WATCH: Mahrez Scores Stunner as Man City Routs Burnley

Joe Hart endured a tough return to former club Manchester City as Burnley was thrashed 5-0 by the champions in the English Premier League on Saturday.

MANCHESTER, England (AP) Joe Hart endured a tough return to former club Manchester City as Burnley was thrashed 5-0 by the champions in the English Premier League on Saturday.

The former England goalkeeper earned a standing ovation at Etihad Stadium and made a series of fine saves on his first return to the club with whom he won two league titles in a decade of service.

But Hart couldn't hold back City, which eased to a seventh victory in nine games with goals from Sergio Aguero, Bernardo Silva, Fernandinho, Riyad Mahrez and Leroy Sane.

Aguero's goal was his 149th in the Premier League and without the excellence of Hart - and the Argentine's own uncharacteristic wastefulness - he could have had more.

City was dominant in all aspects and made the result safe when Bernardo Silva and Fernandinho hit the team's second and third goals in quick succession early in the second half.

Riyad Mahrez scored a fantastic goal in the 82nd minute to make it 4-0. 

That afforded City the luxury of easing Kevin De Bruyne back into action off the bench after two months out with a knee injury, and more goals followed. Another high-profile substitute, Raheem Sterling, was not even called upon.