Blues will be well prepared

KEVIN De Bruyne is ready for the Premier League challenge again after helping Manchester City through to the last 16 of the Champions League.

The Belgium playmaker teed up David Silva's crucial equaliser as City booked their place in the knockout stages for a fourth successive year with a hard-fought 1-1 draw at Borussia Monchengladbach on Wednesday.

City will have to make do with second place in Group 'C', as catching leaders Barcelona is now beyond them, but De Bruyne is unconcerned by the prospect of a tougher draw.

That is for the future, most important now is the battle for domestic points as Pep Guardiola's title challengers head to Burnley tomorrow lunchtime.

TOUGH

De Bruyne said: "It is tough to fly back and be prepared but mentally we have got to be prepared.

"There will be almost no training for the game at Burnley, but we will try to be there and have a good performance."

City were less than sparkling in Germany in midweek, but De Bruyne feels it is unfair to read too much into the team's performance and did not blame a different choice of formation for their poor start.

He said: "The system was not really the problem. It was more the rhythm. The tempo was not really there.

"I think we are used to changing the system. I think we were just a little bit slow in the first half.

"The second half was much better but after the red card we just tried to control the game.

"Obviously it was not the nicest game and the end was especially boring to see but for both teams it was a good thing.

"We are qualified and in the end that is all that matters."