Erling Haaland netted two goals as Manchester City kicked off their Premier League title defense with a comfortable 3-0 win against newly-promoted Burnley.
Inside the first four minutes of the new Premier League season, Haaland found the back of the net, securing the opening goal for the champions, before later doubling their lead with an impressive finish.
In the second half, Rodri added a third goal as Manchester City, aiming for their fourth consecutive league title, had a flawless start to the season, despite the unfortunate injury that led to Kevin de Bruyne’s departure.
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Although the final score was not in their favor and Anass Zaroury received a late red card, there were still some positives for the Burnley team to draw from. Their achievements of amassing over a hundred points to win the Championship last season were notable and encouraging.
However, Burnley’s return to the Premier League was overshadowed by an incident where a supporter threw an object at Man City defender Rico Lewis, and another fan attempted to invade the pitch. Additionally, the pre-match act of taking the knee was met with booing from certain sections of the crowd.
Kompany introduced five new summer signings, including James Trafford, a former Manchester City prospect and England U21 Euros victor, to the field for their debuts. Meanwhile, the treble-winning team had Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic as fresh additions on the bench.
City quickly broke through Burnley’s defense, with Premier League Golden Boot holder Haaland slotting home after Rodri’s header was redirected towards the goal.
Haaland’s volley went over the bar shortly after, while De Bruyne missed the target from long range. Burnley’s Luca Koleosho also missed an opportunity with a shot over the crossbar from within the box.
Burnley’s Zeki Amdouni, another summer signing, had a shot that failed to trouble Ederson, while Man City suffered a blow as captain De Bruyne exited due to a hamstring injury.
Burnley showed their best spell as Amdouni almost broke through on goal, and Lyle Foster regained possession high up the pitch before curling a shot wide.
Manchester City extended their lead, dampening the atmosphere at Turf Moor, as Haaland’s exquisite shot off the crossbar found the back of the net.
Burnley attempted a response as Amdouni dispossessed Bernardo Silva, but his shot was effectively blocked by Manuel Akanji.
Though Manchester City maintained control, Guardiola’s emotions got the best of him, resulting in a second-half yellow card; he also admonished Haaland during halftime.
Burnley’s Trafford, who didn’t see action for City, tipped Rodri’s long-range effort over the bar and thwarted the same player from the ensuing corner.
Rodri sealed the game with 15 minutes to spare, smashing the ball into the net after it fortuitously landed at his feet inside the box.
Burnley’s night worsened in injury time as Zaroury, a second-half substitute, received a red card after a VAR review for a late challenge on Kyle Walker.