Manchester City have moved into third place in the Premier League table with a 2-1 victory over Burnley.
The home side had Fernandinho sent off during the first half but goals from Gael Clichy and substitute Sergio Aguero ensured that they returned to winning ways in the top flight after losing to rivals Liverpool on New Year's Eve.
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Pep Guardiola made the decision to replace Aguero with Kelechi Iheanacho, and the youngster almost repaid his manager's faith when having two chances within a minute.
Firstly, he was denied by goalkeeper Tom Heaton as he attempted to take the ball around the goalkeeper, before he saw a deflected effort miss the far post.
Yaya Toure also saw a 20-yard strike saved by Heaton as City threatened to take control of the game but shortly after the half-hour mark, Fernandinho was sent off for the third time this season after he went in two-footed on Johann Berg Gudmundsson.
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Burnley had matched City with 11 men but the dismissal soon led to Ashley Barnes creating a chance for himself, although he could only curl wide from 20 yards out.
The opening stages of the second half passed by without incident but City went ahead just before the hour mark when Gael Clichy's low strike from the edge of the penalty area evaded everyone and found the bottom corner.
It led to a period of play where City threw men forward in an attempt to put the game out of the reach of the Clarets and four minutes later, it appeared that they had done just that when substitute Aguero hit the back of the net from an acute angle after Raheem Sterling had initially been denied by Heaton.
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However, despite seeming comfortable, they soon allowed Burnley to halve the deficit when Ben Mee was able to get the ball over the line via the crossbar after a goalmouth scramble inside the City penalty area.
The goal initially led to Burnley looking for an equaliser but City would dominate the following quarter-of-an-hour with Aguero being denied by Matthew Lowton before later sending a shot over the crossbar from 20 yards.
Burnley remained competitive, however, and as the game entered the closing stages, Andre Gray volleyed wide before Michael Keane fired a shot into the ground before it was tipped over by Claudio Bravo.
It proved to be Burnley's last opportunity and despite a spirited performance, they were unable to get just their second away point on the board as City ran out winners in front of their own supporters.
Darren Plant
