Manchester City 2 Burnley 2
This was the not the perfect way to close 2014 for Manchester City although it could have been worse. If Burnley had been defeated, the champions would have notched a new club record 10th consecutive win and, as Chelsea dropped two points at Southampton, Manuel Pellegrini’s team would be just the one behind the London club.
Instead, a second-half crumble meant Burnley might have grabbed a famous first victory since 1974 against City so the Sky Blues can be happy their unbeaten run remains intact. The fragility at the back that has been with City all term had been evident in the contest’s opening stanza and within moments of the second commencing it proved costly.
George Boyd seemed to have the final touch on a finish that also might have fooled Joe Hart, otherwise the goalkeeper will be disappointed not to have saved a Burnley goal that derived from Danny Ings's cross.
Although City had thus far dominated and took a two-nil lead into the break, this was no surprise. There had, though, been an eyebrow-raiser when the official word went out before kick-off that Yaya Touré had been “rested” for this one, as the Ivorian is off to the Africa Cup of Nations sometime around the Everton game of January 10th so the expectation was that Pellegrini would be keen to use his star midfielder as much as possible.
However, with it understood that Touré had been carrying a “small problem” when starting the St Stephen’s Day 3-1 win at West Bromwich Albion – he was withdrawn after 69 minutes – the hope will be that he is available for the New Year’s Day visit of Sunderland.
This meant Fernandinho and Fernando were in tandem in central midfield for only the third time this campaign and a second in the league. The pair and the rearguard behind them cannot have been content at how Burnley were able to rattle City for a before and after David Silva’s opener.
Not for the first time this season Eliaquim Mangala was shaky as Burnley pinged the ball around. One move culminated in a Kieran Tripper cross being narrowly missed by a stretching Ashley Barnes and later Boyd was able to make a nuisance of himself before Dean Marney fired straight at Hart.
Ings was also allowed to run at City through the centre and unload a shot that sailed over the bar as Burnley predominantly troubled the champions along Trippier’s right-back corridor.
When roving forward, City looked a team coasting in low gear who might punish the visitors at will. Martin Demichelis missed an early chance at the far post from a corner, Samir Nasri had an attempt blocked by Trippier and after slick interplay from Silva and Jesus Navas, City's "false" No 9, James Milner, failed to finish.
Silva's sixth club strike of the season came after Nasri fed Navas down the right and the Spaniard was found and, following a sweet pivot, he beat Tom Heaton.
That was on 23 minutes. Fernandinho’s first of the term came after the half-hour and left the Burnley goalkeeper scant chance. Nasri played a lay-off to the Brazilian – Boyd might have got tighter – and he drilled a beauty of a 25-yard finish that bent and crashed in off Heaton’s bar.
As the break neared Pablo Zabaleta clashed heads and required treatment but one of City's most reliable soldiers merely picked himself up, had a headband applied, and continued.
Boyd's goal was the catalyst for Burnley to draw level and give City a real scare. Their equaliser came when Zabaleta gave away a free-kick near the centre circle. This was launched into the City area by Jason Shackell, the visiting captain, and when Mangala proved a weak presence Barnes finished from his own knockdown after it pinballed back to him.
City may spend between now and Sunderland’s visit berating themselves. They suffered due to a lack of ruthlessness in front of goal and the ongoing and more concerning powder-puff quality of their defending.
(Guardian Service)
