THE COYLE BARONS STUN THE OIL BARONS

Manchester City 3 Burnley 3

LEVELLER: McDonald scores the equaliser

By Neil Ashton, 07/11/2009

THEY expected a stroll and got the shock of their lives. This is Premier League pressure, living with the responsibility of managing a £250million super-squad with top-four ambitions.

The occasional slip-up is acceptable. Five successive draws in the Premier League is not. Not by a long chalk.

Manchester City frittered away three points, losing concentration in the final minutes of this magnificent match.

They had teed it up in spectacular fashion, just like every other City side over the past three decades.

And, just like every other City side, they are putting their fans through the ringer.

They expected another routine victory, misjudging Owen Coyle and his cocksure Clarets.

Coyle's team have a spring in their step, still enjoying the after-glow of promotion.

They arrived through the play-offs and have been powering on ever since. Good on 'em.

Despite five successive defeats on the road they were full of endeavour, a combustible mix of energy and enthusiasm.

At times it was the Burnley team of last term, the confident Clarets who shoulder- charged their way to the Premier League.

This was something special for Coyle, thrilling the 3,000 travelling supporters with an equaliser in the 87th minute.

That prompted a chorus of boos at the final whistle, frustration finally getting the better of their shocked support.

They expect better and so will City's owners, waiting to meet Hughes this week when the team travels to Abu Dhabi.

It will be a handshake - not a golden one - but a firm grip and a reminder from Sheikh Mansour he expects results. Fast.

They want Champions League football and yet it was Sunday League stuff in City's defence.

Joleon Lescott strolled through the opening 15 minutes looking every inch like a defender on his way to the World Cup with England.

He was perfectly poised, his positioning was excellent and he appeared to be enjoying his partnership with Kolo Toure.

By the time he walked off the field he was finished, threatening to become one of City's most expensive failures.

His mistake - handling the ball in the area when Chris Eagles attempted to cross from the right on 19 minutes.

The penalty was brilliantly dispatched by Graham Alexander, beating Shay Given with a crisp, right-footed drive.

Lescott was lost, failing to hold the line when Burnley brazenly poured forward in search of an improbable second.

He played their forward line onside and was out of position as City's defence were out-manoeuvred again. Robbie Blake sensed the opening, feeding Eagles down the right and Stephen Fletcher applied the finishing touch at the far post.

It should have shocked City, jolted them into life and yet it was Burnley who were busting a gut.

Too soon to start from scratch and yet Hughes will have to reassess during the international break.

That was not on the agenda when City steamrollered Arsenal back in September. Now they can't even beat Burnley.

They allowed the Clarets to chip away at their fragile confidence, roughing up City's defenders with frightening ease.

HUGHES: Disgusted with his side

The day-dreamers, the Burnley supporters stationed in the north stand were dewy-eyed at the prospect of another impressive scalp.

Coyle's team fight their corner, rarely conceding territorial advantage and never once threatening to submit.

What a refreshing change for a team who will ultimately struggle to stay in the Premier League.

For now, they are enjoying the times of their lives, unsettling the order at the top of the table with some remarkable results.

They needed the half-time whistle for Coyle to get in the dressing room and drum it home that the dream was on.

Instead, the game-plan was gone when Shaun Wright-Phillips' 43rd-minute effort was deflected, cruelly spinning off Stephen Jordan and beyond keeper Brian Jensen.

Then they were off and running, blitzing Burnley after the break with some brilliant football.

It was off the cuff with Craig Bellamy a nuisance down the left and Wright-Phillips constantly raiding down the other.

They got their reward from a free-kick, equalising when Gareth Barry's dipped dead ball arched its way towards Lescott.

Redemption, kind of, for City's £18m man as he hooked the ball into Toure's path and he levelled from close range.

With the fans back onside, City surged forward, preparing to cap it all off with the winner - and it appeared to have arrived when Bellamy's emphatic finish in the 58th minute finally gave City the lead.

They should have seen the game out, yet their attacking instincts will always leave their defence exposed.

Coyle gambled, throwing David Nugent on and sending players forward as Burnley searched for an equaliser.

And they got it when they took advantage of Wayne Bridge's weak defensive header, picking City's pockets with a classic counter.

Nugent found fellow substitute Kevin McDonald making his way into the area and the striker kept his nerve.

Whether City can learn to keep theirs is another matter.

Your comments

This article has 6 comments

When will MH realise that we have the worst defensive left back in the Premier League!He couldn't defend his granny in an argument and surely a re-shuffle is now in order?

By PAUL hARRISON. Posted November 8 2009 at 3:01 PM.

A message posted on a Utd web-site by one of our whinging blue neighbours informed me that since the premiership era began in '93, the Reds have spent £100m more than my ex pauper bitters! So that works out at £6m per year or Carlitos wages for 12mths!
The fact that 11 titles have come our way might have something to do with the QUALITY of the players bought..the players we've groomed and of course good old Fergie himself!
As for my wanna-be blue whingers for you to boo your players off the field and to call for the sacking of Hughesy..you are pathetic! Over the last 30yrs you've regularly called for the head of every manager you've had when YOUR expectations have'nt come to pass, even ex chairman Swales,who put millions of his own money into your club, who died a broken man 1yr after a campaign which forced his resignation!
I would suggest you forget trying to join the big 4..just try to overtake the Evertons,Villa,Spurs etc of this world,they are bigger and have the history's and trophy's as proof.

By steve. Posted November 8 2009 at 12:30 PM.

Bad result for City, but still 0 defeats in 6 if you want to look at the glass being 1/2 full. Villa, Wigan and Birmingham away - disappointing, but a disaster? Fulham (we're still a point better off than our last 2 home league meetings) and Burnley should have been victories. Well played Burnley though

Great to see the fans of Manchester's plastic team are still obsessed. Money isn't everything, but it does make me chuckle when supporters of clubs that have blatantly bought their success over the last decades start preaching about cash. I guess that will stop now they are a selling club though.

By Weasel. Posted November 8 2009 at 9:35 AM.

Up the Clarets! Owen Coyle is more than a match for most Premier league managers.....as people are now finding out.We have a team that actually plays football......not like most of the blood and guts lot that come up via the Play-offs. We are immensely proud of the lads and long may it continue,as it may for longer than most have predicted!

By Dr.Iain R.Ashworthi. Posted November 8 2009 at 8:28 AM.

"Too many Chiefs and not enough Indians?"..."Too many Cooks spoil the broth?"...We could go on all night. So I will skip to my personal favourite. This could be in reference to any number of players recently employed by City. To quote the Great Bard himself..."Something is rotten in the state of Manchester."

By Larion Stolk. Posted November 8 2009 at 12:54 AM.

1 win in 6 now for the whingers of Manchester.
As the old saying goes...money is'nt everything!
City are falling faster than the profits at B.A. And the boos at the end of the game...just like the good old days!
Unlucky Burnley. You beat my beloved Reds and should have beaten Mcr's comedy team!
You might overtake them before the year ends!
I await the "Hughes out" campaign!

By steve. Posted November 8 2009 at 12:48 AM.

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