Champions Manchester City suffered an injury blow in their Premier League game at Burnley as captain Kevin de Bruyne hobbled off early on in their 3-0 win.

The league opener played at the Turf Arena on Friday saw Erling Haaland’s first-half double put Manchester City on course for a comfortable win.

But coach Pep Guardiola’s satisfaction at a solid start was tempered by the injury to his Belgian playmaker.

De Bruyne, 32, had also limped off in the Champions League final two months ago with a hamstring injury, and Guardiola said it was a recurrence of that problem.

“Yes, he is injured again. Same issue (as last season), he told me. So that is a problem. We need to go back and reflect with the medical team.

“He was feeling really good and playing really good in the first minutes. But unfortunately, he is injured again.

“Maybe (he shouldn’t have started), but what happens in the first 15 minutes could also have come in the 50th, 65th or 70th,” Guardiola told reporters.

Haaland struck after four minutes and in the 36th, repeating his two-goal burst in Manchester City’s opening game of the last campaign.

This was when he scored a Premier League season-record 36 times and 52 goals in all competitions.

Rodri added another late on, but Guardiola was not entirely happy with City’s display.

Haaland’s second goal was an exquisite finish into the top corner after a layoff by Julian Alvarez, and the 23-year-old looked razor-sharp as he began the new campaign in style.

“Good to start again after two months without football. And good to start with a win, of course,” the Norwegian said.

(Reuters/NAN)