Foden, Mahrez dazzle in Manchester City rout
Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez helped themselves to two goals apiece as Manchester City ran up a 5-0 Premier League win over Burnley.
Sean Dyche only being able to name seven substitutes – including two goalkeepers – suggested his team were ill-equipped for the task at hand, and so it proved.
There was little doubt over the outcome from the moment Foden produced a sweetly struck 22nd-minute opener.
Mahrez and David Silva scored beautifully constructed goals either side of the former slotting home a penalty in first-half stoppage time.
Foden, who also completed the scoring in last Wednesday's 3-0 victory over Arsenal, was on target again in the 63rd minute and City's win means Liverpool's title wait will go on a little longer.
Jurgen Klopp's men cannot mathematically be confirmed as champions when they host Crystal Palace this week, with their mammoth lead trimmed to 20 points.
City initially lacked tempo and struggled to get in behind a deep-lying Burnley defence, something Foden took out of the equation by arrowing a stunning 25-yard strike into the bottom-right corner.
A glorious raking pass from Fernandinho was met with a deft first touch from Mahrez that allowed him to torment Charlie Taylor before firing home across Nick Pope right footed.
The Burnley goalkeeper guessed correctly but could not prevent the Algeria international from making it 3-0 from the spot, after a VAR review showed Ben Mee was fractionally late into his challenge on Sergio Aguero.
Aguero hobbled out of the action as a result of that incident but it did nothing to check City's momentum, with Foden once again instrumental in the 51st minute – releasing Bernardo Silva with a delicious reverse pass. David Silva was the beneficiary among those queueing up to score.
Kevin De Bruyne's introduction in place of Mahrez with an hour played was a sorry sight for the beleaguered visitors and the Belgium star scythed through midfield in his typical manner, feeding Bernardo Silva whose low cross was touched towards Foden by Gabriel Jesus for another fine finish.
During the match, Burnley issued a statement to strongly condemn those responsible for a plane flown over the Etihad Stadium carrying a banner that read "White Lives Matter Burnley".
