Our prediction for this Premier League match:
Manchester City will look to kickstart their Premier League campaign in style when they face Burnley at Turf Moor on Friday evening. The Citizens aim to recover from the Community Shield loss to Arsenal and the bookies see them as hot favourites to win the opener. Fit-again midfielder Kevin De Bruyne should be recalled to the starting XI, while defender Nathan Ake faces race against clock to be fit for the opener.
The Clarets, on the other hand, return to the Premier League following only one-year absence and, no doubt, the team’s main goal is to secure the top flight survival. Anyhow, the hosts will have a big fish to fry in the opening match of the season as Man City boss Pep Guardiola should have a full squad to choose from. As for the home team, midfielder Michael Obafemi should miss out with a hamstring problem.
Highlighted Player (Nathan Ake):
Ake is a professional footballer who plays for the Dutch National Team and AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League. The versatile defender who was born on the 18th of February, 1995, started his youth career in 2003 with local club ADO Den Haag. He then moved to Feyenoord in 2007 before joining Chelsea's youth academy four years later.
Ake made his first professional appearance at the age of 17, playing for the Blues in a 0-1 away victory against Norwich on the 26th of December, 2012. Barring a few starts and substitute appearances, Ake spent his next few years at Chelsea mostly in the reserves before being sent out on a one month loan to Reading in 2015. Upon his return, he immediately joined Watford on a season-long loan where his displays earned him the Watford's young player of the season award. Another successful loan spell at Bournemouth succeeded his time at Watford before Chelsea recalled him in January 2017.
At the start of the 17/18 season, the 24-year-old rejoined his current club Bournemouth permanently on a five-year contract worth 20 million pounds. On the International stage, Ake has represented the Netherlands at every youth level and has even captained the under-17 and under-19 sides. He made his first senior appearance on the 31st of May, 2017, featuring in Hollands 2-1 friendly win over Morocco.
Highlighted Team (Burnley):
Burnley were one of the founding members of the Football League back in 1888. The Clarets did remarkably well to win the FA Cup trophy back in 1914 and the club owners have been trying to bring glory days back to Turf Moor ever since.
Burnley defeated Liverpool in the 1913/1914 FA Cup final and, no doubt, this is regarded as the greatest achievement in the club’s history. The Clarets finished the 2015/2016 Championship campaign in top position in the standings and, as a result, they will participate in the English Premier League in the 2016/2017 season.
Burnley play their home games at Turf Moor and the capacity of the stadium is 21,401. The Clarets have won two Community Shield trophies so far, in 1960 and 1973, but they have yet to clinch the Premier League title. Claret is the dominant colour of the team’s home shirts.