(Getty Images)
The Premier League is back! The new season gets underway tonight with newly-promoted Burnley hosting the reigning champions Manchester City at Turf Moor. It’s been two months since the conclusion of the 2022/23 season saw City defeat Inter Milan and claim a treble of trophies in the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup.
Pep Guardiola will be hoping to repeat that success in this new campaign but City have been updating their squad this summer. Captain, Ilkay Gundogan, has moved to Barcelona, and Riyad Mahrez has joined Saudi Pro League club Al-Ahli. Mateo Kovacic and Josko Gvardiol have since joined up with the champions and could feature in their first league game for the club this evening.
Burnley, meanwhile, are hoping to build on an outstanding season in the Championship under boss Vincent Kompany. They notched up 101 points in 46 games, scoring the most goals (87) and conceding the fewest (35) after a successful rebuild in the second tier. As Kompany prepares to face off against his old team he’ll be hoping that the Clarets bring this form and skill into the Premier League.
Follow all the action as the Premier League returns with Burnley hosting Manchester City:
Burnley vs Manchester City
- The opening Premier League match of the season kicks off is at 8pm at Turf Moor
- Goalkeeper James Trafford makes Burnley debut against his old club
- New Man City signings Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic start on the bench
- Burnley XI: Trafford, O’Shea, Beyer, Al-Dakhil, Roberts, Berge, Cullen, Koleosho, Vitinho, Foster, Amdouni
- Man City XI: Ederson; Walker, Akanji, Ake, Lewis; Rodri, De Bruyne, Bernardo; Foden, Alvarez, Haaland
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Burnley vs Man City
Here come the players. Kevin de Bruyne leads out Manchester City as they prepare to kick off the 2023/24 season.
Turf Moor is buzzing and Burnley will be confident that they can achieve something against an undercooked City side. How will this one go?
Mike Jones11 August 2023 19:56
Burnley vs Man City
Erling Haaland – who scored twice in Man City’s opening Premier League fixture last season – netted a hat-trick in his only previous game against Burnley, a 6-0 win in last season’s FA Cup quarter-finals.
(Action Images via Reuters)
Mike Jones11 August 2023 19:55
Burnley vs Man City
Pep Guardiola has won 15 league and cup games against Burnley – the only side he has better record against is Arsenal (16 victories).
(Action Images via Reuters)
Mike Jones11 August 2023 19:52
Burnley vs Man City
Manchester City’s last Premier League match on a Friday was in May 2021, when they won 4-3 at Newcastle courtesy of a Ferran Torres hat-trick.
Mike Jones11 August 2023 19:44
Burnley vs Man City
Vincent Kompany will become the first Belgian to manage in the Premier League. No Burnley boss has won their first match in the competition with the Clarets.
(Action Images via Reuters)
Mike Jones11 August 2023 19:40
Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher highlight what could stop Man City winning Premier League title
Man City have utterly dominated English football in recent years, winning the four most recent Premier League titles as well as the treble last campaign.
But Neville does not believe it will be Pep Guardiola holding aloft the trophy in May 2024.
Mike Jones11 August 2023 19:36
Burnley vs Man City
Manchester City have won their opening league game in 12 of the last 14 seasons, drawing 0-0 against Tottenham in 2010 and losing 1-0 to the same opponents in 2021.
Mike Jones11 August 2023 19:32
Burnley vs Man City
Here are the pre-match thoughts of Burnley manager, Vincent Kompany, who told Sky Sports: “We have a team with very little Premier League experience. Maybe at the end of the season we’ll have a lot more. We have to give people a chance for that to build up.
“It [team flexibility] is massive. We’re only as good as the options we have that we can solve problems with. Cohesion is a big thing. They have seven years of it.
“We’ll take it one step at a time. I hope they can get something out of this game, not just a result but get a bit of momentum – a tackle in, a dribble, a shot and help build a special night.
“With this being Turf Moor, first day of the season, I expect City to be at full force.
“I guarantee this is the worst Burnley will be this season [as a new team].”
Mike Jones11 August 2023 19:28
Burnley vs Man City
This is the first time the reigning Premier League champions have been involved in the first match of the season since 2016, when Leicester lost 2-1 at newly promoted Hull City.
Mike Jones11 August 2023 19:24
Burnley vs Man City
Manchester City are vying to become the first English team to win four consecutive top-flight titles.
Only once before has a team scored the opening goal in a Premier League season and gone on to win the competition. Liverpool did so in 2019/20, although the first goal in their 4-1 win against Norwich was actually a Grant Hanley own goal.
Mike Jones11 August 2023 19:20