Hughes looks for the killer instinct

Manchester City 3, Burnley 3

Manchester City manager Mark Hughes has warned his team they must start sealing games once they get into winning positions.

The Blues are now on a run of five successive draws thanks to a 3–3 thriller against Burnley at Eastlands.

Although Hughes feels some represent a point gained, at Aston Villa for instance, others are definitely two dropped.

This afternoon’s encounter definitely fell into the latter category after City had clawed their way back from two goals behind to lead 3–2 heading into the final stages – and it was a similar story a fortnight ago, when Fulham somehow managed to earn a point after finding themselves two adrift.

“It is frustrating and disappointing because we got ourselves into a winning position,” complained Hughes.

“We have to learn to see games out because we have drawn two games at home from winning positions.

“Maybe it was a consequence of the effort we put in before that, because we worked exceptionally hard to get ourselves in front.

“But we did not do the right things at the right times.”

It had all looked so good for City after they had recovered from that appalling start.

Graham Alexander drove home a penalty after £22million central defender Joleon Lescott had handled, then the impressive Steven Fletcher added a second.

Yet once Shaun Wright–Phillips had breathed new life into his team just before the break, a successful comeback mission always looked likely.

And with Kolo Toure and Craig Bellamy both finding the net before the hour mark, City looked set for the perfect send–off ahead of their trip to Abu Dhabi this week, where they will carry out some promotional work in addition to tackling the United Arab Emirates on Thursday.

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Instead, Hughes is left wishing most of his senior men were coming as well – rather than flying off for their respective international commitments – after substitute Kevin McDonald arrived unmarked to tap home Fletcher’s nod–back.

“I would like to think we will get some credit for the way we came back but the late goal did take the edge off it,” said Hughes.

“It is a poor result because we have come back from a situation most people probably thought was beyond us.

“We are 11 games into the season and we have done OK, no more, no less. There are times when we look what we are; a team coming together and trying to gel.”

Hughes refused to blame Lescott, who has not reached top form since his protracted summer move from Everton.

In fact, Wayne Bridge was a more obvious culprit, going AWOL for Burnley’s second, which was created in the space he was supposed to be filling.

It leaves City outside the top four, having lost only once but now struggling for victories and lagging behind the title contenders.

Not that Burnley would spend much time bothering about that after collecting their first away point of the season.

“It is a monkey off our backs,” said Clarets boss Owen Coyle.

“Funnily enough, I felt very comfortable at 2–0. I would have loved to get to half–time in that position.

“We are on a learning curve and if we had been an experienced Premier League team we would have seen it off.”

Although Burnley spent much of the second period on the back foot, Coyle still had the conviction to introduce another offensive player in McDonald. It was a risk that paid off handsomely.

“I was prepared to lose 4–2 if it gave us a chance of drawing,” he said.

“There is an unbelievable spirit in our dressing room. We are the smallest town to be in the Premier League. But we are determined to give this a real fight.

“Getting into the Premier League was an unbelievable achievement. Staying in it would exceed that by some distance.”