Vincent Kompany sees relentlessness as part of Manchester City’s DNA and does not expect that to change any time soon, but he insists Burnley will not travel to the Etihad Stadium as a beaten side on Wednesday.
City have been in great form recently, going unbeaten through their last 10 games across all competitions and winning nine of those.
Pep Guardiola’s treble winners are five points adrift of Premier League leaders Liverpool with a game in hand, while they are also favourites to defend their FA Cup and Champions League trophies.
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City have also been buoyed by Kevin De Bruyne’s return from injury in recent weeks, while prolific striker Erling Haaland could face Burnley after missing their last 10 matches with a foot problem.
Former City captain Kompany, meanwhile, is desperate for results as his Burnley team battle for survival, with the Clarets currently sitting 19th in the table, five points adrift of 17th-placed Everton.
Asked if he sees City’s form as ominous for their competitors, Kompany – who made 360 appearances for City in 11 years at the Etihad – said: “I think it’s been like this for the last six or seven years.
Not long until Premier League action returns… 🔜 pic.twitter.com/I5O0buz0Sw
— Premier League (@premierleague) January 27, 2024
“It’s the way the club is, and I don’t really foresee that changing in the future. I think that’s still there and it’s going to remain.
“But the way I try to approach it is that winning is what everyone sees, but I like to think you can have this in your culture, in your building [without winning].
“I wouldn’t like to think there’s any less relentlessness about anything we’re doing. We don’t have the same outcome at the moment but that’s something to aspire to. If you have that kind of culture and attitude, eventually good things will happen.”
Asked specifically about Haaland’s potential return to action, Kompany said Burnley are simply focused on what they can do to stop City as a collective.
Building towards Manchester City 🧱 pic.twitter.com/ZpUMIsqACJ
— Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) January 29, 2024
“We can throw out names and the list goes on, so for me, it’s a Premier League game,” Kompany said. “Nobody can ever doubt the quality they have, they’re a phenomenal team.
“But you can’t start these games already defeated, even though the rest of the world – rightly so – will have an idea about what the outcome will be.
“I try to look at it this way; it’s not many times that you get the chance to play against what is probably the best team in the world.
“Whatever they bring, we have to try to make a game out of it and try to show the best side of our game, that’s the ambition.”
