Burnley host Manchester City at Turf Moor on April 22, 2026, with major consequences at both ends of the Premier League table. Manchester City entered the fixture second with 67 points from 32 matches, three behind Arsenal with a game in hand. A victory at Turf Moor would take Pep Guardiola's side to the top of the table.
Burnley were 19th with 20 points from 33 games, leaving Scott Parker's team in danger of relegation. Recent history strongly favoured City, who had won 11 consecutive Premier League meetings with Burnley before this fixture.
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Burnley vs Manchester City: Last 10 Premier League Meetings
Manchester City won all 10 of the previous league meetings:
Manchester City 5-1 Burnley — September 2025
Manchester City 3-1 Burnley — January 2024
Burnley 0-3 Manchester City — August 2023
Burnley 0-2 Manchester City — April 2022
Manchester City 2-0 Burnley — October 2021
Burnley 0-2 Manchester City — February 2021
Manchester City 5-0 Burnley — November 2020
Manchester City 5-0 Burnley — June 2020
Burnley 1-4 Manchester City — December 2019
Burnley 0-1 Manchester City — April 2019
Across those matches:
Manchester City wins: 10
Burnley wins: 0
Draws: 0
Manchester City goals: 32
Burnley goals: 3
City clean sheets: 7
The wider record was similarly one-sided. City had lost only two of their previous 28 Premier League matches against Burnley, winning 23 and drawing three. Their 11-match winning run was Burnley's longest losing sequence against a single opponent.
Manchester City Won the Reverse Fixture 5-1
City won 5-1 at the Etihad Stadium on September 27, 2025. Jaidon Anthony equalised for Burnley after Maxime Estève's early own goal, but City took control in the second half. Matheus Nunes scored, Estève conceded another own goal, and Erling Haaland struck twice late on.
That result showed Burnley's main difficulty in this matchup: even when they remained competitive for long periods, City's attacking quality could quickly turn the game.
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Burnley's Form and Relegation Situation
Burnley entered the match without a victory in their previous 12 Premier League home games. They had also just lost 4-1 at Nottingham Forest, where Morgan Gibbs-White scored a second-half hat-trick. Their defensive record was another concern. Burnley had conceded 67 league goals, the most in the division at that point, while scoring only 34.
They had also attempted fewer shots than any other Premier League team. Zian Flemming remained their main attacking threat with 10 league goals from 27 appearances, while Anthony had seven. Burnley's challenge was finding enough opportunities for those players against a City side expected to control possession.
Manchester City's Title-Race Momentum
City arrived after beating Arsenal 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium on April 19. Rayan Cherki opened the scoring before Kai Havertz equalised, with Haaland scoring the second-half winner. That victory reduced Arsenal's advantage to three points while City retained their game in hand.
It meant the Burnley fixture was more than a favourable matchup on paper. City had the opportunity to take control of the Premier League title race.
Burnley vs Manchester City Team News
Manchester City were without Rodri, Rúben Dias and Joško Gvardiol. Rodri suffered a groin problem against Arsenal, while Dias and Gvardiol remained sidelined. City confirmed all three would miss the Burnley fixture.
For Burnley, Parker confirmed that Hannibal Mejbri and Connor Roberts were not ready to return, while saying the rest of his available squad was fit. Rodri's absence was particularly relevant tactically. Without City's usual holding midfielder, Burnley had a better chance of finding space during transitions if they could regain possession and attack quickly.
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Where the Match Could Be Decided
1. City's possession against Burnley's defensive block
Burnley averaged just 41.9% possession, the lowest in the Premier League at the time. City were therefore likely to spend long periods attacking around Burnley's penalty area. Parker's side needed to remain compact without dropping so deep that City could attack continuously.
2. Erling Haaland inside the penalty area
Haaland had already scored twice against Burnley earlier in the season. With Burnley having conceded most of their goals from inside their own box, limiting Haaland's service was more realistic than allowing him repeated touches in dangerous central positions.
3. Burnley's counterattacks
City's missing midfield and defensive personnel offered Burnley one potential route into the game. The hosts were unlikely to dominate possession, so turnovers, set pieces and quick attacks represented their best opportunities to test City.
4. The first goal
Burnley had struggled particularly badly at the beginning of matches, conceding 11 times in the opening 15 minutes of league games. An early City goal could force Parker's side to abandon a cautious approach and create more space for the visitors.
Who Had the Advantage?
Manchester City clearly held the stronger pre-match position. They had:
won the previous 10 Premier League meetings;
beaten Burnley 5-1 in the reverse fixture;
won 11 consecutive league matches against the Clarets;
just defeated title rivals Arsenal;
the chance to move to the top of the Premier League.
Burnley had home advantage and could take encouragement from City's absences, but their league position, defensive record and recent history in this fixture made the visitors strong favourites.
The key question was whether Burnley could keep the game competitive long enough to exploit moments in transition or from set pieces. If City established control early, the head-to-head record suggested Parker's side faced a difficult evening.