Sutton's predictions: Burnley v Man Citypublished at 11:49 BST
11:49 BST
I completely understood Manchester City's celebrations at full-time on Sunday.
Arsenal are their main rivals, there is a lot of needle between the two sides - like Erling Haaland and Gabriel for example - and they had just beaten them in a must-win game in the title race.
Now Pep Guardiola's side will be fully focused on getting the win they need here - and I don't just think City will win at Burnley, I think they will win well.
I know the Clarets went ahead against Nottingham Forest on Sunday but they ended up losing that one heavily.
I can see a similar scoreline here. You just feel like City's tails will be up - they have got some tough games ahead, but this should be comfortable for them.
Burnley will battle and they will give it a go but with what is at stake for City, and the quality they have in the final third, I am thinking they can boost their goal difference as well as collecting the three points.
Burnley v Man City: Key stats and talking pointspublished at 10:58 BST
10:58 BST
Sophie Brown BBC Sport journalist
Manchester City visit Turf Moor on Wednesday seeking a win that would take them to the top of the Premier League table - a result that would also relegate Burnley.
The omens are not good. Burnley have won just one of their 19 Premier League games against City and have lost the past 11, which is their longest-ever losing league run against another team.
Scott Parker's side are also winless in their past 12 home Premier League matches, the club's second-worst run without winning at Turf Moor in their league history.
And they come into this match on the back of a 4-1 capitulation at fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest. Head coach Parker said the boos from Burnley supporters at the City Ground were justified, admitting that they "saw a team just fall away".
That was Burnley's second-heaviest defeat of the season - topped only by the 5-1 thumping by City at Etihad Stadium in September. It could be another long 90 minutes for Clarets fans.
Before City visited West Ham on 14 March, Pep Guardiola said his side's title hopes would be over if they dropped points. When they did just that in a 1-1 draw, it meant City were nine points adrift of Premier League leaders Arsenal, with one game in hand.
If City win at Burnley, they will take over at the top of the Premier League with both they and Arsenal having just five matches left to play.
It has been a fascinating and thrilling title run-in and there will surely be a few more twists yet before the Premier League season concludes on 24 May.
But City's win over Arsenal on Sunday suggests Guardiola has got his team going at just the right time and when it really matters, something he has made a habit of.
Since Mikel Arteta's first league game in charge of Arsenal in 2019, the Gunners have been top for 539 days to City's 453. Yet in that time, City have collected four Premier League titles while Arsenal have won none.
One win in 19 attempts - Burnley's poor Premier League record v Man Citypublished at 08:30 BST
08:30 BST
Image source, Getty Images
On 21 April 2025, Scott Parker's Burnley confirmed their promotion back to the Premier League with a 2-1 victory against Sheffield United at Turf Moor.
One year and one day on, Parker's Clarets are on the brink of a return to the Championship.
They have taken only 20 points from their first 33 games and a loss to Manchester City on Wednesday would confirm their relegation back into the second tier.
The statistics of previous meetings between the two do not make good reading for Burnley followers.
They have won just one of their 19 Premier League games against City (drawn three, lost 15) and to add to the Clarets' woes, they have lost their past 11 in a row against City - their longest ever losing run against an opponent in their league history.
As a manager, Parker has lost all five of his Premier League matches against City by an aggregate score of 16-1.
Parker on squad fitness, Man City & 'burden' of looming relegationpublished at 14:54 BST 21 April
14:54 BST 21 April
Nat Hayward BBC Sport journalist
Media caption,
Burnley boss Scott Parker has been speaking to the media before Wednesday's Premier League game against Manchester City at Turf Moor (20:00 BST).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Parker confirmed Wednesday's game will come "too early" for Hannibal Mejbri and Connor Roberts, but "everyone else is fully fit".
Reflecting on Sunday's 4-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest: "A really disappointing result and final part to that game as well. A lot of reflection and, as always when you the results we have, it brings a certain dampness to the training facility. We rebooted well today and we're looking in a good place. In terms of the mental and psychological side of the group, today was bright."
Parker was asked whether the fact a defeat by City would confirm the Clarets' relegation could impact their approach: "Regarding the outcome and the situation of what it can mean is one the players have been facing for some time. Having an understanding of where we are and searching for something - I don't think that's a big player in terms of us. That has been a challenge over the last few months because we haven't managed to pick up results. That burden has been on our shoulders for a long time now. That's where we are."
What does he want and need to see from the players between now and the end of the season? "It comes down to what the players want as individuals. From my side, as always the driver will be that there are certain things you can control. There are certain traits and habits you can control. Not getting a result or the outcome of a performance sometimes you can accept when you fall a little bit short due to many reasons, but one thing you can never fall short on is what you are in control of. That has to be a mainstay and that will be the message."
On whether he can take motivation from having an impact on the title race: "I don't think so. The main thing is to have an effect on us and what we do. That challenge is there for us and is an incredible challenge. We did what we did last year to have this challenge. We are going up against the elite of the elite - that's a challenge we should be relishing."
On dealing with booing from supporters: "As a man I would say I am pretty fair. At the weekend I totally understand and totally deserved it because of the confusion our fans must have had was a confusion that I had as well. That frustration and the pure not understanding of it is what lives with us all, so I totally understand the booing. There have been other occasions when I have had absolutely no idea why that [booing] has been the case. There has been unrest and booing in the past that I don't really get."
