Pep remains guarded despite Cityzens’ five goal haul

THERE are three little words that this Manchester City side long to hear when lacking in goals: “Burnley at home”.

Pep Guardiola’s side emerged victorious in this fixture by a scoreline of five goals to nothing for the fourth season running, as Riyad Mahrez’s first hattrick for the club complemented strikes from

Benjamin Mendy and Ferran Torres.

It was the first time in 113 years of English football history that a team has won four straight home games by at least a five-goal margin against the same opponent, replicating Notts County’s feat over Port Vale between October 1893 and February 1907.

More relevant, though, is the fact that this convincing win will help to ease some of the concerns about City’s apparent lack of firepower which have emerged in recent weeks.

Guardiola’s side began the day with a negative goal difference having scored just 10 times in opening eight Premier League games, their worst record at this stage of a campaign since the Stuart Pearce era, when they scored the fewest home goals in top-flight history.

There was never any danger of a repeat of that this season - there is far too much talent within Guardiola’s ranks for that – but City nevertheless needed to start scoring soon. The fixture computer could hardly have been kinder and Burnley put up little resistance.

Even without Sergio Aguero – left out of the matchday squad having suffered a “little disturbance” to his knee, Guardiola said – City found their shooting boots and were if anything unlucky not to win by more, seeing two more ruled out for fractional offsides and the irrepressible Kevin De Bruyne strike the upright.

After the match Guardiola told ESPN his players could not revel in yesterday’s victory as hectic match scheduling had sucked some of the joy out of the sport.

City travel to Porto for a

Champions League game on Tuesday (Wed 4am Malaysian time) before facing Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday.

“The problem is the players lose the joy of playing football,” Guardiola said.

“Before it was nice playing once or twice a week with spectators. Now it’s three days and then another one. We will travel to Porto to win, then prepare against Fulham.”

Despite the result, Guardiola warned his forwards that they must start hitting individual targets or face sitting on the bench – suggesting he is ready to ditch mass rotation in matches over the next month and will only pick players on performances.

“It’s not about rotation now,” Guardiola said. “The players who don’t make mistakes – like John Stones in defence – deserve to play more games.

“The goals today help us, of course – especially for Riyad Mahrez. Gabriel Jesus has to score goals too.”

Mahrez answered his critics with the hattrick, while Guardiola started both Raheem Sterling and Phil Foden on the bench.

He added: “Sterling when he plays has to score. They have to score more goals. That is why they are here. It depends on the player, their performance on the pitch.” – The Independent/Agencies