Burnley vs. Man City: Team News, Predicted Line-Ups, Live Stream & TV Info

With Manchester City set to face Barcelona on Wednesday in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie, a win at Burnley feels imperative.

City, 2-1 down from the first leg, need to go to the Camp Nou full of belief to stand any chance of progressing, and anything other than a win over Burnley would be seen as poor preparation.

However, City know they are in for a game at Turf Moor. The game at the Etihad in December finished 2-2, with City throwing away a two-goal lead. Burnley showed that day they have a mix of quality and physicality, with City run ragged in the second half thanks to the movement of Danny Ings and the running power of George Boyd.

Rarely has a Premier League side who have spent so little and spent the majority of the season in the bottom three looked so fleetingly good. Burnley may have lacked the goals needed to make their season more comfortable, but they are a side that should not be underestimated.

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Form Guide (Last 5 results for both teams)

Burnley

Liverpool 2-0 Burnley
Burnley 0-1 Swansea
Chelsea 1-1 Burnley
Manchester United 3-1 Burnley
Burnley 2-2 West Brom

City

City 2-0 Leicester
Liverpool 2-1 City
City 1-2 Barcelona (Champions League)
City 5-0 Newcastle
Stoke City 1-4 City

Predicted Formations

Burnley

Matt Taylor has returned from his Achilles problem but is unlikely to be risked for the visit of City, and new signing Fredrik Ulvestad is still not in contention for selection.

Burnley are expected to adopt a 4-4-2 formation, with Ings leading the line alongside Ashley Barnes.

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City

City are likely to go with a 4-4-2, as Manuel Pellegrini so often does, particularly in games against lesser sides. Wilfried Bony, who played so well against Leicester but just couldn’t find the net, is likely to keep his place alongside Sergio Aguero.

The big question mark surrounds Vincent Kompany. Dropped for the match with Leicester after a poor run of form, how long will his hiatus last?

They have a full-strength squad to choose from, but Pellegrini may look to make changes ahead of Wednesday’s big game.

Bleacher Report - formation builder

Players to Watch

Burnley: Danny Ings

The movement of Ings causes sides all sorts of problems, and City know all about it after his man-of-the-match display in the 2-2 draw back in December.

Ings is constantly on the move, a willing runner in behind who can also drop deep and receive the ball into his feet. He is unpredictable and difficult to pick up, pulling defenders out of position with his constantly changing runs.

His contract is up in the summer and there will be plenty of suitors ready to sign him.

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City: Yaya Toure

City miss Yaya Toure when he isn’t there. In fact, any side in world football would. He’s a powerful, technically gifted player possessing great intelligence and passing ability. He can dictate play and win midfield battles on his own.

If he plays—and City’s midweek game with Barcelona could see a shakeup in order to rest key players—Burnley will need to shackle the Ivorian and minimise his threat as much as possible.

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Key Battle: Keiran Trippier vs. Sami Nasri

One of Burnley’s strengths is the running power and quality on their right-hand side. Boyd runs further and harder than any other player in the league, and in Kieran Trippier, a former City academy player, they have a marauding right-back with top-class delivery from wide areas.

If they are to get any joy in this match, it's likely to come down their right, which means Samir Nasri, or whoever plays on the left, will have to be defensively disciplined. Nasri is a talented player capable of terrorising defenders, but the defensive side of his game will have to be up to scratch in this one.

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Odds (via Oddsshark)

Burnley: +660

City: -216

Draw: +400

TV Listing

Watch the game live on Sky Sports 1 at 5:30 p.m. and catch the highlights on Match of the Day on BBC1 at 10:30 p.m.

Rob Pollard is Bleacher Report's lead Manchester City correspondent and will be following the club from a Manchester base throughout the 2014-15 season. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter: @RobPollard.