Manchester City cruised to a 5-1 win over Burnley at the Etihad Stadium, with Maxime Esteve scoring two own goals while Erling Haaland bagged a late double.
Hosts City took the lead after just 12 minutes when Jeremy Doku’s shot was parried by Martin Dubravka, only for Esteve’s haphazard deflection to roll into the back of his own net.
The hosts dominated possession but struggled to create clear-cut chances, allowing Jaidon Anthony to draw level with a close-range finish seven minutes before half-time.
City came out sharper in the second half, regaining the lead as Haaland teed up Matheus Nunes for a crashing volley, before Esteve again turned into his own net, this time from a Nunes cross.
Haaland then added two finishes in the space of three minutes to complete the rout and move into Man City's top 10 scorers in history.
The win lifts City to third place in the table on 10 points, while Burnley remain a point above the relegation zone in 17th place.
How the match unfolded
City took early control as Doku’s charge into the box forced Dubravka into a vital near-post save. Esteve tried to intercept an onrushing Phil Foden off the rebound but ended up poking the ball into his own net from close range.
An intense battle then unfolded down the left wing between Doku and former City captain Kyle Walker, with the Belgian causing constant plenty of havoc, though Burnley’s defence held firm.
Dubravka was called into action again moments later to block another Doku shot to the near post, but the Clarets soon found themselves on level terms against the run of play.
Quilindschy Hartman’s low cross was met by Anthony, whose shot deflected off Ruben Dias and into the bottom corner.
Nunes restored City’s lead just after the hour mark with a crisp volley inside the box, following Haaland’s headed assist that capped some smart City build-up play.
The result never looked in doubt from there and, in the 65th minute, Oscar Bobb made an impact moments after coming on, playing his part in a move that led to Esteve scoring another own goal as the defender helplessly deflected Nunes’ cross past Dubravka.
Haaland then ran riot against a tired Burnley defence, netting in the 90th minute and the third minute of added time with two clinical finishes: first from a low Doku pass, then converting a deflected ball over the top to seal City’s third win of the season.
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Man City turn up the heat
Pep Guardiola’s side came into the match already having ground to make up on the sides around them after Gabriel Martinelli’s late equaliser at Emirates Stadium had held them to a frustrating draw last weekend.
They initially needed little time to find their rhythm at home as Doku and Foden combined to force Esteve’s touch into his own net.
But the sunshine briefly dissipated at the Etihad as a familiar lapse of concentration, one that has troubled Guardiola’s defence in recent seasons, allowed in-form Anthony to capitalise in space inside the box.
Despite controlling possession and the overall flow of the match, in attack City were taking a more direct approach with crosses into the box rather than their traditional patient passing build up in central areas.
The hosts really found their feet in the second half, re-establishing their dominance with ease as Josko Gvardiol’s cross was held up cleverly by Haaland before Nunes smashed home his first goal of the season.
Bobb made his mark and Haaland then added the cherry on top with his seventh and eighth goals of the league campaign to seal a comfortable triumph for City.
They will now shift focus to their away UEFA Champions League match against Monaco on Wednesday. They then return to Premier League action with a tough test away to Brentford next Sunday.
Esteve unfortunate as Burnley well beaten
Burnley would have arrived at the Etihad still licking their wounds after a poor midweek elimination from the EFL Cup at the hands of third-tier Cardiff City.
It has been a challenging re-introduction to life in the Premier League for Scott Parker’s side, who have managed just one win from their opening six fixtures so far this season.
The Clarets have a notably poor record against City, having now failed to win across each of their last 20 league visits, with their last victory dating all the way back to 1963.
Anthony dragged Burnley level in the first half, though he was helped by a kind deflection, but the visitors never quite looked comfortable despite keeping City on their toes during that period of the match.
And the Clarets’ evening in Manchester is best summed up perhaps by Esteve, who became just the sixth player to score two own goals in the same Premier League match.
Esteve could hardly be blamed for either own goal, though, as a collective defensive lapse from Parker’s side saw them give up too many clear-cut chances that City’s forwards would have almost certainly put away even without the Frenchman’s interventions.
The Clarets will hope to fare better when they visit Aston Villa next Sunday.
Club reports
Man City report | Burnley report
What the managers said
Pep Guardiola: "We behaved very well. The second half was much better than the first."
"[Doku] is so important when teams play a low block. His decisions are becoming better and better."
Scott Parker: "I was delighted with the performance for 60 or 70 minutes. We were right in it at times against a colossus club.
"We needed to be brave and courageous today and I thought we did that well. The game got away from us at the backend and I'm not sure the scoreline is a fair reflection."
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Key facts
City have won their last 14 meetings with Burnley in all competitions, their joint-fourth longest winning run against an opponent.
Burnley have conceded 10 goals in their three Premier League away games this season, more than they did in 23 games on the road in the Championship last season (eight).
Esteve became just the sixth player in Premier League history to score two own goals in the same game, and first since Craig Dawson with Wolves against Everton last season.
Doku has three assists in his last three Premier League games for City, more than he’d managed in his previous 17 appearances, with two.