BURNLEY’S hopes of an FA Cup upset were extinguished in the space of three second half minutes at the Etihad Stadium.

The 7,600 travelling Clarets were dreaming of ending Manchester City’s quadruple hopes when Ashley Barnes fired them into a first half lead that they maintained at the break.

But two goals for Sergio Aguero just before the hour mark turned the game on its head, although Burnley were angry at the quick free-kick that led to the first.

And with the Clarets forced to chase the game Leroy Sane and Bernardo Silva rubbed salt into the wound to help City to a 4-1 win.

For all City’s first half possession, which ended up close to the 75 per cent mark, they couldn’t really threaten Nick Pope’s goal.

It was the Clarets who looked the more dangerous side on their rare forays forward. After 18 minutes Ben Mee headed Johann Berg Gudmundsson’s corner across the face of goal with Barnes unable to force it home.

Seven minutes later Barnes made no mistake. Pope’s clearance was flicked on by Sam Vokes but John Stones made a mess of his clearance allowing Barnes a run on goal and he unleashed an unstoppable half-volley from 15 yards that roared past Claudio Bravo at his near post.

City were probing for an equaliser but were being restricted to long range efforts despite a succession of corners, with Fernandinho blazing a half-volley from the edge of the area over before Oleksandr Zinchenko curled a 25-yard shot over the bar.

The game was turned on its head in the space of a couple of minutes early in the second half. There seemed no immediate danger from a City free-kick 35 yards from goal, only for Ilkay Gundogan to quickly play Aguero in behind a flat footed defence and he finished under Pope.

The Clarets were furious at Graham Scott’s decision to allow the free-kick to be taken quickly, with Sean Dyche and Ian Woan exchanging heated words on the touchline with Pep Guardiola.

Before they’d had time to recover their composure Burnley were behind. Aguero took possession from Matt Lowton and played the ball to Gundogan who produced a wonderful backheel to get Aguero in and he rounded Pope to score his and City’s second.

City were in the mood now and Pope kept out Danilo’s near post effort with Sane somehow turning the rebound over from five yards.

Sane made no mistake 20 minutes from time. Danilo’s crossfield ball found the German on the left and he exchanged passes with David Silva before shrugging off the attentions of Mee and rolling a finish under Pope.

Burnley tried to find a way back with Ashley Westwood’s shot deflected behind and Kevin Long heading straight at Claudio Bravo before Jon Walters’ looping header found the roof of the net.

But with eight minutes remaining City put the result beyond doubt. Sane was the creator this time, latching on to Kevin De Bruyne’s ball and rounding Pope, who had charged outside his area, before squaring for Bernardo Silva to roll the ball home.