Breaking Down Sergio Aguero's Performance for Manchester City vs. Burnley

Very few Manchester City players emerged from Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Burnley with their reputation unharmed. Fernandinho was arguably their best player, with Sergio Aguero just behind him, despite a series of missed chances that left the striker frustrated.

It was an abject performance, the worst City have mustered since Roberto Mancini’s final season in charge. This one can be filed alongside City’s 3-1 defeat to Southampton in 2013 as a game to forget. Some may point to Aguero's profligacy in front of goal as a large contributing factor, but he, perhaps more than anyone else, did his best to try to create chances for his side.

Having had his early-season momentum halted by injury, Aguero has been finding form again in recent weeks, scoring four goals in five games going into the match, but he failed to add to his tally against Burnley. His all-round game was good—one of the brighter displays for the Blues—but he fluffed his chances when they came.

Alex Livesey/Getty Images

His build-up play was sharp. He dropped deep a number of times in the first half in attempt to drive City forward but such was the inertia around him very little developed. He showed some neat touches in the first half, attempting to link up with David Silva, a player he enjoys a good relationship with, but very little came off.

He certainly looked sharper than his striker partner, Edin Dzeko, who had an evening to forget, and the Bosnian's place in the starting XI is now under serious threat going into Wednesday's match with Barcelona.

Aguero was unlucky not to add to his recent tally after a series of efforts in the first half. A mazy run into the box that took out a series of Burnley defenders was excellent, but his shot was well blocked by Jason Shackell. He had a chance later in the half that went straight to Tom Heaton after Dzeko’s close range effort had been saved, before an intricate move involving Aguero, Silva and Dzeko saw the ball break to the Argentine, but his shot, from a difficult angle, went well wide.

His challenge on Michael Duff early in the second half wasn’t his finest moment, catching the defender late and causing consternation on the Burnley bench. He got away with it, but it was a reckless moment, the kind you rarely see in Aguero's game.

At one stage, he broke from the halfway line at speed towards the Burnley area and played a wonderfully weighted pass into the path of Silva, whose first touch took him away from goal when really he should have scored.

Moments later, it was his turn to miss from a good position, hitting a first-time effort from close range off target after Pablo Zabaleta's cross wide of the upright.

Frustration appeared to be creeping in as he snatched at a header from Yaya Toure’s cross. Another Toure ball into the box was met by a thumping header eight yards out but again he was off target, this time sending the ball just over the crossbar.

He continued trying to cajole City into life, attempting everything he could to bring some spark and enthusiasm when he had the ball. He was pretty much alone, though, and with his finishing not at its best, City failed to reply to George Boyd's beautiful strike.

It's strange to see Aguero misfire in the manner he did at Turf Moor. It’s the precision with which he normally finishes which is arguably his most remarkable attribute. In fact, he remains the finest finisher in the Premier League by some distance.

City will need him at his finest in front of goal on Wednesday in the Camp Nou. Their league title chances are surely now over, and their Champions League involvement hangs by a thread. This, you feel, is their last chance at producing something special in what has been a disappointing season.

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.