The 2023/24 Premier League season kicks off on Friday at Turf Moor where last season's Championship heroes Burnley host treble winners Manchester City.

Burnley v Man City Super Boost
 

Championship winners face huge step up in class

The champions of the top two divisions of English football meet at Turf Moor on Friday and, while Manchester City scooped a memorable treble in 2022/23, Burnley were also impressive title winners.

City chased down long-time leaders Arsenal in the Premier League run-in, while Kompany's Clarets were a class apart all season long in the Championship.

They finished with 101 points, 10 clear of runners-up Sheffield United with third-placed Luton a further 11 points back, and had a superb record at Turf Moor, scoring 49 goals in 19 matches and conceding only 15.

Burnley's only home defeat came after they had already sealed automatic promotion, when Chris Martin scored an 87th-minute winner for QPR, and the Burnley or Draw Double Chance selection is 9/4 in their fixture against City.

Manager Kompany will be under no illusions about the task facing his players in their season opener as Burnley were thumped 6-0 by the Citizens in last season's FA Cup quarter-final at the Etihad Stadium.

One interesting subplot to Friday's game is a potential Premier League debut for Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford, who starred in England's triumph at this summer's European Under-21 Championship before moving from City to the Clarets for £15m.

Trafford also impressed during last season's loan spell at League One Bolton and Burnley are 8/1 to keep a clean sheet against the champions.

City aiming for more fluency on the road this season

It is hard to pick holes in Manchester City's trophy-laden 2022/23 campaign but one slight criticism of the treble winners is that they were heavily reliant on their home form.

City won only two of their nine away matches against the rest of the Premier League's top 10, failing to keep a clean sheet in any of those games.

Their fearsome forwards were also less fluent on the road, scoring only 34 of their 94 league goals away from the Etihad. In their last six Champions League away ties outside Manchester, including the final against Inter Milan in Istanbul, City found the net just four times.

That trend may offer Burnley some encouragement that they can frustrate the visitors and Manchester City to win and Under 2.5 Goals is of interest at 11/4 in the Result/Total Goals market.

However, Erling Haaland will be desperate to make another fast start to the Premier League season and he is 3/1 to score two or more goals and 12/1 for a hat-trick.

The Golden Boot favourite did not muster a shot at goal in last weekend's Community Shield clash with Arsenal but scored 14 times in his first eight league matches in 2022/23 and bagged a hat-trick in the first hour of the FA Cup rout of Burnley.

New rules could enhance late drama at Turf Moor

One aspect of the 2023/24 domestic season for punters to note is the likelihood of longer periods of added time under new rules introduced to stamp down on time-wasting.

Manchester City are already well aware of this change, having conceded a 101st-minute equaliser against Arsenal in last weekend's Community Shield, going on to lose on penalties, and the second half is 1/1 to be the Half With Most Goals on Friday.

It is 5/6 that a goal is scored after 76:59 on the clock and the card markets are also worth a look as referees have been instructed to deal more strictly with dissent from players.

City's Julian Alvarez, cautioned for kicking the ball away in the Community Shield last Sunday, is 9/1 to be booked again. Burnley midfielder Jack Cork, who picked up 12 yellow cards in the Championship last term, is 13/2 to be the 1st Player Booked.

bet365 News Team

• Burnley F.C.
• Manchester City F.C.
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