Sports Desk, Aug 11 (EFE).- Erling Haaland had a brace Friday for Manchester City as the reigning champions beat Burnley 3-0 in the 2023-2024 Premier League opener.
The Norwegian put the visitors ahead in the 4th minute at Turf Moor against a Burnley side making their return to the Premier League 15 months after they were relegated.
The Clarets won the second division last year under the leadership of Vincent Kompany, who hoisted the Premier League trophy four times and the FA Cup twice during his eight-year tenure as Man City captain.
Burnley turned in a respectable performance against the team that did the treble – Premier League, FA Cup, Champions League – last season and show every sign of being determined to bag a fourth straight title, unprecedented in the English top-flight.
Haaland, last year’s Premier League Golden Boot (36 goals) and the European Golden Shoe, scored a mere 185 seconds after the starting whistle with an assist from Rodri.
World Cup winner Julian Alvarez found Haaland in the box in the 36th minute and the 23-year-old striker made it 2-0 for the Cityzens.
Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford denied Rodri twice in quick succession 10 minutes into the second half to keep his team in the game, but the Spaniard broke through in the 75th minute to nail down the victory.
The only sour note for City was an injury to captain Kevin de Bruyne that saw the Belgian midfielder limp off the pitch in the 23rd minute.
EFE jjl/dr
