Match verdict as Manchester City's leading lights emerge from the darkness to beat Burnley at Turf Moor

In times of trouble Burnley boss Sean Dyche once joked that he'd send the most basic of stress signals to assistant Ian Woan on the touchline.
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Whenever faced with a crisis, and the situation seemingly beyond repair, the 48-year-old would simply inscribe the word 'HELP', in block capitals, on to his pad.

With cameras rolling and every behavioural trait analysed by so-called experts, Dyche stressed the importance of appearing to maintain a level of control.

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Rather than looking bewildered on the sidelines, suffering from the old 'rabbit in the headlights' syndrome, Dyche, with tongue firmly in cheek, said that defacing his notebook would give the impression that he was in fact devising a masterplan.

Burnley defender Ben Mee blocks Gabriel Jesus' path at Turf MoorBurnley defender Ben Mee blocks Gabriel Jesus' path at Turf Moor
Burnley defender Ben Mee blocks Gabriel Jesus' path at Turf Moor

Tuesday night's meeting against Manchester City would have been another one of those occasions where graffiti may have projected the desired facade.

The defending Premier League champions suffered a dressing room blackout ahead of kick-off at Turf Moor, but they illuminated the pitch once play got underway.

City's stars, illuminated by the lights on the iPhones of Raheem Sterling and John Stones, belted out a rendition of popular Oasis anthem 'Wonderwall' as darkness, caused by a blown fuse, descended.

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"And all the roads we have to walk are winding. And all the lights that lead us there are blinding," sang Pep Guardiola's squad.

Their season so far has taken a number of meandering routes - defeats to Norwich City, Wolves and Liverpool with Saturday's stalemate at Newcastle United have formulated a big chunk of that labyrinth.

But City's leading lights - headed by Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne and Gabriel Jesus - were blinding midweek as they put four past the Clarets having owned 76 percent of possession.

Dyche, in a bid to protect some of his players with a hectic festive schedule in store, switched to a 4-5-1 system, though claims that this contributed to Burnley's vulnerability is just conjecture.

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"I think in the first half we tried to keep it tight," said Dyche. "We have had to change the side and a number of positions due to injury and late injuries as well, but we tried to keep it tight.

"I could have played with two centre forwards but we were trying to protect players. We got Dwight [McNeil] off because he is a big player for us and we wanted to give him a break with three games in a week.

"We changed tactics as well as we know it is difficult if you open up against these sort of sides. It more or less worked, they scored a worldie to get their noses in front.

"But in the second half we didn't turn up at all, particularly in the first five minutes. I don't think we broke the play up, I don't think we laid a glove on them physically and we certainly didn't keep the ball and they did.

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"But credit to them, they are getting a lot of question marks but when they turn up they really do. And in the second half they were by far the better side.

"They shifted it quickly, their awareness, their technical ability, their goal-scoring prowess but equally doing the ugly stuff well in defending well, pressing well and getting the backline up. They are certainly a top side. Sometimes you have to hold your hands up."

Jeff Hendrick was employed in the number 10 role with the objective of keeping tabs on Rodri, but the Spanish holding midfielder answered his critics with a stunning, influential display.

The former Atletico Madrid man dictated play from deep, absorbed everything ahead of him, illustrated an impressive catalogue of passing and moved through the lines with incredible ease.

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The finish that brought up City's third of the evening, a rasping drive from the edge of the box, epitomised the 23-year-old's display.

But he wasn't alone. Gabriel Jesus broke the deadlock with a magnificent strike that defied the laws of physics and mathematics.

Having shown Wilfried Zaha down the line at the weekend, with the Ivorian beating Nick Pope at the near post, Phil Bardsley opted to show the Brazilian striker inside.

The former Manchester United man looked as though he had the angle covered, but Jesus' finish was as impressive as turning water into wine.

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With little space to work in, and an even tighter target to aim at, the Copa America winner somehow whipped the ball around Bardsley and inside the far post.

That was the turning point. Pope made a stunning save with his legs to deny Sterling from close range when De Bruyne fired the ball into the six-yard box.

And the England international obliged with a similar stop to keep out Bernardo Silva, who had pulled away from Erik Pieters.

Conceding early in the second half was the worst case scenario for the Clarets, who just didn't turn up for the second half.

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Jesus was on his toes to convert Silva's cross in the 50th minute and went close to his hat-trick when spinning James Tarkowski in the penalty area soon after.

Rodri slammed home the third in the 68th minute, Angelino fired just wide of the upright, before substitute Mahrez fired across Pope and in to the corner with three minutes remaining.

One of few positives from the night, in addition to Danny Drinkwater getting minutes in his legs, was Robbie Brady scoring his first goal for Burnley in more than two years.

The Republic of Ireland international swept the ball past Ederson as the ball broke kindly for him inside the area.