Well here comes our usual 5-0 drubbing by Citeh. It has been a 5-0 scoreline after all on each of our last 4 visits to the Etihad. It can’t get worse than 5-0 this time can it? I recall with horror watching the Burnley v City game on the big screen in a Manchester city centre pub back in April 2010. Three down at home after 7 minutes in a pub jam packed with City supporters and then a group of Rovers fans turned up singing “ We’re having a party when the Burnley go down”. Could it get worse than that? I don’t think so and after the international break City will be without Ederson and Jesus so perhaps we can revise that scoreline down a little but it will still be a City win surely. We have lost our last 8 games in all competitions against them.

Should Burnley upset the Etihad applecart I will be cock-a-hoop but I will not be making rash promises having previously forked out for trips to Canterbury and Rome having pledged to visit those cities should the Clarets win against the odds. Ferran Torres suffered a fractured foot while playing for Spain in the Nations League but City can still field a formidable attack with Mahrez, Foden and Sterling supported by Jack Grealish. Clearly Southgate subbed off Grealish against Hungary so he would be 100% raring to go against Burnley. How come none of those expensively paid studio pundits picked up on that? Zack Steffen will deputise for Ederson.

For Burnley skipper Ben Mee has tested positive for Covid and must isolate so Nathan Collins will again step in to partner Tarkowski. Charlie Taylor is doubtful with a knock and Erik Pieters could get a rare opportunity to start at left back in his place. Matt Lowton could be preferred at right back ahead of Connor Roberts who picked up useful game time with Wales against the Czech Republic and Estonia. Vydra is a slight doubt but Maxwel Cornet and JBG should both be available. Cornet who scored 4 goals in three games for Lyon against Manchester City could prove Burnley’s most potent goal threat.

The referee is Martin Atkinson with Andre Marriner on VAR. COYC! Well you do want me to travel to Istanbul don’t you?