The Premier League season begins with promoted Burnley hosting champions Manchester City on Friday night (20:00).
The visitors, who won an historic Treble last season after also securing the FA Cup and Champions League, are expected to kick off with victory at Turf Moor as they take on last season’s Championship winners, who are managed by former Citizens captain Vincent Kompany.
- Manchester City to win and both teams to score
- Over 2.5 total goals
- Erling Haaland to score at any time
Clarets Face Defeat But Can Score
City are huge favourites to kick off their title defence with a victory and last season Pep Guardiola’s side won five of their six games against the promoted teams, with only Nottingham Forest stopping them making it six from six when they earned a shock 1-1 draw at the City Ground.
Burnley will be keen to play their part on the opening night in front of fans desperate to prove they belong back in the top flight and Kompany’s side can at least get on the scoresheet, even if it may only be a consolation.
The Clarets won 16 of their home games in the Championship last season, registering a division-high 49 goals, and have scored seven times in their pre-season friendlies, including against illustrious European opposition Real Betis and Benfica.
MAN CITY TO WIN AND BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE
Expect Opening Night Entertainment
Goals are pretty much guaranteed when Manchester City are in action with the champions racking up a league-high 94 last season.
Guardiola’s men were more prolific at the Etihad, with nearly two-thirds of their goals coming at home, but the 34 they struck on the road was still only one short of the best figure in the top flight, achieved by both Brighton and Arsenal.
Formidable striker Erling Haaland will be hungry to add to his ridiculously good City tally on matchday one of the new campaign and he is supported by Julian Alvarez, Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish, who are all likely to chip in with plenty of goals this season.
Burnley managed 87 in their Championship-winning campaign and have bolstered their attacking ranks over the summer with the signing of Zeki Amdouni, who scored 12 times in the Swiss Super League for Basel last season.
De Bruyne and Grealish will create plenty of chances
Haaland The Obvious Goalscorer Choice
Haaland was subdued in last weekend’s Community Shield defeat on penalties to Arsenal as he failed to muster a shot on or off target at Wembley.
However, he is likely to burst into life when the real action begins on Friday and the Norway international is expected to be the leading marksman in the Premier League once again this season.
The 21-year-old has hit a sensational 52 goals in 54 games in all competitions for City, with 36 of them coming in the league last season, and he can start as he means to go on by scoring at least once at Turf Moor.