'A club of nothingness' as relegation loomspublished at 10:39 BST 21 April
10:39 BST 21 April
Natalie Bromley Fan writer
Image source, Getty Images
No matter how the season is going, or the challenges you are trying to overcome, conceding four goals in 45 minutes is not good. Not good at all.
We did "OK" in the first half against Nottingham Forest and Zian Flemming's opening goal was a really well-worked opportunity. I have spoken about Flemming previously and vocalised my hope that he stays with us next year, but I fear he may wish to remain in the Premier League for another season, given how well he has adapted to it.
The second half wasn't even worth thinking about. We were second best all over the park. Our attacking threat non-existent. Our ability to string a positive or meaningful pass together laughable. And, again, Parker just seemed to lack any consistency or clear strategy in his starting line-up or his substitutions.
It feels like we are in Gameweek 33 and he still has no idea what his best starting 11 is.
But the most difficult part to take is that we simply crumbled so very easily. As ugly as the football was during the Sean Dyche years - and I have no desire to return to that - we had that strong jaw mentality. We gave our all. We fought for everything.
We are so very weak as a club. A club of nothingness. With no clear identity and none of the East Lancashire grit that has run through our DNA since 1882.
How we get that back is a concern that is monopolising my thoughts this week.
Perhaps, I will be able to see that more clearly once relegation is confirmed after the Manchester City game on Wednesday.
Given that City could do with winning by a large goal tally - and Burnley haven't been historically shy in gifting them 5-0 victories when they have needed it - perhaps that will be the wake-up call everyone at the club needs.
Flemming form will lead to 'inevitable transfer speculation'published at 15:39 BST 20 April
15:39 BST 20 April
Tom Gayle MOTD commentator at the City Ground
Image source, Getty Images
I think it's fair to say Burnley have known their fate for a while now. The ruthless nature of elite sport means thoughts have moved towards conversations regarding which players have shown they can deliver for someone else at this level.
For me, Martin Dubravka has performed admirably throughout the season. I would be surprised if several clubs across the top five leagues in Europe weren't monitoring the progress of Maxime Esteve. After two seasons away from the Premier League, Jaidon Anthony's improvement has been clear to see. However, the standout candidate is surely Zian Flemming.
With his nine top-flight goals, the 27-year-old remains on course to become only the fifth Burnley player to reach double figures in a Premier League season. The previous case studies of Chris Wood and Danny Ings have shown this type of goal return will lead to inevitable transfer speculation.
Whilst I'll leave it to others to debate how poor this current Burnley Premier League side is when compared to those who've come before, Flemming's case is further strengthened by digging into his individual data. Playing in a team which has the lowest xG (the quality of scoring chance created) in the division, eyebrows surely will be raised at the fact his nine Premier League goals have come from just 19 shots on target.
Only Viktor Gyokeres (12), Hugo Ekitike (11) and Eli Junior Kroupi (10) have scored more during what is for all a debut Premier League season. Furthermore, his tally of nine would make him either the top scorer, or joint top scorer, at eight other clubs, a list which includes Manchester United,Everton and Newcastle United.
Earlier this month, Flemming spoke to Dutch media about his hopes of being part of the Netherlands' World Cup finals squad, despite having never received a senior international call-up.
He said: "The Premier League is undoubtedly the best and toughest in the world. No Dutch (Premier League) player has scored more goals than me this season, so I do wonder why I'm not in the squad yet. I'm going to make sure the national coach can't ignore me any longer."
His main competition for the out-and-out striker role comes from Donyell Malen, who made the switch from Aston Villa to Roma in January, Sunderland's Brian Brobbey and former Burnley striker Wout Weghorst, who left the Premier League in 2023 and has spent the last two seasons leading the line for Ajax.
When it comes to selection, in particular for a major international tournament, there are a variety of factors which are considered. Yet when it comes to numbers, Malen surely is a lock-in given his 10 goals in 13 Serie A appearances since his move, whereas Brobbey's scored six in the Premier League, and Weghorst has seven in the Eredivisie.
I, like Flemming, would love to hear Netherlands' boss Ronald Koeman's thoughts as to why he's not been picked so far.
'I deserved to get the abuse' after Forest collapse - Parkerpublished at 14:22 BST 20 April
14:22 BST 20 April
Nick Mashiter Football reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Burnley boss Scott Parker admitted he deserved the abuse he received from Clarets fans after their collapse at Nottingham Forest on Sunday.
They are 12 points from safety with five games left after losing a 1-0 half-time lead to ship four second-half goals against Forest, including Morgan Gibbs-White's hat-trick.
Parker said: "I've got no defence and rightly so. The travelling support for 30 minutes saw a team just fall away.
"It's our job as players and as a manager to give the best version of ourselves. For 30 minutes we deserved to get booed and I deserved to get the abuse. That's what football is, I deserved that walking over there [to the fans at full time].
"It's not nice, it's hurtful and it's sad but that's the reality.
"If you open up in this division for a team like us you get hurt. I thought in the first half we did everything we needed to do.
"I'm a fan as well, I understand the passion and emotion, it's been a disappointing season.
"At times we haven't given them much to cheer about and at times I would have liked more in terms of the general getting behind us but I don't expect that really."
