Riyad Mahrez, Kyle Walker, Kevin De Bruyne and Ferran Torres all return, with Phil Foden, Bernardo, Raheem Sterling and Joao Cancelo dropping to the bench.
Nathan Ake and Sergio Aguero are not fully fit while Aymeric Laporte and Oleksandr Zinchenko are rested.
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Team news
City:
31 Ederson
2. Kyle Walker
3. Rúben Dias
5. John Stones
8. Ilkay Gündogan
9. Gabriel Jesus
16. Rodrigo
17. Kevin De Bruyne (C)
21. Ferran Torres
22. Benjamin Mendy
26. Riyad Mahrez
Substitutes
- Zack Steffen
7. Raheem Sterling
20. Bernardo Silva
25. Fernandinho
27. João Cancelo
47. Phil Foden
50. Eric Garcia
Burnley XI:
Formation and probable tactics
City will line-up 4-3-3 with John Stones and Ruben Dias resuming their partnership in central defence, flanked by Kyle Walker and Benjamin Mendy.
Rodrigo will anchor the midfield three that also includes Ilkay Gundogan and skipper Kevin De Bruyne.
Ferran Torres and Riyad Mahrez join Gabriel Jesus in attack.
Pep will be looking for his side to move the ball quickly on the slick Etihad surface to try and find a way through what is likely to be an organised and packed Burnley defence.
Patience will be key (again)
City’s record against Burnley is impressive to say the least – but that’s all it is – a record.
It has no bearing on today’s game and there’s no guarantee our goals for column will be substantially better this evening.
Burnley will have watched how teams have frustrated City this season (nothing new in reality) and Sean Dyche will be desperate for his side not to ship goals at the Etihad.
In years gone by when the Clarets have been struggling, they’ve adopted a ‘back to basics’ approach based on committed defending and organisation.
Expect City to have the lion’s share of possession, Burnley to sit deep and in numbers, and a patient approach from the hosts.
Stats and facts
City have won our last six home matches against Burnley by an aggregate score of 24-2, winning the last three 5-0. Notts County are the only side to have won four successive home games by at least a five-goal margin against the same opponent, doing so against Port Vale between October 1893 and February 1907.
Pep Guardiola’s men can become the first Premier League team to beat the same opponent by at least five goals in four straight home meetings.
Riyad Mahrez has scored four goals in his last three Premier League appearances against Burnley, while Sergio Aguero has nine goals in nine matches against them in all competitions.
Burnley are looking to pick up back-to-back league victories for the first time since June, having won their first match of the 2020/21 campaign against Crystal Palace last time out.There have been just 16 goals in the Clarets’ Premier League matches this season (F4 A12), fewer than any other side’s. No team have scored fewer than the Clarets’ four goals.
