Gabriel Jesus stole the show with a four-goal haul, on what would would be a night to forget for the travelling Brewers.
The Sky Bet League One side got the game under way at a chilly Etihad Stadium, and they were on the offensive straight away through Lucas Akins; the pacey forward produced the first shot on target in the game in the opening eight seconds.
City turned on the style in the fifth minute, which saw them take the lead - an inch-perfect cross from captain David Silva nodded home by the advancing Kevin De Bruyne.
The home side thought they had doubled their lead two minutes shy of the 20-minute mark, a clipped ball over the top of the Brewers defence found Riyad Mahrez at the far post, his volley found the back of Bradley Collins' net, only to be denied by the linesman’s flag.
Pep Guardiola’s side did double their lead moments later; a ball into the penalty area found Leroy Sane, whose shot was well saved by Collins but the ball popped up and was well dispatched by Jesus.
The Brazilian had his second of the evening in the 33rd minute, a ball into the box by Ilkay Gundogan found Silva, who squared for Jesus, and he put the ball into the back of the net via the post.
VAR was called into action for the goal, as it looked like Silva may have strayed offside in the build-up, but it was decided that the Spaniard was indeed onside.
It was two minutes later when Aleksandr Zinchenko notched his first goal for the Citizens, a cross-cum-shot looped over the head of Collins, giving City a commanding lead at the break.
Like they did in the opening period, it was Nigel Clough’s men who had the first effort of the second half.
A drilled ball into the feet of Scott Fraser by Akins found the 23-year-old on the edge of the City box, he twisted and turned before narrowly scooping his ball over the top of Aro Muric’s crossbar.
Jesus bagged his hat-trick seven minutes after the restart, a neat one-two between Silva and Mahrez saw the latter cross the ball for the forward who netted his second header of the game.
Phil Foden was introduced just before the hour mark and made an instant impact for the home side. Jesus forced another save from Collins, however the ball dropped for the local lad to stroke home his second goal in four days at the Etihad.
Moments later, it was seven - a clipped cross into the box from Sane found Jesus perfectly placed to guide the ball into the back of the net to claim his fourth goal of the fixture.
Full-back Kyle Walker was the next to find the back of Collins’ goal, as Mahrez’s drilled cross found the Englishman well-placed in the box to tuck his effort away.
The provider then became the goal-scorer as Mahrez got on the scoresheet in the 83rd minute, with the Algerian prodding home from 10 yards to heap more misery on the Brewers.
Manchester City will take a 9-0 advantage to the Pirelli Stadium on Wednesday 23 January 2019.
Manchester City: Muric, Walker, Otamendi, Garcia, Zinchenko, Gundogen, D Silva, Mahrez, De Bruyne (Foden 57’), Sane (B Silva 66’), Jesus.
Subs: Ederson, Danilo, Stones, Sterling, Delph.
Goals: De Bruyne (5’), Jesus (29’, 33’, 57, 65’) Zinchenko (35’), Foden (62’), Walker (69’), Mahrez (84’)
Burton Albion: Collins, Brayford, Buxton, Allen (Fox 68’), Turner, Fraser (Sbarra 79’), Akins, Harness, Hutchinson, Wallace, Boyce (Templeton 68’).
Subs: Bywater, McFadzean, McCrory, Miller.