Man City Set to Dominate Burnley: Bold Predictions and Starting XI Revealed
Two clubs with contrasting Carabao Cup experiences in midweek will clash at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday afternoon, as Manchester City host Burnley.
Pep Guardiola managed to rotate his squad effectively for Wednesday's cup match at Huddersfield Town following a challenging week, during which City defeated Manchester United and Napoli before struggling unusually in Sunday's 1–1 stalemate at Arsenal.
The 2025–26 campaign has brought mixed results for the Citizens, whom many anticipated would reclaim their position atop the Premier League this season. Despite Erling Haaland's commanding performances, a championship pursuit appears unlikely for Guardiola's squad based on current evidence.
Nevertheless, they'll be favored to continue their winning streak against the recently promoted Clarets this weekend. Scott Parker's team has shown resilience through five weeks of the new campaign, though they possess a dismal record against the Sky Blues. City have claimed victory in the last 13 encounters with a combined scoreline of 46–2.
Parker's squad suffered a shock in cup competition on Tuesday, falling at home to League One side Cardiff City.
Here is Sports Illustrated's preview of the Premier League encounter at the Etihad.
What Time Does Man City vs. Burnley Kick-Off?
Man City vs. Burnley Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Games)
Current Form (All Competitions)
Man City | Burnley |
|---|---|
Huddersfield 0–2 Man City - 24/09/25 | Burnley 1–2 Cardiff - 23/09/25 |
Arsenal 1–1 Man City - 21/09/25 | Burnley 1–1 Nottingham Forest - 20/09/25 |
Man City 2–0 Napoli - 18/09/25 | Burnley 0–1 Liverpool - 14/09/25 |
Man City 3–0 Man Utd - 14/09/25 | Man Utd 3–2 Burnley - 30/08/25 |
Brighton 2–1 Man City - 31/08/25 | Burnley 2–1 Derby - 26/08/25 |
How to Watch Man City vs. Burnley on TV
Country | TV channel/live stream |
|---|---|
United States | fuboTV, nbcsports.com, NBC Sports App, UNIVERSO NOW, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, USA Network, UNIVERSO |
United Kingdom | N/A - radio coverage provided by Man City Radio |
Canada | DAZN Canada, fuboTV Canada, Amazon Prime Video, Fubo Sports Network 5 Canada |
Mexico | Max Mexico Amazon Prime Video |
Man City Team News
Fantasy Premier League managers will be monitoring Erling Haaland's condition closely until Saturday morning, with Burnley (H) tempting many to activate their 'Triple Captain' chip.
Haaland was absent from City's cup victory in midweek due to a reported back problem that troubled him last weekend. The forward has since been cleared to participate against the Clarets.
Rayan Aït-Nouri, Rayan Cherki, Omar Marmoush and Abdukodir Khusanov all remain unavailable for the hosts, but Mateo Kovačić has resumed training and is in consideration to appear for the first time this season.
Guardiola was especially praising of Phil Foden and Savinho in his pre-match press conference, and both players could be named in City's starting eleven.
Man City Predicted Lineup vs. Burnley
Man City predicted lineup vs. Burnley (4-1-4-1): Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O'Reilly; Rodri; Savinho, Foden, Reijnders, Doku; Haaland.
Burnley Team News
Kyle Walker is expected to face his former club for the first time since departing the Etihad permanently in the summer, and Guardiola spoke admiringly of the Englishman before Saturday's match, indicating he is among the finest full-backs in history.
With Parker likely to employ a back five on Saturday, Walker will probably feature as a defensive wing-back on the right flank.
The Clarets will evaluate Jacob Brunn Larsen before kick-off, but they're definitely without Jordan Beyer, Connor Roberts and Zeki Amdouni due to injury.
Lesley Ugochukwu was available for selection in midweek, but faces competition if he's to start on Saturday. Parker might favor summer signing Florentino Luís to partner captain Josh Cullen in midfield.
Burnley Predicted Lineup vs. Man City
Burnley predicted lineup vs. Man City (5-4-1): Dúbravka; Walker, Laurent, Ekdal, Estève, Hartman; Tchaouna, Cullen, Florentino, Anthony; Foster.
Man City vs. Burnley Score Prediction
Burnley have not been the pushovers some anticipated them to be in preseason, with Guardiola acknowledging their ability to adapt defensively. City are likely to face the challenge of breaking down a deep and organized Clarets defensive structure, while containing Jaidon Anthony's counter-attacking threat.
City are not the dominant force they previously were, but failing in these types of matches would surely be below their standards. The hosts possess various tactical options capable of overcoming Burnley's defensive resolve, not to mention the commanding Haaland, who's netted six of City's nine Premier League goals this season.
The visitors will do sufficient to prevent a thrashing, but it's difficult to imagine them avoiding anything other than defeat on Saturday.