MAN CITY 2, BURNLEY 1
Perhaps Pep Guardiola ought to add tackling to his coaching manual after Fernandinho’s sending off left Manchester City to play almost an hour with 10 men against Burnley.
City’s manager not long ago quipped tackling was not part of his training regime but after seven dismissals in his 30 games in charge at the Etihad – admittedly not all have been for rash challenges – there is clearly a problem after the Brazilian’s red card for a two-footed tackle.
While this is a concern, City’s battling qualities shone through as the 10 men registered a valuable victory against the Turf Moor side to climb from fifth to third place.
Guardiola, who had rested key men, was forced to summon David Silva and Sergio Aguero from the bench.
And Aguero scored what turned out to be the winning goal after Gael Clichy had put City ahead just short of the hour.
Ben Mee halved the deficit leaving City to endure a nervous finish in which John Stones was summoned as Guardiola finished with a five man back line.
A tetchy Guardiola praised his players’ resilience at his post-match press conference while denying there was a discipline problem.
He said: “After what happened at Anfield two days ago and playing here for 60 minutes with 10 men, the players deserve my respect. I love them and like to work with them a lot.
“I made the changes at half time to try to win the game and to play as well as possible. I saw a lot of good things.”
And of the sending off, he added: “That’s the referee, not me.
“In my career, my teams always try to play football. I cannot control other circumstances.”
Guardiola was annoyed for Burnley’s goal claiming keeper Claudio Bravo was fouled explaining in Spain goalkeepers cannot be touched inside the six-yard box.
Aguero, Silva, Stones and Pablo Zabaleta all lost their places after Saturday’s defeat at Liverpool.
There were call ups for Bacary Sagna and Clichy in defence, Jesus Navas in midfield and Kelechi Iheanacho up front.
Burnley made two changes from the 4-1 home win against Sunderland as Dean Marney was suspended while Steven Defour dropped to the bench as Jeff Hendrick was back after a ban while Johann Berg Gudmundsson landed starting spots.
It was clear from early on that Clarets’ keeper Tom Heaton was in for a busy afternoon as he made a great double save to deny Iheanacho and Raheem Sterling.
Navas cut back a cross to Yaya Toure whose shot was well saved by Heaton diving full length low to his left.
City were reduced to 10 men after 32 minutes when Fernandinho was sent off for the third time in six games, this time for a two-footed challenge on Gudmundsson.
Fernandinho was also dismissed against Borussia Monchengladbach in the Champions League and Chelsea in the league so he will serve a four-match ban.
It called for desperate measures at for the second half Aguero and Silva replaced Iheanacho and Navas as City summoned two of their big hitters who had been held in reserve.
City’s 10 men took the lead in the 58th minute through an unlikely source, left-back Clichy with his first Premier League goal since November 2014.
Sagna’s cross from the right was headed out by Michael Keane to Clichy on the left of the box. He cut inside and fired a low right-foot shot into the far corner, his second goal of the campaign.
It was only the second shot on target in the game, a measure of the poor quality of play.
City doubled their lead three minutes later after a counter attack as Kevin De Bruyne released Sterling. Heaton saved well at his feet, but the ball ran free to Aguero on the right of the box and he found the net from the tightest of angles, his 17th of the campaign.
Though the ball went in off right-back Matt Lowton, Aguero will claim it as it was clearly going in without the defender’s intervention.
Burnley halved the deficit with 20 minutes left in controversial circumstances.
Bravo failed to deal with a corner with Nicolas Otamendi clearing the ball off the line. Mee’s follow up struck the crossbar before being cleared by Sagna, but goalline technology revealed the ball had crossed the line.
Burnley had a chance to equalise but substitute Sam Vokes headed wide from a great position following Scott Arfield’s cross.
City made their third and final change in the last minute when Sterling was replaced by Stone as they looked to hold on to their slender lead.
Burnley, who brought on Chelsea loanee striker Patrick Bamford late on, had other chances to draw level as Andre Gray fired wide and Keane’s shot was spectacularly turned over the bar by Bravo.