George Boyd’s volley just past the hour was enough to give the Clarets all three points with the champions well below their best during a disappointing early evening match at Turf Moor.
The loss leaves the Blues not only with a mountain to climb to catch Chelsea, but anxiously looking in the rear-view mirror as Arsenal, Liverpool and United all look to profit on this latest set-back.
Manuel Pellegrini brought back skipper Vincent Kompany – one of four changes from the team that beat Leicester 2-0 last time out.
With so much at stake for both teams going into this game, a white-hot atmosphere at Turf Moor seemed likely for this Lancashire derby.
The Clarets, desperate for points in a bid to escape the bottom three and City, looking to close the gap on leaders Chelsea who play Southampton on Sunday – the scene was set for a blood and thunder Premier League encounter.
Yet the first 45 minutes were largely dull as dishwater with the game played often at a lethargic pace with the crowd strangely quiet throughout.
Whether Barcelona looming on the horizon was a distraction or perhaps the Blues are still reeling from the damaging defeat to Liverpool three weeks ago is unclear – but the champions’ zip was absent in a disappointing first period for both sides.
On a ground City have plundered so many goals in recent seasons and - on the last visit were 5-0 up by the break at – the 4,000 traveling supporters had precious little to cheer other than a couple of half chances for Edin Dzeko, Fernandinho and Sergio Aguero.
The home side had also created little before the break so things could surely only get better
...Burnley 1 City 0..
The Blues twice went close in the early stages of the second period with Aguero breaking forward and putting David Silva clear on goal, but the Spaniard’s first took the ball wide and the chance was lost.
Aguero then shot wide after good work from Pablo Zabaleta as City looked to take a grip of the game, but on 56 minutes George Boyd came closer than anyone had at the stage with a spectacular volley that went just a foot or so wide.
It was a warning shot that went unheeded as five minutes later the Blues found themselves a goal behind as Boyd tried his luck again as poor clearance fell to him at the edge of the box and his sweet half-volley arrowed into the bottom corner giving Hart no chance.
It was a hammer blow for the champions with only silver lining being that there was plenty of time left to salvage something from the game
...Burnley 1 City 0...
But clear-cut opportunities were few and far between in the minutes that remained. A chance fell to Aguero on 81 minutes but the Blues’ leading scorer headed inches over from Yaya Toure’s whipped in cross, before Frank Lampard came on for his 600th Premier League appearance.
There were strong claims for a penalty in the dying stages as Ben Mee appeared to bring down Zabaleta – though nothing was given.
City now travel to the Nou Camp for Wednesday night’s second leg against Barcelona desperately looking to jump start the season at this most critical stage of the campaign.
