This match marks the first encounter between the two sides since the season's opening weekend last August, where Manchester City comfortably secured a 3-0 win at Turf Moor.
Despite a previous five-game winless streak without scoring at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Manchester City finally broke their dry spell in North London with a narrow 1-0 victory over Ange Postecoglou's side in the FA Cup fourth round last Friday.
Although they dominated possession, Manchester City struggled to find the net until Nathan Ake's 88th-minute goal, securing their spot in the fifth round of the FA Cup where they will face Luton Town away from home in February.
Under Pep Guardiola's guidance, Manchester City has regained their momentum in typical fashion, winning nine and drawing one of their last 10 matches across all competitions since their defeat to Aston Villa in December, scoring 28 goals in the process. However, they find themselves playing catch-up in the Premier League, sitting second in the table behind Liverpool.
Manchester City holds a remarkable record against Burnley, winning 16 of their last 17 meetings, including their last 12 encounters with an aggregate score of 43-1. Burnley, on the other hand, will enter the match with a 19-day rest period since their last outing, a disappointing 1-1 draw against Luton Town.
Despite Burnley's struggles, they have shown resilience on the road this season, earning twice as many points away from home compared to their performances at Turf Moor. Additionally, Burnley has a history of performing well against reigning champions, winning two away games against the titleholders in the last seven seasons.
Despite the daunting task ahead, Burnley holds onto a glimmer of optimism as they prepare to face Manchester City on Wednesday.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
There are doubts looming over the availability of Erling Haaland and Manuel Akanji from Manchester City due to foot and knee injuries, respectively. Guardiola mentioned that Haaland is close to making a comeback after being sidelined for the last 10 games.Whether John Stones, who recently returned to the matchday squad as an unused substitute, will start on Wednesday remains uncertain as he recovers from an ankle injury. This might see the back four of Kyle Walker, Ruben Dias, Ake, and Josko Gvardiol unchanged.
Guardiola also hinted that Kevin De Bruyne is nearing full fitness and could potentially start for Manchester City. De Bruyne, who has been recovering from a hamstring injury sustained in the previous match against Burnley, has made three substitute appearances and is in contention to feature in the starting lineup.
For Burnley, injuries have sidelined players like Charlie Taylor, Nathan Redmond, and Luca Koleosho for extended periods. Jordan Beyer, Hannes Delcroix, Sander Berge, and Aaron Ramsey are doubtful for the upcoming match due to various concerns.
Hjalmar Ekdal, who has struggled with injuries this season, might retain his spot in the starting lineup alongside Dara O'Shea in defense. Ameen Al-Dakhil is likely to continue at left-back in Taylor's absence.
Johann Berg Gudmundsson and Wilson Odobert could maintain their roles on the flanks, while Zeki Amdouni is expected to partner with Lyle Foster upfront for Burnley.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Manchester City possible starting lineup:Ederson; Walker, Dias, Ake, Gvardiol; Rodri, Kovacic; Bernardo, Foden, Doku; Alvarez
Burnley possible starting lineup:
Trafford; Vitinho, O'Shea, Ekdal, Al-Dakhil; Gudmundsson, Cullen, Brownhill, Odobert; Amdouni, Foster
EXPERT PREDICTION
Manchester City 4-1 Burnley
Predicting anything other than a convincing win for Manchester City on Wednesday seems challenging, given the stark difference in form between the two teams and Manchester City's dominant history against Burnley.
Kompany will aim to keep his team organized defensively and minimize mistakes while also trying to play an attacking style of football against one of the top possession-oriented and goal-scoring teams. However, Guardiola's squad is expected to break through Burnley's defense easily, even if Haaland isn't fully fit for his imminent return from injury.
