Player ratings: Burnley v Manchester City

Given – Excellent reaction save in the first half and did well to hold the wet ball in the second. Showed his professionalism in not making a hash of anything, which could have been easily done in the conditions. 7

Onuoha – Looking increasingly comfortable on the ball; the highlight being a nutmeg. Not as reckless as Micah and would deserve to keep his place. 7

Toure – The pitch was more of a challenge than the opposition and Kolo did well to read any danger of the ball sticking in the water. 7

Kompany – Like Kolo, the defending was professional and focussed in the second half. Good to see him get on the scoresheet. Vincent is capable of a few more. 7

Sylvinho – Dependable as ever, particularly with the ball at his feet. Good to have Bellamy helping the veteran when he’s targetted by the opposition, but his positional sense keeps trouble to a minimum. 7

A Johnson – Three goals from his corners indicate the delivery is getting better, though he’s probably disappointed not to be on the scoresheet himself. Adam’s trickery gives a nice balance to our attack. 8

Barry – Struggled with the conditions a little in the second half, but did ok when asked drop in at left-back. The opening period saw his passing at it’s best. 7

Vieira – Maybe the opposition was weak, but this was Patrick’s best performance by a mile. Answered the call for more by dominating midfield. Good to see him unfazed by the conditions in the second half. 8

Bellamy – The first half was his kind of game as were attacked at pace, on the break, with plenty of space for him to run into. An excellently taken goal was an early reward. 8

Tevez – Dropping deep and not being picked up enabled Carlos to pull the strings in the first half. The rain reduced his influence, though it was remarkable how he continued to carry the ball forward. Not only can he walk on water, Carlos can play football on it. 8

Adebayor – Great to see him on the scoresheet with a pair of excellently taken goals. As always with Ade, there could have been more, but  it was good to see him linking up better with his team-mates. 8

Subs:

De Jong – Abundantly clear he was under instructions not to get booked. Never seen him run around so much without making a sliding tackle. 6

Santa Cruz – The pitch was practically unplayable by the time Roque came on, but there was little to suggest an improvement in his form. 6

Nimely – Good to see another youngster get his first team debut. Managed a couple of decent touches and showed good movement. 6

Man of the match: Everyone did their bit, but for justifying his place after a lot of criticism – Patrick Vieira.

Preview: Burnley v Manchester City
Verdict: Burnley 1 Manchester City 6

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