Manchester City Cruise Past Newly-Promoted Burnley with Flawless Performance
Erling Haaland effortlessly slipped back into his goal-scoring rhythm, delivering a masterful exhibition of finishing as Manchester City launched their Premier League title defence with a commanding 3-0 victory over Burnley.
The prolific striker, who netted an astonishing 52 goals during City's glorious campaign last season that saw them secure the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League, wasted no time in leaving his mark on the new season. In a mere 185 seconds, he found the net, capitalising on a header from Rodri that directed Kevin de Bruyne's cross, setting the tone for the Clarets' uphill battle.
Haaland's brilliance continued as he unleashed a sublime left-footed shot into the top corner of the net, eluding Burnley's goalkeeper James Trafford as the fate of the contest was effectively sealed by the 36th minute.
Despite Vincent Kompany's side's relentless efforts spurred on by an enthusiastic home crowd, Pep Guardiola's side's dominance grew more pronounced as the match unfolded. In the final quarter of the game, Rodri sealed the deal by converting a free-kick that Burnley's defence failed to clear, securing City's third goal on the night.
The match concluded in comfortable fashion for City, although marred by the unfortunate sight of Kevin de Bruyne hobbling off after just 23 minutes due to injury, paving the way for summer signing Mateo Kovacic.
In the closing moments, Burnley's Anass Zaroury saw red after a video assistant referee review, following a dangerous challenge on Kyle Walker, compounding the woes of the newly-promoted side.
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