They Are Really There

Manchester City; playing like a team possessed; came up with a 5-0 demolition job on Burnley at the ghostly Etihad Stadium. This is not a Burnley team fighting relegation; but one in the upper reaches of the Premiership; but it must be said they were rocked by an unexpected contractual blow-out; problems with the owner; and severe injury problems to the likes of front-two Chris Wood and Ashley Barnes.

And if you enjoy watching Manchester City (such as yours truly); this game was surely heaven on ice. Dominating possession & dancing to the tune of their maniacal manager Josep Guardiola; City created chance after chance; turning this contest so one-sided it looked like a pitiful glorified training match by the end. City were so dominant; Ederson coud probably have had a cup of coffee and finished reading the papers by the night's end.

And it was precocious teenager Phil Foden who was the star of the show. Playing with a searing intensity and with eyes of a daredevil; he took on the mantelpiece of replacing David Silva; and then some. He scored the first goal from a training corner set-piece; but it was only the beginning. Riyad Mahrez; tormenting Burnley left-back Charlie Taylor (not a bad player mind you) like the circus; scored the second with his right foot after one turn too many. And it was Foden's pass that caused Ben Mee's foul on Sergio Aguero to lead to Mahrez's second from the spot; and City's third.

In the second half; the Foden show continued as his no-look reverse pass set Bernardo Silva on the way to cross for David Silva's volley to make it four. And the icing on the cake came when Foden instinctively struck home the fifth after Gabriel Jesus' scuffed shot. It was truly a remarkable night for the reigning champions.