Nigerian international, Kelechi Iheanacho, failed to live up to his billings as 10-man Manchester City beat Burnley 2-1 to moved into third place in the Premier League table.
Pep Guardiola made the decision to replace Sergio Aguero with Iheanacho and the youngster almost repaid his manager’s faith when having two chances within a minute.
Firstly, he was denied by goalkeeper Tom Heaton as he attempted to take the ball around the goalkeeper, before he saw a deflected effort miss the far post.
Yaya Toure also saw a 20-yard strike saved by Heaton as City threatened to take control of the game but shortly after the half-hour mark, Fernandinho was sent off for the third time this season as he went in two-footed on Johann Berg Gudmundsson.
The home side had Fernandinho sent off during the first half but goals from Gael Clichy and Sergio ensured that they returned to winning ways in the top flight.
Burnley had matched City with 11 men but the dismissal soon led to Ashley Barnes creating a chance for himself, although he could only curl wide from 20 yards out.
The opening stages of the second half passed by without incident but City went ahead just before the hour mark when Gael Clichy’s low strike from the edge of the penalty area evaded everyone and found the bottom corner.
It led to a period of play where City threw men forward in an attempt to put the game out of the reach of the Clarets and four minutes later, it appeared that they had done just that when substitute Aguero hit the back of the net from an acute angle after Raheem Sterling had initially been denied by Heaton.
However, despite the game seeming to be out of the reach of the visitors, they soon halved the deficit when Ben Mee was able to get the ball over the line via the crossbar after a goalmouth scramble inside the City penalty area.
The goal initially led to Burnley looking for an equaliser but City would dominate the following quarter-of-an-hour with Aguero being denied by Matthew Lowton before he later sent a shot over the crossbar from 20 yards.
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