Tough games continue with visit of City

I saw on one of those wonderful stats on Sky Sports News this morning which told us that Manchester City have won on all their five previous visits to Burnley in all competitions.

It's true, they've done just that including one in the FA Cup and one in the League Cup whilst scoring a grand total of 16 goals in their three league wins. We were three divisions below them when we faced them in the FA Cup, and for the League Cup game in 1999 we were already 5-0 down from the first leg.

I suppose it beats the usual: "Burnley haven't beaten Manchester City for over 40 years". I love those when they fail to tell us just how rarely the teams have met in those forty years since.

Recent history says we don't do well against them, particularly at home. Last time they were here they won 6-1, as reported below, and in their previous two visits they hit us for another ten, winning 6-0 in 1998/99 and 4-2 in the 2001/02 season.

Easier to play against the top teams says Scott Arfield

But an equally relevant statistic to those provided by Sky is that, in league games, we've beaten them more often than they've beaten us at Turf Moor in post-war football.

We know today is going to be difficult. We've had two fantastic days out at the Etihad Stadium in our two Premier League seasons but we are facing one of the best teams in the country, a team that currently sits in second place and is likely, you would think, to finish there.

Scott Arfield, this week, has spoken of the desire to get things right at home. "Home form is massive for us, it was last season and with the fans backing it became a bit of a fortress. Nobody wanted to come and player against us at Turf Moor and we need to get back to that. The fans have been different class and we want to give them all three points of course."

While admitting it is a difficult game, he added: "Funnily enough, it's kind of easier to play against the top teams. You're up for any game but those are the ones you look to at the start of the season as you want to compete against the best and show what you can do."

Arfield has been a fixture in the side since winning his place early last season, and this time around he's missed just one game. He was ruled out of the win at Stoke and was used as a substitute for the next game against Villa after his recovery.

Currently, he's playing a more central role in the absence of Dean Marney and there he's certain to start today.

I got sort of curious when reading what Sean Dyche had to say ahead of this game. He spoke about formations and being positive and I sort of got a feeling that he was going to change things. I know it is somewhat radical but it wouldn't surprise me to see him give Sam Vokes his first start in the Premier League for us this afternoon.

With no injuries reported, we could line up: Tom Heaton, Kieran Trippier, Michael Keane, Jason Shackell, Ben Mee, George Boyd, Scott Arfield, David Jones, Danny Ings, Sam Vokes, Ashley Barnes. Subs from: Matt Gilks, Steven Reid, Michael Duff, Stephen Ward, Ross Wallace, Michael Kightly, Lukas Jutkiewicz, Marvin Sordell.

Manchester City. Before any season starts they are going to be considered one of the favourites to win the title. That's exactly what they did last year and, right now, should anyone catch Chelsea then it can only really be City.

Things haven't gone too well in the Champions League. They were second best recently in their home leg against Barcelona, but domestically they really are as good as anything.

I suppose we benefitted at the Etihad from the absence of Vincent Kompany, Yaya Toure and Sergio Aguero but all three will be available today, as will Wilfried Bony who has joined them from Swansea since our December meeting.

Manuel Pellegrini has declared a full fit squad which will mean Kompany and Fernandinho will be included for selection. Kompany was included as a substitute but Fernandinho was left out altogether following a spat between the two.

The squad for the Leicester game was: Joe Hart, Bacary Sagna, Eliaquim Mangala, Martin Demichelis, Aleksandar Kolarov, Fernando, Yaya Toure, David Silva, Jesus Navas, Wilfried Bony, Sergio Aguero. Subs: Willy Caballero, Pablo Zabaleta, Vincent Kompany, Gael Clichy, Frank Lampard, James Milner, Edin Dzeko.

Last Time They Were Here

We don't really need to many reminders of their last visit to Turf Moor. Emmanuel Adebayor opened the scoring in the fourth minute, it was 2-0 in the fifth minute through Craig Bellamy and Carlos Tevez made it 3-0 in the seventh minute, and they'd also hit the woodwork and had a goal disallowed.

This was the day Burnley downed tools. By half time it was 5-0 and before the hour they'd got their sixth before Steven Fletcher scored a consolation on a pitch that was, by now, flooded.

Sandwich & a pint for Kevin McDonald

We lost 6-1 and I do believe this was the day when a lot of players decided they were not going to bother and for one, in particular, he made it very clear when he was substituted. Kevin McDonald who had had an absolute shocker in what proved to be his last Burnley start, was taken off at half time and opted to spend the rest of the afternoon buying a Subway on Eastern Avenue before going to the 110 Club.

It was a last ever Burnley start for Robbie Blake too but it would be wrong to single out McDonald and Blake for this disgrace of a performance. Goalkeeper Brian Jensen wrote in his book that some players downed tools and there was enough evidence in this game to show that.

City were a good side but about to miss out on a Champions League place at the end of the season, but all the other top teams were given difficult games at Burnley with only Chelsea, somewhat fortunately, getting a win.

I still think, had there been a close scoreline at half time it would have been abandoned by referee Alan Wiley. But at 5-0 he let it go on in conditions that became farcical. It's happen as well they were; City might well have hit double figures had they not decided they didn't fancy the floods.

The teams were;

Burnley: Brian Jensen, Tyrone Mears, Michael Duff, Leon Cort, Danny Fox, Kevin McDonald (Jack Cork 45), Graham Alexander, Robbie Blake (Wade Elliott 45), Chris Eagles, David Nugent, Steven Fletcher (Martin Paterson 81). Subs not used: Nicky Weaver, Clarke Carlisle, Andre Bikey, Steven Thompson.

Manchester City: Shay Given, Nedum Onuoha, Kolo Toure, Vincent Kompany, Silvio Sylvinho (Nigel de Jong 67), Adam Johnson, Patrick Vieira, Gareth Barry, Craig Bellamy, Carlos Tevez (Alex Nimely 83), Emmanuel Adebayor (Roque Santa Cruz 79). Subs not used: Gunnar Neilsen, Dedryck Boyata, Javier Garrido, Shaun Wright-Phillips.

Previous Games against Manchester City

Click HERE to see all previous results against Manchester City