PREVIEW: Burnley vs Manchester City – 03/02/18

Burnley vs Manchester City

Date: 03/02/18

K/O: 12:30pm

Venue: Turf Moor

TV: Sky Sports Main Event

Burnley will look to end an 8 match winless league run when they host leaders Manchester City in the Premier League’s early kick off.

The Clarets will again be without Steven Defour and James Tarkowski, as the Belgian midfielder was ruled out for the season this week, while Tarkowski is not yet ready to return from a groin issue.

They join long term absentees Tom Heaton, Robbie Brady, Jonathan Walters, Dean Marney and Chris Wood on the sidelines, though Stephen Ward could return from an injury suffered in December.

City welcome back John Stones after illness forced him to miss the win over West Brom on Wednesday, though Pep Guardiola now has four fit centre backs to choose from.

David Silva was forced off in the first half in midweek and will likely not be risked. Ilkay Gundogan will deputise.

Danilo may replace Oleksandr Zinchenko at left back after a testing run of fixtures for the 21-year-old. In attack, they remain unchanged.

Burnley started the season in unbelievable form, lurking in the Champions League spots for a brief spell, but have drifted away from the leading pack in recent weeks.

Clean sheets have dried up and goals continue to be scarce. The clarets have only kept one clean sheet in their last seven, compared to nine from their opening 18 fixtures and have only scored twice in a game once since November.

Few will expect this loss of form to end against the all-conquering Citizens, for whom goals and clean sheets remain consistent.

Man City gave record signing Aymeric Laporte a full debut on Wednesday and the Frenchman took his opportunity. A brilliant performance has put him at the centre of Pep Guardiola’s plans.

City now have Nicolas Otamendi, John Stones, Vincent Kompany and Laporte as fit options in the centre of defence, and may choose to rotate all four as they enter a hectic period of fixtures including the League Cup Final, Champions League round of 16 and FA Cup.

Options remain more threadbare in midfield and attack after Leroy Sane was ruled out for six weeks, and another injury may cause some concern for Guardiola, though Gabriel Jesus and Fabian Delph near fitness after spells on the sidelines.

Despite these issues, City should have too much for the struggling Clarets.

Prediction: Burnley 0 Manchester City 1

Written by Sam Hanys.