Manchester City 3-1 Burnley: Julian Alvarez nets twice in Premier League win as Erling Haaland makes return off bench

Julian Alvarez celebrated his 24th birthday in style by scoring a delightful first-half double as champions Manchester City moved second in the Premier League with a classy 3-1 home win over Burnley.

City manager Pep Guardiola handed Kevin De Bruyne his first start since he damaged his hamstring in a 3-0 win at Burnley's Turf Moor on the opening day of the season in August.

And the Belgian playmaker responded in style at the Etihad with his rolled free-kick enabling Alvarez to slip his second beyond visiting goalkeeper James Trafford on 22 minutes, six minutes after the Argentine World Cup winner headed City in front from Matheus Nunes' floated delivery.

City added a third 30 seconds after the restart when Rodri slammed the ball into the corner of the net from Phil Foden's pass after some more excellent supply work by De Bruyne, who was replaced by the returning Norway striker Erling Haaland – missing since early December due to a foot injury – for the final 20 minutes.

Ameen Al-Dakhil then converted a consolation for Burnley in added time from sub David Datro Fofana's run and cross to give the scoreline a more respectable sheen.

City move onto 46 points from 21 games after recording an eighth straight win in all competitions and above Arsenal on goal difference, who have played an extra game, after Mikel Arteta's side won 2-1 at Nottingham Forest on Tuesday.

Vincent Kompany's relegation-haunted Burnley suffered a fourth defeat in five matches and remain without an away win at City since March 1963.

They stay second bottom of the standings with 12 points from 22 matches.

Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola cut a content figure for much of the night. And little wonder.

After embracing Burnley manager and former City captain Vincent Kompany before the match, Guardiola continued to display a sense of warmth towards his players, who produced an excellent team performance to remain five points behind leaders Liverpool with a game in hand.

The sight of De Bruyne being replaced by Haaland with 20 minutes remaining certainly delighted the City fans inside the Etihad and probably reminded Guardiola what he has been missing in recent months.

As we witnessed with De Bruyne's creative brilliance, the return of such an array of attacking talent is likely to prove pivotal for City at the business end of the season.

Two superb finishes from Alvarez saw the electric forward probably just edge De Bruyne for the award, but the duo are likely to prove a potent force in the days ahead as City bid to emulate last season's treble glory campagn.

Man City: Ederson 6, Gvardiol 7, Ake 7, Stones 7, Lewis 7, De Bruyne 8, Rodri 7, Doku 7, Nunes 7, Foden 7, Alvarez 8 Subs: Kovacic 6, Haaland 6, Grealish 6, Gomez 6

Burnley: Trafford 7, Vitinho 6, O'Shea 6, Ekdal 6, Al-Dakhil 6, Gudmundsson 6, Berge 6, Brownhill 7, Odobert 6, Foster 6, Amdouni 6 Subs: Roberts 6, Zaroury 6, Ramsey 6, Fofana 7, Massengo 6

16' GOAL FOR CITY! (ALVAREZ) Nice play by Matheus Nunes racing into the visiting area. Retrieves the ball before chipping it over for Alvarez to arrive and power the header into the net. City lead 1-0. Clinical piece of finishing.

22' GOAL FOR CITY! (ALVAREZ) Brilliant finish from Alvarez as he races onto the quick free-kick from De Bruyne to slide the ball beyond Trafford and it is suddenly 2-0 to the champions. Lovely goal. Straight off the training ground, and Burnley in a whole world of pain here.

46' GOAL FOR CITY! (RODRI) De Bruyne picks out Foden on the run and he feeds Rodri to slam the ball low into the corner of the net from the edge of box. No chance for Trafford diving low to his left. Surely game over now. 3-0.

53' GOLDEN CHANCE FOR BURNLEY But Zeki Amdouni can't keep the finish down as he blazes over the bar with Ederson racing from his goal to narrow the angle. Can't really afford to be missing those chances.

90+2' GOAL FOR BURNLEY! (AL DAKHIL) Brilliant run and cross from David Datro Fofana and it is an easy tap-in for Ameen Al Dakhil to score beyond Ederson. A nicely worked consolation. Back to 3-1.

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