Manchester City 3-3 Burnley: Late McDonald Equaliser Denies City's Fightback

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EPL: Graham Alexander - Shaun Wright-Phillips, Manchester City v Burnley (Getty Images)

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Burnley's first visit to the City of Manchester Stadium was one to remember, with the promoted side earning their first away point of the season in a six goal encounter with Manchester City.

The visitors were given an early fright as City midfielder Stephen Ireland picked out Shaun Wright-Phillips in the box, but the England international's lifted effort dropped the wrong side of Brian Jensen's bar.

The early warning was heeded by the visitors who were undaunted by the threat posed by the home side. The Clarets responded with chances of their own. Clarke Carlisle's left-footed drive dragged wide before Robbie Blake's stabbed shot squeezed just passed the City goal.

Both sides threatened on the break, but it was Burnley who looked the most composed. Wright-Phillips intercepted a through ball to Steven Fletcher, releasing Craig Bellamy whose wayward pass failed to find Pablo Zabaleta clear in space, and Carlos Tevez's long range effort went harmlessly wide.

Wright-Phillips found himself with space in the box, but resolute defending from former City player Stephen Jordan prevented the winger from picking a shot.

The visitors broke smartly from the resulting corner, and their defiance and endeavour would be rewarded as Tyrone Mears' cross was halted by the outstretched arm of Joleon Lescott. Graham Alexander placed the 19th minute spot kick to Shay Given's right for his third goal in two games, giving Burnley an unlikely head start over their opulent opponents.

The goal saw Burnley grow in confidence again, with Owen Coyle's side looking comfortable in possession and unfazed when under pressure. Blake and Steven Fletcher, in particular, appeared confident, linking well to tee up former Manchester United winger Christopher Eagles, whose cannoned shot yielded a corner.

Confidence growing, the visitors went two ahead in the 33rd minute, after Bellamy saw yellow for a an unfair challenge on Eagles. Blake quickly resumed play, finding Eagles whose low cross  presented Fletcher with an easy finish, much to the consternation of the home side who seemed certain that the Scottish striker was offside as he tapped into an open net.

The two goal lead did not flatter the visitors, who had looked the better side throughout the early stages, but Fletcher's finish startled City who responded with a flurry of attacks. A Wright-Phillips goal was correctly ruled offside, before Emmanuel Adebayor fed Bellamy for City's first clear chance of the match, but the Welshman was denied by a bold Jensen save.

With the balance tilting in their favour, City pulled a goal back in fortuitous circumstances just before the break. The lively Wright-Phillips received the ball on the edge of the box, and his shot deflected off Jordan, flying passed the stranded Jensen into the far corner.
 
City emerged from the break with renewed urgency, winning a free kick on the edge of the box, which was spurned by a blunt Tevez take, before Bellamy teed up Ireland who failed to hit the target from 20 yards.

The home side clearly had the impetus, and it was not too surprising when they found a 54th minute equaliser. Burnley may well be aggrieved by the manner in which the home side levelled, with the match official initially indicating for a free kick in their favour before adjudicating that goalscorer Alexander had impeded Ireland - reversing the decision in the home side's favour. Gareth Barry's in-swinging free-kick was hooked back by Lescott to Kolo Toure,who confidently headed in to tie the game.

City gave Burnley no breathing space, taking the lead just two minutes after Toure's header with Bellamy atoning for his earlier miss with a bending far post finish from a Wright-Phillips cross. The lead was fully deserved for the home side, who had seized the initiative after the break.

Burnley boss Coyle made a swift double change, bringing off Blake and Andre Bikey for Joey Gudjonsson and Kevin McDonald respectively, in a desperate attempt to reverse his side's fortunes. His side would have been further adrift had Tevez converted another Wright-Phillips cross, but the Argentinian was denied again by Jensen.

David Nugent was thrown on to replace Eagles, whose influence had waned considerably. And the English striker would surely have liked the service being afforded to Tevez at the other end of the pitch, who spurned yet another chance after Bellamy's driven cross was shanked high and wide from just six yards.

Nugent's first involvement in the match was a crucial one, clearing a deflected corner off the line to keep his side in the game. City were made to rue their glut of missed chances when Burnley, who had barely made an imprint on the second half, claimed an unlikely 87th minute equaliser when Nugent's centre was headed by Fletcher into the path of substitute Kevin McDonald, who fired from inside the box into the bottom right of the goal, giving Burnley their first away point of the season.

Nick Price, Goal.com UK