City find their gear: Doku dazzles, Nunes strikes, Haaland closes the show in a 5-1 statement

Manchester City’s response to early-season questions gathered momentum with a 5-1 win over Burnley that owed as much to patience and craft as to late ruthlessness. Maxime Esteve’s own goals bookended a pivotal spell in which Matheus Nunes, raiding from right-back, volleyed the hosts back in front before Erling Haaland applied the familiar flourish with two late finishes.

Jeremy Doku was irrepressible from the opening whistle, repeatedly tearing at the left channel, setting the tone for a second-half surge that lifted City to fourth. Though Rodri was unavailable with knee pain and Nico Gonzalez deputised in midfield, Pep Guardiola’s side controlled territory (68% possession) and, after half-time, reconnected with the slickness that has long defined them.

Control, a jolt, and the champions’ answer

City struck first when Doku’s drive drew a parry from Martin Dubravka; in the scramble, Phil Foden’s close-range effort ricocheted in off Esteve. The Belgian soon forced another sharp save at the near post as the pressure built and Burnley retreated, precisely the pattern the Etihad has come to expect.

Then came a jolt. From a rare defensive lapse, Jaidon Anthony’s scuffed strike clipped Rúben Dias and defeated Gianluigi Donnarumma to level the game before the break. It underlined the exact stretch Guardiola referenced — “we dropped [our] rhythm” — and demanded a response.

Nunes from right-back flips the switch and sets the template

The response arrived on the hour. Haaland, backpedalling, nodded a clever knock-down across the box and Nunes, timing his run from right-back, detonated a volley beyond Dubravka. It was both cathartic and emblematic of City’s return to purposeful speed.

Five minutes later, came the sequence Guardiola will love to isolate: Doku sliced inside, Foden spun a wall-pass into Nunes, whose whipped cross was attacked by Oscar Bobb and ultimately went in off Esteve for 3-1. The left-to-right recycling had the old, irresistible cadence — and it broke Burnley’s resistance.

Doku’s end product and Haaland’s inevitability

Doku’s influence never waned. In stoppage time he again slalomed into space and offered Haaland the kind of ball the striker devours, lashed in for the fourth. Minutes later, a defensive lapse with Esteve involved allowed Haaland to run clear and complete the rout — his season tally now 15 in nine for club and country.

The Belgian’s final-third punch is arriving in volume: he now has three assists in his last three Premier League matches for City and was named player of the match. Guardiola has long called him the fastest over five metres; on this evidence, he is marrying that burst to repeated, decisive actions.

Guardiola’s verdict, streaks, and the road ahead

“Really good,” the manager said. “The second half, from minute one, was so different… our spirit is much, much better. If we don’t play good, we defend as a group. The solidarity is beyond extraordinary.” With Gonzalez covering for Rodri, City’s interchanges still carved chances — Tijjani Reijnders blazed over from one flowing move — and their press snuffed most Burnley forays.

This made it 14 straight wins over Burnley in all competitions (51-3 across that run) and City’s 23rd victory in their last 25 against promoted sides. It also nudged them up to fourth and closer to the pace after leaders Liverpool’s setback at Crystal Palace. Next: a Champions League trip to Monaco on Wednesday, with the Etihad encouraged by how City found their high gear when it mattered.