Haaland's return ices City cake as Álvarez scores birthday double

Manchester City reeled off a 10th win in 11 games across all competitions and Erling Haaland returned from a foot problem to enjoy a 20-minute cameo.

- Jamie Jackson

The champions' pursuit of a historic fourth consecutive crown is rolling along nicely, this victory decorated by two goals from Julián Álvarez on his 24th birthday.

He took his tally to 15 and the man for whom he has been deputising in attack, in a first involvement after 10 games, had the chance to add his 20th of the season and make this a perfect comeback. But, totally against type, an embarrassing Haaland mis-kick ensued after he took aim.

He and Pep Guardiola will not care, however. Because victory and maintaining the pressure on Liverpool was the task. City did this with ease.

Kevin De Bruyne, in his first start since the serious hamstring injury sustained at Turf Moor in August, dipped a free-kick at James Trafford's goal: this skimmed off Josh Brownhill's head for a corner from which City did not profit. That was the only action in a tepid 10-minute passage which proved the calm before City's two-goal burst.

Upping gear, Jérémy Doku pushed the hyperspeed button and for a moment Burnley were exposed.

But they recovered and went down the other end and claimed a corner, though City expertly handled Johann Berg Gudmundsson's delivery. Then, after a blocked Matheus Nunes shot, the same player created the opener.