SLAPPED BY
Dyche takes more punishment
SEAN DYCHE gets a taste of what Chris Rock experienced at the Oscars every time he meets Manchester City.
In fact, the Burnley boss has been given a slap in the face with such regularity by the champions in the six seasons since Pep Guardiola arrived at the Etihad that Hollywood scriptwriters might want to think about penning a Premier League version of Groundhog Day.
First-half goals from Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan ensured it is now 15 defeats in 16 meetings for the Clarets against Guardiola’s City in all competitions. The only time Burnley have taken a point was in 2018 – when the Blues went on to win the title by 19 points anyway.
The race is going to be a lot closer this time.
But with De Bruyne producing a performance that was pure box office, there was never any doubt that the champions would respond to the sight of Liverpool at the top of the table for the first time since September with the win that restored their one-point lead.
Guardiola looked calm and relaxed afterwards – but he was in no mood to talk about the threat from Anfield. “To be honest, we don’t speak much about our contenders to be champions,” he said.
“Being in a position to fight for the title is so nice – you want to arrive in April and May fighting for them. This is why we’ve fought for the last 10 or 11 months.
“We feel the pressure, but we have to feel the pressure.
“Hopefully Liverpool are going to lose against us because, apart from that, I don’t think they will drop points.” Both managers would have had one eye on upcoming games. City face Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals of the Champions League on Tuesday.
Then it is on to two titanic battles with Liverpool that will go a long way to deciding the title race as well as a place in the FA Cup Final.
Guardiola added: “It’s a busy week – first we’ll think about Atletico Madrid and then after that we’ll think about Liverpool.
“But we came here to win the game – and we did it. You never know what’s going to happen after an international
break. The pitch was difficult because the grass was so long but we adapted.”
Burnley’s season will hinge on taking points from relegation rivals Everton and
Norwich in the space of five days, starting on Wednesday night. Dyche said: “This was a good game to get out of the way. There are 10 games to go – and none of them are against Man City.
“I told the lads at half-time that we must start preparing for the Everton game now.
“They needed to be ready for what’s to come because we looked rusty.”
Burnley have now conceded 46 goals in those 16 meetings with Guardiola’s City, scoring just five and losing 5-0 on four occasions.
Josh Brownhill almost gave the Clarets a shock early lead, with his header flashing just wide of the post.
But when City got their first sniff of Nick Pope’s goal in the fifth minute, their finishing was utterly ruthless.
Rodri’s angled ball found Raheem Sterling drifting behind Charlie Taylor.
And when he cushioned a pass into De Bruyne’s path, the Belgian superstar took a touch before bludgeoning a half-volley into the top corner. De Bruyne had been given the international break off by national manager Roberto Martinez.
He was once again City’s best player and was instrumental in the second goal in the 25th minute.
Ands Sterling instinctively knew what the midfielder would do when he found him with a pass – and the return ball behind Taylor was perfect for him to send over a cross that Gundogan steered home on the volley.