Sergio Aguero double earns Manchester City win at Burnley

Two goals from striker Sergio Aguero earned Manchester City three points at Burnley to take Pep Guardiola's side back to the top of the Premier League.

City had trailed early on but Aguero's double, one either side of the break, saw them emerge victorious at Turf Moor.

In an eventful opening spell, Burnley appealed for a penalty when Nicolas Otamendi appeared to shove Jeff Hendrick as a free kick came into the area after eight minutes, but referee Andre Marriner said no.

Seconds later, the visitors -- who had made an unconvincing start -- came close when Aguero shot from 25 yards and keeper Paul Robinson got down well to parry it to safety.

But the Clarets were playing with confidence and Johann Berg Gudmundsson tested Claudio Bravo in the City goal before they took the lead after 13 minutes with a high-quality strike.

Robinson played a long free kick forward, and when the ball was half cleared to the edge of the area Dean Marney lashed a superb volley past Bravo and low into the corner.

City were struggling to muster much real threat in response, although Nolito forced Robinson into action with a low shot and Yaya Toure's touch let him down when a Raheem Sterling pass appeared to have put him in.

But the visitors began to find their momentum as the game approached the half-hour, Fernandinho laying the ball off for Aguero, who smashed a first-time effort high over the top, and they wanted a penalty when Matthew Lowton challenged Nolito inside the area.

But Guardiola's men were level with 36 minutes played when Sterling fired the ball across and it reached Aguero, who turned it home from close range.

Aguero was close to a second within moments as Robinson made a good stop to deny him, and then Burnley were forced into two quick changes before the break as Marney took a knock and was replaced by Scott Arfield then Gudmundsson suffered a hamstring strain and James Tarkowski came on in his place.

City began the second half on the front foot with Burnley struggling to replicate their early attacking threat, Aguero having an effort blocked by Ben Mee and Toure firing over as the home side began to sit deeper.

And they went in front on the hour as Burnley failed horribly to clear a ball into their area, Mee almost tackling teammate Stephen Ward before Fernandinho's cross cannoned in off the lurking Aguero.

Jeff Hendrick tried to hit back for Burnley but saw his first-time effort crash to safety off a City defender, and they were agonisingly close to a 73rd-minute equaliser when a ball into the area was headed on by Michael Keane and Aleksandar Kolarov scrambled it away from inside the six-yard box.

The Clarets peppered the City area with long balls forward in the closing stages but, a blocked George Boyd effort apart, could muster little to threaten the visitors' goal.

And City saw out four minutes of stoppage time despite a late headed chance for Keane and an overhead effort from Ashley Barnes that was clutched by Bravo, as they went back above Chelsea at the Premier League summit.