Riyad Mahrez scored his first Manchester City hat-trick as Pep Guardiola’s men beat Burnley 5-0 at Etihad Stadium for the fourth time in a row.
The Algerian curled two first-half efforts into the corner to ease any concerns about a perceived City scoring drought.
Benjamin Mendy drove home Kevin de Bruyne’s cross for his first City goal before half-time and Ferran Torres turned home his first Premier League goal after the break following a brief period of Burnley pressure.
Mahrez steered Pep Guardiola’s side to their biggest win of the season by completing his first treble since scoring all three for Leicester City in a victory at Swansea City in December 2015 as the Foxes marched towards the title.
It could have been worse for visitors Burnley – and their keeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell, who was making his Premier League debut with first-choice Nick Pope missing because of injury.
In addition to De Bruyne slamming a shot against a post in the final minute, Torres and Gabriel Jesus both had goals disallowed for offside – with both having involved major mistakes from the Northern Ireland keeper.
Man City’s favourite opponents
With only 10 goals in their opening eight Premier League games and Sergio Aguero missing with a knee injury, it was just as well Burnley were City’s visitors on Saturday.
Guardiola’s side have dominated a number of opponents during the Spaniard’s time England, but the arrival of Sean Dyche’s Clarets at the Etihad is as near a home banker as it is possible to get.
City have now scored 27 times in six matches against Burnley on this ground and once Mahrez had broken the deadlock there was never a chance they would be thwarted.
The visitors simply could not afford the kind of error that saw central defender James Tarkowski get caught out of position close to the touchline after just six minutes, as City swept the ball across the pitch and Mahrez stepped inside to curl home.
Mahrez also has a particularly liking for Burnley – he has now scored eight times against them.
His second, another well-struck shot that curled in at the far corner, was the first time the Algeria winger had scored two in a game since the corresponding fixture last season.
When left-back Mendy smashed home a superb volley from De Bruyne’s cross, it was the first time City had scored three in the first half of a game since they hammered Liverpool in July. It was the first time they had scored three at all since their opening game of the season.
These statistics are at odds with previous campaigns, when City have almost scored at will – and Burnley could be forgiven for thinking not much has changed, especially once Torres and Mahrez had converted their second-half efforts.
Now City’s task is to show they can hurt different opposition in the same way.
What next?
Manchester City travel to Porto in the Champions League on Tuesday (20:00 GMT kick-off), while Burnley host Everton in the Premier League on Saturday, 5 December (12:30).
More to follow.
Player of the match
MahrezRiyad Mahrez
Burnley
Squad number11Player nameMcNeil
Squad number9Player nameWood
Squad number41Player nameBenson
Squad number10Player nameBarnes
Squad number18Player nameWestwood
Squad number27Player nameVydra
Squad number23Player namePieters
Squad number15Player namePeacock-Farrell
Squad number19Player nameRodriguez
Squad number3Player nameTaylor
Squad number6Player nameMee
Squad number2Player nameLowton
Squad number5Player nameTarkowski
Line-ups
Man City
- 31Ederson
- 2Walker
- 5Stones
- 3Rúben DiasSubstituted forGarcíaat 70′minutes
- 22Mendy
- 16RodriSubstituted forFernandinhoat 45′minutes
- 8Gündogan
- 26Mahrez
- 17De Bruyne
- 21TorresSubstituted forFodenat 67′minutes
- 9Gabriel Jesus
Substitutes
- 7Sterling
- 13Steffen
- 20Bernardo Silva
- 25Fernandinho
- 27Cancelo
- 47Foden
- 50García
Burnley
- 15Peacock-Farrell
- 2Lowton
- 5Tarkowski
- 6Mee
- 3Taylor
- 19Rodriguez
- 18Westwood
- 41Benson
- 10BarnesSubstituted forVydraat 81′minutes
- 11McNeil
- 9WoodSubstituted forPietersat 67′minutes
Substitutes
- 7Gudmundsson
- 23Pieters
- 25Norris
- 27Vydra
- 28Long
- 34Dunne
- 44Goodridge
Live Text
Match ends, Manchester City 5, Burnley 0.
Second Half ends, Manchester City 5, Burnley 0.
Attempt blocked. Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.
Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) hits the left post with a right footed shot from the right side of the box. Assisted by Riyad Mahrez.
Eric García (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jay Rodriguez (Burnley).
Foul by Phil Foden (Manchester City).
Ashley Westwood (Burnley) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Eric García (Manchester City).
Josh Benson (Burnley) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Fernandinho (Manchester City).
Dwight McNeil (Burnley) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Attempt missed. Dwight McNeil (Burnley) left footed shot from the right side of the box is too high.
Substitution, Burnley. Matej Vydra replaces Ashley Barnes.
Attempt missed. Fernandinho (Manchester City) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Riyad Mahrez with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Matthew Lowton.
Attempt blocked. Phil Foden (Manchester City) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Riyad Mahrez.
VAR Decision: No Goal Manchester City 5-0 Burnley.
Offside, Manchester City. Kevin De Bruyne tries a through ball, but Gabriel Jesus is caught offside.
Attempt missed. Josh Benson (Burnley) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Ashley Westwood.
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