How to watch Burnley vs. Manchester City Premier League match: TV, betting

While it may seem like the U.K.’s Premier League season just ended, the 2023-24 campaign has already arrived. Things will open with Manchester City traveling to Burnley, which raises some immediate questions. Can City keep up its incredible standards? Will City’s Erling Haaland keep rolling? Does Burnley Manager Vincent Kompany have a surprise up his sleeve?

On paper, the opening match might not seem like much of an event. Man City, after all, is fresh off a treble-winning campaign, while Burnley was just promoted back into the big time. This, however, is the Premier League, where there’s an element of intrigue to every matchup.

So what’s on the cards for this one? Let’s break down everything you need to know about the Burnley vs. Manchester City match.

TV Channel, Streaming Options

As American soccer fans know, matches can be spread across a variety of platforms, depending on the competition. Thankfully, the Premier League opener will be easy to find.

Manchester City and Burnley will take the pitch at 3 p.m. ET on Friday. The match will air on the USA Network; streaming will be available through NBCSports.com.

Players to Watch When Man City Visits Burnley

When it comes to a team stocked with talent, like Manchester City, there’s no shortage of players to watch. That said, though, it’s impossible to overlook Haaland.

The Norwegian striker arrived in England only last season, but he had no problem taking the Premier League by storm. He’s capable of producing goals out of nothing, and, provided that you’re not rooting against City, that alone makes him worth watching.

From a narrative perspective, though, there’s more at play. First, the City star is now more of a known quantity. Will that allow opposing defenses to better understand his game and how to neutralize it? Or will his sheer talent shine through?

Haaland can also be interesting to watch away from the ball. He’s a low-touch player, but he’s constantly making runs and probing for space around the defensive line. Those movements don’t always lead to goals, but they do illustrate how he finds himself in such promising positions.

Predicting Manager Pep Guardiola’s lineup can be a fool’s errand, but there are plenty of other things to keep in mind. Kevin de Bruyne came on as a substitute during the Community Shield, making it unclear whether he’ll be fit to start on Friday. Similarly, City signed Joško Gvardiol to bolster its defense, but it might be too early to slot him directly into the first XI.

On the Burnley side, Zeki Amdouni is an interesting player to watch. Nathan Tella was the Clarets’ leading scorer last season, but his loan ended and he has returned to Southampton. Amdouni, who previously played in Switzerland, joined Burnley this summer. As a striker, he’ll theoretically play a part in replacing Tella’s goals. Can he handle the challenge of stepping into the Premier League and leading the line?

And while he’s not a player anymore, Kompany is also at the heart of Burnley’s efforts. The big Belgian took over as manager in June 2022 and completely changed the club’s style of play. Those efforts immediately paid dividends, as the 2022-23 season ended in promotion.

The Premier League, however, is a different beast, and Kompany will be faced with a question that has tripped up countless newly promoted sides. Do you keep playing your game, even if that means risking potential embarrassment against the bigger teams? Or do you try to play it safe, even if that runs counter to your style?

Betting Odds for Burnley vs. Man City

While the Premier League opener may seem like a mismatch on paper, that doesn’t mean you can’t bet on the game. The odds, however, do reflect the status of the two clubs.

As of Wednesday, Caesars Sportsbook (hat tip Oddspedia) lists Manchester City as the 100-333 favorite. Burnley is 19-2 underdogs, and you get 41-10 odds on a tie.