SAND AND DELIVER

Kompany: Our 6-0 thrashing will stop my team thinking of drinking pina coladas on the beach

- GIDEON BROOKS

VINCENT KOMPANY believes the shock effect” of Burnley's FA Cup hammering at the Etihad could not have come at a better time for his champions elect.

The Burnley boss, whose runaway Championship leaders were beaten 6-0 in the Cup by Manchester City before the international break Erling Haaland scoring, below), says the timing of that reality check was impeccable”.

And in demonstrating just how far his players still have to go to mix it in the Premier League, the Clarets boss says it has stopped his players from "putting one foot on the beach" before their season is done.

“The timing of it was impeccable and by that I mean you could have seen the start of the international weeks as like a minibreak where you rest a bit, put one foot on the beach,” he said. But it gives you a shock effect and that’s brilliant.