CARDS FALL FOR
Reckless Walker escapes with a yellow to leave free-scoring City dreaming
IT was a red card that undermined Pep Guardiola’s bid for the FA Cup last season.
So when Kyle Walker went flying into Steven Defour with a lunge that wouldn’t have looked out of place in a Jackie Chan movie, the Manchester City boss must have feared the worst.
But unlike Fabian Delph at Wigan 12 months ago, Walker saw yellow instead of red.
And when Gabriel Jesus fired the champions ahead just three minutes after referee Graham Scott’s bout of leniency, City were on their way into the fifth round.
Bernardo Silva, Kevin De Bruyne and Sergio Aguero also found the target, with Burnley’s Kevin Long scoring an own goal.
It means the Blues - already in the Carabao Cup final, the last 16 of the Champions League and just four points behind Liverpool as they look to retain the Premier league title – remain in the hunt for the Quadruple.
Guardiola still doesn’t think the impossible can be done.
But he said: “It is our eighth game in a row winning, so it’s been a good month.
“I am really pleased with the players, with their commitment and their professionalism.
“We have played a lot of games with our legs and our minds.
“Of course we have to improve in certain things, but I am so happy that we are in the draw on Monday.”
Clarets boss Sean Dyche had been here before at the Etihad.
Three months ago he left Manchester with another fivegoal beating but the belief that Vincent Kompany should have been sent off in the opening minutes for a challenge that gashed Aaron Lennon’s thigh.
This time, with a vital Premier League clash at Manchester United looming on Tuesday he was more philosophical.
Dyche (right) said: “Maybe it was what we call an orange card.
“If so, I’d prefer the referee to give a yellow rather than a red.
“I’d certainly prefer to see a strong challenge rather than players dropping on the floor endlessly, tirelessly and needlessly when they haven’t been touched.
“If in doubt go yellow. I haven’t seen it back but the suggestions were that it was borderline.
“If so, then I’d rather the referee gave a yellow.”
City were utterly ruthless.
They were ahead on 23 minutes after Jesus ran off the shoulder of Ben Gibson to collect a Danilo pass and then cut inside James Tarkowski before letting fly with a low shot that flew off the boot of keeper Nick Pope and into the roof of the net. It was the Brazilian’s eighth goal in his last four starts. Burnley should have been level two minutes into the second half when Matej Vydra robbed the napping Nicolas Otamendi but steered his shot into the side-netting with only Ederson to beat. And on 52 minutes Bernardo Silva made the game safe. Ilkay Gundogan and De Bruyne combined and Bernardo Silva’s low shot flicked off Gibson bounced in off Pope. And had no hope on the hour, w Riyad Mahrez pass foun Bruyne lurking 20 yards ou his right-foot rocket bulge bottom corner.
City scored again 12 mi later when Bernardo Silva De Bruyne combined an Belgian’s driven cross was t into his own goal by Long.
Guardiola sent on David Sergio Aguero and Phil Fod a late show of strength.
And when David Silva hauled back by Long five mi from time, Aguero complete scoring from the penalty sp
Guardiola’s team have scored 28 goals in their la