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Manchester City logo
Premier League | Gameweek 10
Nov 28, 2020 at 3pm UK
Etihad Stadium
Burnley logo

Man City
5 - 0
Burnley

Mahrez (6', 22', 69'), Mendy (41'), Torres (67')
FT(HT: 3-0)

Riyad Mahrez pleased with five-goal showing against Burnley

Riyad Mahrez pleased with five-goal showing against Burnley
© Reuters
Riyad Mahrez claimed his first treble in five years as City thrashed the Clarets 5-0.

Riyad Mahrez was confident the goals would always come for Manchester City after his hat-trick helped the club humble Burnley yet again.

Mahrez claimed his first treble in five years as City thrashed the Clarets 5-0 in their Premier League clash at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

It was the fourth consecutive time Burnley had lost away to City by that scoreline and was just the tonic the hosts needed after a patchy start to the season.

In their eight previous Premier League games, of which they had won just three, City had only found the net 10 times – a marked comedown from their usual high standards.

“We knew it was going to come,” said Mahrez. “It has been frustrating sometimes. Every game we created chances but weren’t scoring.

“We worked a lot in training to be more in the box and arrive more. I think we are improving but we need to keep working in training to repeat this.”

Mahrez set City on their way to their convincing victory after just six minutes and added a second on 22 minutes. Benjamin Mendy volleyed in his first for the club before half-time and Ferran Torres struck before Mahrez completed his hat-trick with a header on 69 minutes.

City also had two goals disallowed and Kevin De Bruyne hit the post in a dominant display.

City manager Pep Guardiola feels Mahrez is looking sharper
City manager Pep Guardiola feels Mahrez is looking sharper (Michael Regan/PA)

It was Mahrez’s first hat-trick since he helped Leicester sink Swansea in December 2015 and marked a return to form after a frustrating start to the season.

“The last week, or few days, he has been much better,” said manager Pep Guardiola. “We saw him sharper. Before he was not.”

Mahrez said: “Personally maybe I could have scored more but sometimes it is like this.

“It is always good to score goals and when you score a hat-trick it is another sensation of that feeling, but the most important thing was to win, to create chances and try to score.”

The result lifted City back into the top half of the table and left Burnley in the bottom three, a hefty blow for Sean Dyche’s side after Monday’s first victory of the season over Crystal Palace.

It was another frustrating occasion for Sean Dyche
It was another frustrating occasion for Sean Dyche (Laurence Griffiths/PA)

Dyche said: “Every year for me and the club are a restart. There are no guarantees in the Premier League but every year to you want to build and enhance your chances.

“Last season we finished 10th but we were stretched. I didn’t think for one minute our form over the last nine games was going to continue, not because I thought they weren’t capable but because when you get that many injuries it is bound to affect you.

“We haven’t put the resources in, we know that. That has been a challenge. You have to recruit well, you have to invest. We haven’t done that. It makes the challenge more difficult. When you add in injuries it makes it even more difficult.

“It has been a difficult battle every year. There is no easy ride in the Premier League. I know the challenge. There is a balance in knowing what the team can do. This one got away from us. That can happen.”

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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Arsenal28204470244664
2Liverpool28197265263964
3Manchester CityMan City28196363283563
4Aston Villa29175760421856
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs28165759421753
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd28152113939047
7West Ham UnitedWest Ham2912894650-444
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2811985044642
9Wolverhampton WanderersWolves28125114244-241
10Newcastle UnitedNewcastle281241259481140
11Chelsea27116104745239
12Fulham29115134344-138
13Bournemouth2898114152-1135
14Crystal Palace2878133348-1529
15Brentford2975174154-1326
16Everton2887132939-1025
17Luton TownLuton2957174260-1822
18Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest2967163551-1621
19Burnley2945202963-3417
20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd2835202474-5014


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