Burnley boss Sean Dyche upbeat after defeat at Manchester City

Having lost the last four visits to the Etihad 5-0, Burnley were far tougher to break down, and even had a couple of golden chances of their own to maybe get a result.

After Bernardo Silva's opener, Maxwel Cornet had a one on one with Zack Steffen from Dwight McNeil's throughball, while Josh Brownhill dragged an effort wide after good work from Jack Cork.

Kevin De Bruyne added a second half second for City, but the Clarets were far from disgraced.

Dyche said: "It was a bit like the game here two years ago where we didn’t do that much wrong but got punished.

"It was a bit similar, a different score level but a couple of moments went against us from them reacting quicker than us.

"They still created a couple of really good chances, that is what Man City do, but we created a couple of good chances ourselves.

"That isn’t easy coming to this place so on reflection some very positive things about what we are doing but once again we don’t get anything.

But it is tough to come here and get anything."

Burnley remain without a win after eight games, but Dyche added: "There were signs again today, the team are motivated, all noses are pointing in the right direction and I like that.

"There is energy and belief in what we are trying to achieve and that is all there but we have to take our chances.

"Yet again we created some, not as many, but still high quality but that is the key. It is very difficult to create high quality chances in the Premier League but now we are doing that. We just have to make sure we take them."

Burnley felt there were fouls on Cork and Ashley Westwood in the build-up to City's second goal, while Chris Wood was through on goal in the first half when referee Martin Atkinson blew for a poor challenge from Aymeric Laporte on McNeil.

Wood was also denied a penalty after getting a touch in the area before being caught by Steffen, but Dyche smiled: "We don’t get a lot, I am not crying it in because statistically that is correct, particularly on penalty shouts.

"But I am not going to start harping on about that, it is more important we focus on the things we are doing and the things we are not doing so well. We keep reminding the players of the positive things we are doing because that is important.

"The level of performance over a season is very important, we have taken the game on today and we didn’t wait and defend. We came to take the game on and there were moments where we got ourselves in some great positions and we didn’t.

"There is a lot of things to take from that performance, the two centre halves were outstanding, Popey looking sharp and commanding his box.

"There were good signs but we have to keep building on them."

Cornet came off shortly after the break, three weeks after being forced off at Leicester with a hamstring problem, and Dyche explained: "100 per cent protection. He has come in and the Premier League is a different fitness level. He is a fit fella but it is a different level.

"He hasn’t played any football in between having a hamstring injury and today so it is just common sense.

"You can still get beat here no matter who you play so we have to look at that with common sense. We can’t put players at risk, he got just under 60 minutes in and we felt he was just starting to fatigue.

"Hamstrings are funny things and you have to be careful."

Burnley were without Charlie Taylor, Matej Vydra and skipper Ben Mee, and Dyche added: "So far it is looking very promising so I would expect as long as this week goes well I would expect them to be back in contention.

"(On Mee) We are waiting on the Covid protocols."