Manchester City vs Burnley LIVE: FA Cup team news, line-ups and more today as Vincent Kompany returns
Route to the quarter-finals
Take a look at how Manchester City reached the FA Cup quarter-finals this season:
Vincent Kompany aiming to ensure his first meeting with Man City is only start of Burnley’s revival
Perhaps it was an effort at mind games, maybe an attempt to anoint his successor or possibly just praising a manager who has transformed a seemingly moribund club with a brand of football that invites comparisons with his own. Whichever, Pep Guardiola had repeated his view that it is Vincent Kompany’s destiny to become Manchester City manager. “He has got to stop saying it,” smiled City’s greatest captain. “I am a Championship manager.” Not for much longer, admittedly, with Burnley three wins from promotion.
They have been reinvented and rejuvenated under Kompany. An FA Cup tie at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday is his first competitive visit to his old club since his 2019 departure to manage Anderlecht, but he is eager to ensure it isn’t seen as the start of a more permanent return. “I think Pep should stay for another 10 years at Manchester City, first and foremost,” he said. “City are competing to win the Champions League and we are competing to win the Championship so I don’t think those kind of conversations make sense.”
Kompany was quick to stress the different worlds they occupy. There is a managerial family tree of Guardiola proteges, with Mikel Arteta on course to win the Premier League and Xavi La Liga this season and Kompany said: “Pep has always remained very communicative with ex-players that have gone into the other side.”
Kompany aiming to ensure meeting with Man City is only start of Burnley’s revival
The former Man City captain is tipped to be the next Man City manager
Kompany on Manchester City
Vincent Kompany returns to Manchester City this afternoon as Burnley boss and has been speaking on how the club has changed since he left in 2019.
“I think its undeniable that City as a football brand now is an incredible example of how you do it well,” Kompany asserted. “I think the biggest challenge has been over time to establish that kind of identity, that new identity.
“The club is a monster now, it’s a machine, it is huge. So being there at the beginning and seeing how it evolved into that, it was a really good journey.
“(Playing City at the Etihad) it is the toughest challenge anyone can have.
“In my opinion it’s the top five hardest challenge anyone can have – away from home at the Etihad, Anfield, Nou Camp, Bernabeu. These are dominant places where they are used to winning.”
Manchester City vs Burnley prediction
With both sides in great form of late, much could depend on the kind of side that City manager Pep Guardiola chooses.
He will be careful not to underestimate Burnley, but will likely name a much-changed team with his side still in the hunt for the Premier League and Champions League trophies.
Even with changes, players such as Phil Foden and Riyadh Mahrez will form the basis of a side that will surely be too strong for a Championship club away from home.
Manchester City 3-0 Burnley
Manchester City vs Burnley predicted line-ups
Manchester City: Ortega; Lewis, Stones, Ake, Gomez; Phillips, De Bruyne, Silva; Mahrez, Alvarez, Foden
Burnley: Muric; Ekdal, Beyer, Maatsen; Vitinho, Roberts, Cullen, Gudmundsson; Barnes, Tella, Zaroury
What is the team news?
Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva misses the tie through suspension after he picked up his second yellow card of the competition in that game at Ashton Gate.
Ilkay Gundogan is expected to be available after his wife gave birth to their first son 24 hours after he scored in the 7-0 Champions League win over RB Leipzig.
Burnley midfielder Josh Brownhill is likely to miss the tie as he continues his recovery from an ankle injury but Manuel Benson returned to the squad in Wednesday’s win at Hull City.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis played in the Under-21 game at Oakwell on Monday but cannot play against his parent club.
How to watch Manchester City vs Burnley?
The match will kick off at 5.45pm GMT on Saturday 18 March.
It will be shown live on BBC 1, with coverage starting at 5.25pm. If you have a TV licence, you can also watch online or stream the game on BBC iPlayer.
Manchester City vs Burnley
Good afternoon and welcome to The Independent’s coverage of this FA Cup quarter-final between Man City and Burnley.
Vincent Kompany’s Clarets have performed admirably to reach this stage of the competition and will have their sights set on further glory when they take on the Premier League champions at the Etihad Stadium.
Kompany spent 11 years at City between 2008–2019 making 265 appearances for the club and winning for Premier League titles and two FA Cups. Now he returns hoping to inflict some pain on Pep Guardiola’s men and lead Burnley into the final four.
City, of course, are the favourites to progress. Guardiola puts a lot of emphasis on domestic trophies and will, at the very least, want to reach the final at Wembley. With Arsenal five points clear at the top of the Premier League and a tough draw against Bayern Munich in the Champions League the FA Cup could be City’s best chance at collecting silverware this term.
Changes are expected to their starting XI after a 7-0 triumph over RB Leipzig in the week. Phil Foden and Julian Alvarez are likely to feature and City’s squad depth is such that whoever makes the field today will be a handful for the Championship leaders.
Will City progress as expected or can Burnley shock the Premier League champions?
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