signs amid Manchester City's stuttering start that they are developing new weapons. By defending deeper, they have been able to create space for Erling Haaland and others on the counter-attack; City have scored a league-high three goals this season from breakaway attacks which started in their own half. That is already as many as in the whole of 2024-25, and one more than in 2023-24.

On Saturday, City are likely to revert to familiar ways against a Burnley side with the division's lowest average possession figure of 34%. Furthermore, City have won the past 13 meetings by an aggregate score of 46-2, which is the fifth longest winning run in their history against one side.

Testing start for promoted Burnley

Burnley have not triumphed in 19 league visits to Manchester City, since a 5-2 victory in March 1963.

Scott Parker's side have endured a predictably tough start to the season, compounded by Tuesday's EFL Cup home defeat by Cardiff City. An unforgiving Premier League fixture list means they have already played Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester United.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Burnley have faced the most shots (95) in the division, with summer signing Martin Dubravka making an unrivalled 19 saves so far.

Dubravka has also launched 61 goal-kicks into the opposition's half, more than twice as many as any other team. That strategy is a far cry from two seasons ago when Vincent Kompany's promoted Burnley side stuck to their short-passing principles. They only took four points from their opening 13 games and finished second bottom.

The current team have the same tally after five matches – will their eventual fate be any different?

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City midfielder Nico O'Reilly says it is "just the beginning" after signing a new deal with the club.

The 20-year-old has signed a five-year contract to extend his stay until 2030, having come through the City academy.

He broke into the first team last season when he was asked to play in the unfamiliar left-back role during the side's injury crisis.

O'Reilly has made 27 appearance in total, including six this campaign, scoring five goals and providing two assists.

"This is a day I will never forget," he told told club media.

"I have been at City since the age of eight, and to have made it into the first team and have played matches is a dream come true. To be rewarded with a new contract really is special.

"I am really proud and so is my mum! She has sacrificed so much to get me to where I am today, so I am just as happy for her as I am for myself.

"But, in truth, this is just the beginning for me. I have come so far, but I want to keep pushing now, improving every day, and become the best player I can be."

Shamoon Hafez
Manchester City reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City will welcome back former captain and right-back Kyle Walker on Saturday when Burnley head to Etihad Stadium.

The 35-year-old enjoyed a trophy-filled eight years at City, winning six Premier League titles, the Champions League and two FA Cups.

But Walker left the club in January, going to AC Milan on loan, before signing for the Clarets on a free transfer in the summer.

Boss Pep Guardiola was asked where Walker ranks among notable full-backs in world football, such as Cafu, Javier Zanetti and Lillian Thuram.

"[He is] one of the greatest full-backs ever," said Guardiola. "Absolutely he deserves it. I'm pretty sure everybody will be happy to see him.

"It was an unbelievable few years for us and he was the right-back who defined our time here in the last nine or 10 years.

"I'm pretty sure he will get the gratitude of our fans."

Nicola Pearson
BBC Sport journalist

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Burnley at Etihad Stadium (kick-off 15:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Guardiola confirmed Erling Haaland "is ready" for the game after concerns over a back injury in his last match.

• On further team news, he added: "Rayan Ait-Nouri and Rayan Cherki, no [they are not ready]. Omar Marmoush and Abdukodir Khusanov, no [they are not ready]. Mateo Kovacic, maybe. [It would help] a lot to have Kova back. It's a long injury, surgery, but he is getting ready. He is not fully ready."

• The City boss is "pretty sure everyone will be happy" to see Kyle Walker's return to the Etihad and he "absolutely deserves" the fans' gratitude.

• He added: "One of the greatest in terms of consistency - no injuries and playing every single game. An incredible figure in the locker room. In eight, nine years - six Premier Leagues, a Champions League, 18 titles maybe, always being there in good moments and bad moments. The last season was tough for everyone, but I don't judge one behaviour over a short period of time. He was unbelievable."

• On Phil Foden returning to form: "Phil always took responsibility. He won everything since he started playing and training with us when he was 17 or 18. The biggest example was after he played Arsenal. Everybody was exhausted and tired because we ran a lot, we parked the bus and so on. But Phil said: 'I want to play again.' It's what happened when he arrived. He wants to play every day and that is a sign he is ready."

• Guardiola said forward Savinho "created a lot" last season but was "too hectic" in front of goal: "The moment he learns that - because he is so young - the more he will improve. He'll be a top-class player because he can play on both sides. He's got the speed and the work ethic. Savio will make this step - naturally it will come and he will be a top player for Manchester City."

• On if he is expecting a low block from Burnley: "No, it depends. At the beginning of the season, everyone is so brave. During the season, all of us managers see the table, get scared and after that we adapt a little bit. In the past we were maybe more sure, but we will see tomorrow. We have to adapt."

Hear more from Guardiola on BBC Sounds

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Liverpool are hoping to tie France defender Ibrahima Konate, 26, down to a new contract amid interest from Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City. (TBR Football), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

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Shamoon Hafez
Manchester City reporter

Image source, Getty Images

There was a time when Manchester City were perennial winners in this competition, lifting the trophy four times on the trot having embarked on a run of winning a remarkable 21 consecutive ties between 2017 and 2021.

But it has been less kind to them recently, being knocked out at the fourth and third-round stages in the past two seasons.

On Wednesday, there were some scares for City to overcome, including Huddersfield Town hitting the post, but they were ultimately in control for the majority of the contest and goals in each half helped them through.

Pep Guardiola's tactics at Arsenal on Sunday were questioned when his side had their lowest average possession since he took charge, but City reverted to type with 76% of the ball in West Yorkshire, with 68 touches inside the opposition area.

Despite the numbers, City could only score twice with Savinho dragging wide before scoring, Nico O'Reilly's chipped effort being clawed out by Lee Nicholls and Divine Mukasa's strike on the spin straight at the home goalkeeper.

At the heart of the victory was the fantastic Phil Foden, who looks to be returning to his best form by playing with the sort of freedom that earned him the Premier League Player of the Season and the PFA Players' Player of the Year in 2024.

The goal he scored bore all the trademarks of a player who was sharp and needed no thinking time, trapping Mukasa's pass before giving Nicholls no chance with his finish.

Foden was replaced immediately after providing the second goal as Guardiola gave debuts to Reigan and Jaden Heskey, the sons of former Liverpool and England striker Emile.

There was also a return to the team for forgotten midfielder Kalvin Phillips, appearing for the final seven minutes for the first time in a City shirt since 19 December 2023 at the Club World Cup.

Image source, Getty Images

The fourth-round fixtures of the EFL Cup have been confirmed:

• Arsenal v Brighton

• Grimsby Town v Brentford

• Swansea City v Manchester City

• Newcastle United v Tottenham

• Wrexham v Cardiff City

• Liverpool v Crystal Palace

• Wolves v Chelsea

• Wycombe v Fulham

Ties to be played in the week of 27 October