IT was Burnley then Barcelona in consecutive fixtures for the visiting current Premier League champions Manchester City on Saturday.

Now that is something I thought I’d never write in the same sentence, with Burnley 1 Manchester City 0 running a very close second.

Without doubt, it was the Clarets’ most incredible top flight win since they beat their red Mancunian neighbours by the same scoreline with a Robbie Blake rocket at the start of the 2009/10 season.

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Yet eyebrows were raised when the team was announced.

Our three first choice strikers were down to play. How was that going to work?

But work it did, and effectively too.

There was big Sam Vokes starting up front alongside Danny Ings.

Ashley Barnes replaced Michael Kightly on the left and added a bit more bite to midfield - ably assisted by David Jones.

The two runners in George Boyd and Scott Arfield were released to assist the attack.

Ex-City academy full backs Kieran Trippier and Ben Mee both excelled.

As did the centre half partnership of Jason Shackell and Michael Duff, which displayed a far clearer understanding of defending compared to previous weeks.

The footballers’ term for a shot that travels just above the ground is a ‘daisy cutter’, and George Boyd’s excellent execution was a perfect example of the technique, and a class finish to win any game.

The victory instilled new confidence into the fans and a rendition of ‘Now ya going to believe us... the Clarets are staying up!’ reverberated around the 110 Club on Yorkshire Street after the game for the first time this season.

Yes, the very same 110 Club where Kevin McDonald went to drown his sorrows after the 6-1 reverse to City in 2010, when the midfielder was subbed at half time.

It’s a tough trip to the coast down at Southampton next, but on the back of this latest prestigious scalp the players’ belief must be at an all-season high.

I know mine is!