Mahrez scores hat-trick as City ease past Burnley 5-0
Burnley thrashed for fourth time at Etihad
Table of Contents
It was a match to remember for Riyad Mahrez and Manchester City on Saturday at Etihad stadium.
The Algerian became just the second African for City to score a hat-trick in the Premier League in a 5-0 rout of Burnley.
The last African for City to accomplish that feat was Yaya Touré back in 2014.
Game Recap
From the opening whistle, City was keen on attacking and attacking often.
Their first opportunity came in the 5th minute when Ilkay Gundogan spotted Ferran Torres in space but he was closed down by a wall of Burnley players and his effort sailed over.
A minute later City found the breakthrough.
Burnley with a bad giveaway in the middle of the pitch leads to a City counterattack the other way in space.
A string of quick passes saw Kevin De Bruyne feed Mahrez who easily slotted it past the keeper to make it 1-0.
In the 22nd minute City doubled their lead.
Kyle Walker’s throw-in seemed to catch the Clarets defense napping.
Mahrez picked it up on the byline, cutting inside, and firing a nice left-footed shot past Bailey Peacock-Farrell for his second of the day.
A few minutes later and De Bruyne almost notched a third for City.
His long-range effort sending Peacock-Farrell scrambling as he just touches it out for a corner.
A few minutes before the half and De Bruyne became the provider once again.
Gabriel Jesus in space spotted De Bruyne.
The Belgian had time to size up his delivery and find a wide-open Benjamin Mendy who fired home a one-time volley for City’s third.
City was back on the attack in the second half.
In the 52nd minute, Jesus and De Bruyne combined well again as the Brazilian found City’s number 17 in space.
De Bruyne though sliced his effort wide.
Burnley had an opportunity to cut into the lead in the 61st minute.
Matthew Lowton delivered a nice cross that is headed straight to Jay Rodriguez but his shot is well stopped by Ederson.
A minute later a nice header by Josh Benson took a deflection at the last moment and went wide.
Four minutes later City were four goals to the good.
Walker’s cross in the box found Jesus who teed up Torres for a nice low shot into the corner.
Mahrez completed his hat-trick in the 69th minute.
Foden found De Bruyne in space down the wing, the Belgians pin-point cross found the head of Mahrez who simply had to direct it at goal for his third.
Déjà vu
The 5-0 scoreline is something Clarets fans will have nightmares about.
That’s because in Burnley’s three previous trips to Etihad they’d lost to City by a 5-0 score.
Marhez meanwhile continues to be a thorn in the side of Burnley’s defense.
The last time he faced them in the Premier League he notched a pair of goals.
With today’s hat-trick, he’s now got seven goals in four EPL appearances against the Clarets.
Another familiar scene was the lack of chances Burnley created at Etihad.
In fact, the shot by Jay Rodriguez around the hour mark was the first shot on target for the club at City’s home ground since 2017.
Man of the Match
Perhaps the easiest choice of the season the best player on the pitch was Riyad Mahrez.
It’s his first career hat-trick with the Blues but it was more than just his goals that were noteworthy.
He probably made more key passes in this game than anyone on the City squad.
That’s saying a lot given City possesses perhaps the world’s top playmaker in Kevin De Bruyne.
With today’s performance, the Algerian’s been involved in 102 goals in the Premier League.
Stats
With this win City now has seven straight victories over Burnley in all competitions.
In those games, they’ve beaten Burnley by a combined score of 28-1.
Burnley’s now lost six of its nine matches this season.
That’s the most losses for them at this stage of a top-flight season since 1888-89 when they lost seven.
City is only the second side in Football League history to win four successive home games by five or more against a single opponent.
The other was Notts County who crushed Port Vale at home four times in between October 1893 and February 1907.
Manager’s Thoughts
City boss Pep Guardiola was pleased with his side’s performance but says there’s still work to be done.
“It was important to come back with a victory in the Premier League. One more game.
“We play a lot of games so to play 90 minutes and maintain a good level is not easy but there are always things to improve on.
“It’s important for our people to score goals and it is a chance for them to keep playing.”
On the opposite side Clarets manager, Sean Dyche says his team didn’t play their game.
“You can’t start a game with a game plan then throw it out of the window with a mistake that early against these. Here, it is really tough then. They use the ball so well and there’s movement everywhere, so it becomes a tough afternoon, which it was.”
What it means
The win moves City for the moment into 8th in the Premier League standings with 15 points from nine matches.
Burnley remains on five points in 17th place.
However, that could all change as Sheffield United face West Bromwich Albion and Fulham battle Leicester City tomorrow.
Next Up
Guardiola’s side turns their attention back to the Champions League as they travel to Portugal to face FC Porto at 8 pm on Tuesday.
Their next Premier League action is next Saturday versus Fulham with the kickoff from Etihad stadium at 3 pm. (JSL)
