Burnley vs Manchester City Predictions

• Burnley had the best attacking record in the Championship last season.
• Manchester City have conceded in eight of their last ten games away from the Etihad.
• Manchester City have scored at least three goals on 18 occasions since the start of 2023.

Can new-look Burnley spring a surprise?

Burnley have made a swift return to the top flight under the guidance of Vincent Kompany and the Belgian will welcome his former boss Pep Guardiola as the Clarets raise the curtain on the new Premier League season on Friday.

This Burnley team is vastly different to the one that suffered relegation in 2021/22, with Kompany’s more expansive style of play leaving them with both the top goalscoring record and the best defensive record in their Championship-winning campaign.

However, hosting treble-winners Manchester City is a massive leap in terms of quality and it comes as no surprise to see the newly-promoted club touted as heavy underdogs against the visitors.

City aim for winning start

Manchester City finally got their hands on the Champions League last season, with that success in Istanbul completing an historic treble for the club, and they haven’t rested on their laurels during the transfer market.

Ilkay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez have both departed, but Mateo Kovacic will replace the former and there is no shortage of attacking depth for Guardiola to choose from, while the arrival of Josko Gvardiol adds one of the world’s most highly-regarded young defenders to a back line already brimming with quality.

That being said, the Cityzens’ defensive record wasn’t particularly good towards the end of last season, especially away from home. In fact, they have conceded in eight of their last ten games away from the Etihad, including in their penalty-shootout loss to Arsenal in the Community Shield on Sunday.

Goals at both ends expected at Turf Moor

Given the Clarets’ attacking returns last season, I fancy them to grab a goal and both teams to score looks a solid price. I do foresee a relatively comfortable win for the visitors, though, and with City scoring at least three goals on 18 occasions since the turn of the year I’m backing a 3-1 correct score prediction.

Erling Haaland is unsurprisingly odds on to start his season with a goal, but Phil Foden is a more appealing price in the anytime goalscorer market, providing he starts. With Kevin De Bruyne not quite up to full fitness after a hamstring injury in the Champions League final, Foden could find himself in the starting lineup and he has scored four goals in his last six competitive starts away from home.

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