FIVE-STAR CITY ON FIRE
Foden and Mahrez shine to keep Liverpool frustrated
PHIL FODEN provided the latest glimpse of a bright future for Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City as Project Restart continued to turn into Perfect Reboot at the Etihad.
Just five days after Arsenal were brushed aside, the teenage England Under-21 star orchestrated the destruction of Burnley, scoring two and having a direct hand in two more.
It is saying something given such illustrious company, to say he was the best player on the pitch – but he was. After a steady start, he grew into a game that he dominated.
Two each from Foden and Riyad Mahrez and another from David Silva produced a third consecutive five-goal haul here against the Clarets.
It also completed 10 goals and six points in two games and a result that means Liverpool will have to keep the champagne on ice for at least another 24 hours until City face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Thursday.
Guardiola had warned he would be rotating his squad through the early stages of Project Restart in order to minimise the risk of injury.
And true to his word, he gave his pack a hefty shuffle following the win over Arsenal last Wednesday, shipping in eight new faces into his starting line up.
Sean Dyche will have looked on with envy when the team sheet dropped, given the names of his reserves and a City side that included Bernardo Silva, Sergio
Aguero and Foden. Not least because the Burnley manager has been dealing with a very different reality at Turf Moor with five senior players – including Joe Hart, Aaron Lennon and Jeff Hendrick – whose deals expire on June 30, yet to agree short-term extensions and unavailable.
In addition to that, Dyche had to do without injured regulars Chris Wood, Ashley Barnes and Johann Berg Gudmundsson. It left
them with a skeleton staff and facing an uphill struggle against a side they have beaten just once in nine attempts during Guardiola’s time here.
That incline increased markedly after 22 minutes when Foden’s first significant contribution saw him beat Nick Pope with a welldirected hit from just outside the area.
Pressure had been building steadily, particularly down Burnley’s left flank, and a short corner saw Bernardo pick out Foden on the edge in space.
The England U21 international took one touch before unleashing a low left-foot shot, a second Premier League goal of his campaign 20 minutes after his first in stoppage time against
Arsenal.
Mahrez doubled City’s lead, twisting and turning Charlie Taylor and Ben Mee after he was picked out by a long crossfield pass from Fernandinho, hitting a right-foot shot inside the far post.
The Algerian tucked another inside the same post from the spot minutes later after Mee’s boot made contact with Aguero’s inside the area, Andre Marriner pointing to the spot after a silent pause.
Three down and as good as out at half-time, Dyche’s thoughts in the dressing room will have been very much built around fitness for Thursday’s visit of Watford.
Guardiola was forced into a change with Aguero calling time on his night in front of a seemingly unconvinced Guardiola as Mahrez was scoring from the penalty spot.
Foden, Bernardo and, with the last touch, David Silva added a fourth six minutes after the break to further deflate any the game.
City were not done and the introduction of Kevin de Bruyne produced a fifth and the best of the night, Foden finishing brilliantly after Bernardo and Gabriel Jesus shifted the ball across from the left like rugby backs.
There was time for Guardiola to exchange the future for the past with Foden removed for the last 10 minutes and Leroy Sane given a first appearance since the Community Shield last August.