Manchester City missed a golden chance to close the gap

Manchester City missed a golden chance to close the gap on league leaders Chelsea as they surrendered a two-goal half-time lead against Burnley.

City were cruising when Fernandinho followed up David Silva's opener with a fine curling shot.
George Boyd scored straight after the break, turning home Danny Ings' shot despite appearing to be offside.
Then Ashley Barnes reacted quickest in a crowded penalty area to smash home a loose ball to earn the visitors a draw.
It was a result that didn't seem likely at the break, when City looked sure to cut Chelsea's lead at the top of the Premier League to a single point.
Samir Nasri's precise pass had been perfect for Jesus Navas to run on to. Silva had found enough space to collect his fellow countryman's cross.
He spun round and beat Burnley keeper Tom Heaton by his left-hand post from eight yards for his fourth goal in three games.
Nasri then showed admirable patience in waiting for an opening before eventually rolling a pass back to Fernandinho, whose superb curling shot provided him with his first goal of the season when it crashed in off the underside of the crossbar.
The first-half was not without its mishaps for City.
Fernando was booked for fouling Scott Arfield that will rule him out of the New Year's Day encounter with Sunderland and Pablo Zabaleta needed a bandage applying to a wound sustained in a clash of heads with Eliaquim Mangala.
It took an element of good fortune for Burnley to get back into the game at the start of the second period, with none of the officials spotting Boyd was in an offside position when he got the slightest of touches to Ings' shot before it squeezed under Joe Hart.
Both sides had chances after that. Heaton denied Nasri with a full-length save and at the other end, Ings was narrowly wide with a shot from 25 yards before Arfield was denied by a well-timed tackle from Martin Demichelis.
Burnley kept going and their attacking intent was rewarded when a long free-kick bounced off Michael Keane and Barnes wasted no time in driving a first-time shot into the roof of Hart's net before the City keeper had a chance to react.
Rather than risk losing their point, the visitors opted for a safety-first strategy at the end, with manager Sean Dyche telling his players to take the ball towards the corner flag during five minutes of injury time.

Lineup, Bookings (5) & Substitutions (3)

Manchester City

• 01 Hart
• 05 Zabaleta Booked
• 26 Demichelis
• 20 Mangala
• 11 Kolarov
• 06 Fernando Booked
• 25 Fernandinho (Sinclair - 88' )
• 15 Jesús Navas Booked
• 21 Silva Booked
• 08 Nasri (Lampard - 76' )
• 07 Milner (Jovetic - 62' )

Substitutes

• 03 Sagna
• 12 Sinclair
• 13 Caballero
• 18 Lampard
• 22 Clichy
• 35 Jovetic
• 38 Boyata

Burnley

• 01 Heaton
• 02 Trippier
• 25 Keane
• 05 Shackell
• 06 Mee Booked
• 21 Boyd
• 08 Marney
• 14 Jones
• 37 Arfield
• 10 Ings
• 30 Barnes

Substitutes

• 07 Wallace
• 11 Kightly
• 17 Sordell
• 19 Jutkiewicz
• 20 Chalobah
• 22 Gilks
• 28 Long

Ref: Kevin Friend

Att: 45,608

Match Stats

Shots

17 12

On target

6 3

Corners

10 3

Fouls

18 9

Live Text Commentary

Full time

Full Time Match ends, Manchester City 2, Burnley 2.

90:00 +5:08 Full time

Full Time Second Half ends, Manchester City 2, Burnley 2.

90:00 +4:31 Foul by Eliaquim Mangala (Manchester City).
90:00 +4:31 George Boyd (Burnley) wins a free kick on the right wing.
90:00 +3:16 Foul by Fernando (Manchester City).
90:00 +3:16 Ashley Barnes (Burnley) wins a free kick on the left wing.
90:00 +1:21 Foul by Eliaquim Mangala (Manchester City).
90:00 +1:21 Ashley Barnes (Burnley) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
90:00 +0:37 Offside, Manchester City. David Silva tries a through ball, but Scott Sinclair is caught offside.
87:59 Booking

Booking David Silva (Manchester City) is shown the yellow card.

87:53 Hand ball by David Silva (Manchester City).
87:07 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Manchester City. Scott Sinclair replaces Fernandinho.

86:46 Jesús Navas (Manchester City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
86:46 Foul by Scott Arfield (Burnley).
85:46 Attempt blocked. David Silva (Manchester City) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Jesús Navas.
84:44 Attempt blocked. Kieran Trippier (Burnley) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
83:46 Foul by Eliaquim Mangala (Manchester City).
83:46 George Boyd (Burnley) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
82:54 Attempt saved. Stevan Jovetic (Manchester City) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Frank Lampard.
80:55 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Manchester City 2, Burnley 2. Ashley Barnes (Burnley) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Michael Keane following a set piece situation.