Burnley vs Manchester City predictions: Strong start expected from Citizens

- City won by two clear goals in 21 of their 28 league victories last season
- The Citizens scored 19 goals across their six meetings with the promoted sides in 2022-23
- Recommended bet: Man City -1 at 4/5

The opening game of the 2023-24 Premier League season brings an early reunion for Vincent Kompany and Manchester City.

The champions visit their former captain on Friday as the Burnley boss gets his first taste of Premier League management.

Having guided the Clarets to the Championship title last term, can his side put up a fight against the champions of both England and Europe?

Burnley could hand former City goalkeeper James Trafford a debut after he joined from the Citizens for £15million this summer. The Clarets have also moved to strengthen their backline, with Jordan Beyer signed permanently and Dara O’Shea also added at centre-half.

For the visitors Nathan Ake is currently nursing an injury and that could see new signing Josko Gvardiol come into the Citizens defence, while Cole Palmer may have earned a start by scoring at Wembley on Sunday.

Man City won 6-0 when these two sides met in the FA Cup earlier this year .

The Citizens won 10 of 11 visits to sides placed 10th or lower in 22/23.

Burnley have lost their last eight league meetings with Man City by an aggregate score of 26-1.

City have won 11 straight games against the Clarets in all competitions, scoring 40 times.

Across the last 14 Premier League campaigns, only Tottenham have avoided defeat against Man City in the opening game.

City broke the deadlock in 82% of their Premier League matches last season.

Burnley face a baptism of fire in their return to the top-flight. The Clarets are a very different beast from the one which sacked Sean Dyche ahead of relegation in 2022.

Kompany quickly changed their style of play and they racked up 101 points in the Championship.

However, their 6-0 loss to Man City in the FA Cup shows the dangers of being too open against Pep Guardiola’s side.

While City did just toil in the Community Shield against Arsenal, they do tend to shake off those results and excel in the league. Having won 12 of their last 14 season openers, they have been consistently strong starters over the years.

Burnley have strengthened their squad ahead of a survival tilt and the pre-season odds suggest they will dodge the drop.

While they should put up more resistance against the Citizens, containing Guardiola’s side is a difficult job for a team with the Clarets' resources.

With City picking up 21 victories by two or more goals last season, they should win this one fairly easily.

They had a tough time away to the top nine in the league, but seven of their 11 wins on the road were by a two-goal margin or greater, so look to City to win this by a healthy margin.

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