Burnley 1-2 Manchester City: Aguero at the double in comeback

Burnley 1-2 Manchester City

Posted Saturday, November 26, 2016 by Goal.com

Pep Guardiola's men are top of the Premier League once again following the match-wining exploits of their striker, who was vital in overturning the hosts' early lead

Sergio Aguero was the hero of Manchester City's 2-1 Premier League victory at Burnley on Saturday, netting a brace either side of half time to secure a comeback win for Pep Guardiola's men.

Dean Marney had put Eddie Howe's hosts ahead in the 14th minute, who beat Claudio Bravo with an unstoppable volley after City failed to clear their lines from a free-kick.

But following Yaya Toure's match-winning brace against Crystal Palace last weekend, it was Aguero's turn to be decisive as he equalised with a close-range strike before the break.

And the Argentine struck again in the second half as Fernandinho laid the ball on for his team-mate to bury Burnley with another strike from inside the area.

Burnley, hindered by the loss of Marney and Johann Gudmundsson to injury, were unable to avoid a third loss at a typically vociferous Turf Moor this season despite a vast improvement from Monday's 4-0 thrashing at West Brom.

Burnley 1-2 Manchester City: Aguero at the double in comeback

Indeed, City were left hanging on in order to edge ahead of Chelsea and Liverpool before their nearest rivals host Tottenham and Sunderland respectively, and they were grateful for their masterful marksman's 15th and 16th goals of the campaign.

Aguero's fierce low drive brought a sharp save from veteran Burnley goalkeeper Paul Robinson – making his Clarets debut and a first Premier League appearance for 1664 days after England international Tom Heaton was ruled out with a calf injury.

But it was a rare moment of City encouragement after a lethargic start to the match and they deservedly fell behind.

Gudmundsson thudded a drive into Bravo's chest moments before the Chile international was powerless to keep Marney's sweetly struck volley out of the bottom left corner.

Nolito was denied by a plunging Robinson save and a lunging Matthew Lowton block in quick succession but Aguero scrambled City level from the latter chance's resulting corner.

Robinson rolled back the years to deny Aguero at full stretch but Marney and Gudmundsson limping off further checked Burnley's excellent opening to the contest.

Marney's replacement Scott Arfield teed up Lowton to cross and Sam Vokes' header forced a stop from Bravo in first-half stoppage time.

City's opening to the second period was a sharp improvement on their initial efforts as Aguero had a shot blocked and Toure drove over left-footed at the end of an intricate passing move.

Burnley sat in front of extended periods of City possession that did not threaten enough for Guardiola's liking and the ineffective Raheem Sterling made way for Leroy Sane after sustaining a heavy but fair challenge from former City youngster Ben Mee.

Stand-in captain Mee was involved in vain as City hit the front, making a block inside the area before botching a clearance and ending up splayed on the floor with Stephen Ward and James Tarkowski.

Sane and Fernandinho almost made a similar hash of the opportunity presented to them but the latter managed to pick out Aguero from the byline for a simple finish.

Burnley refused to accept their lot and Aleksandar Kolarov cleared a Michael Keane header out of his goalmouth.

Bravo did not always inspire confidence during a late onslaught but he held an Ashley Barnes overhead kick in stoppage time to make sure of a sixth City win in seven away league games this season.