GEORGE Boyd’s stunning half volley gave Burnley a shock victory over Premier League champions Manchester City to end the Clarets’ eight-match winless run.

Boyd drilled a 20-yard effort into the bottom corner in the 61st minute to severely damage City’s hopes of retaining the title and provide a major boost to the Clarets’ survival bid.

Aston Villa’s 4-0 win at Sunderland earlier in the day had left Burnley four points adrift of safety at kick-off, but they closed that gap to one point as they followed up their 2-2 draw at City in December.

The Clarets had the first chance of the game when Ben Mee headed over at the far post from a corner, before Edin Dzeko fired wide from outside the box for the visitors.

Burnley were 5-0 down by half time in this fixture five years ago but they were keeping City at bay this time, although Tom Heaton had to save Dzeko’s effort from a tight angle before Sergio Aguero shot straight at the keeper.

Aguero then lashed wide after Jason Shackell had thwarted Dzeko with a fine challenge as the Bosnian striker looked set to convert David Silva’s smart pass.

While Burnley need points for Premier League survival, City needed them to keep up with Chelsea in the title race and Aguero played in Silva on the counter attack early in the second half. The Spaniard’s touch saw the angle narrow before his shot was saved by Heaton.

Aguero then fired wide from Pablo Zabaleta’s cutback but the Clarets came within a whisker of going ahead when George Boyd sent a superb 25-yard volley inches wide of the post.

The Burnley wide man showed fine technique with that effort and minutes later he produced it again to put the Clarets ahead.

Kieran Trippier’s free kick was headed out by Vincent Kompany but the ball dropped on the edge of the box to Boyd, who brilliantly met it on the half volley and drilled it into the bottom corner to give Joe Hart no chance.

City piled forward in search of an equaliser, introducing forwards Wilfried Bony and Stevan Jovetic from the bench.

Bony saw a shot saved by Heaton before Aguero wasted an opportunity as he headed over from Yaya Toure’s cross.

But the Clarets defended superbly and referee Andre Marriner turned down a late City appeal as Zabaleta went down under Mee’s challenge.

Burnley: Tom Heaton; Kieran Trippier, Michael Duff, Jason Shackell, Ben Mee; George Boyd, Scott Arfield, David Jones, Ashley Barnes; Sam Vokes (Stephen Ward 86), Danny Ings (Steven Reid 90). Subs not used: Matt Gilks, Michael Keane, Ross Wallace, Michael Kightly, Lukas Jutkiewicz.

Manchester City: Joe Hart; Pablo Zabaleta, Vincent Kompany, Martin Demichelis, Gael Clichy; Jesus Navas, Yaya Toure (Frank Lampard 81), Fernandinho, David Silva (Stevan Jovetic 74); Edin Dzeko (Wilfried Bony 63), Sergio Aguero. Subs not used: Willy Caballero, Eliaquim Mangala, Bacary Sagna, Samir Nasri.

Referee: Andre Marriner.