- Cityzens go atop Premiership table
Resurgent striker Erling Haaland scored the solitary goal as an underwhelming Manchester City beat Burnley 1-0 to go top of the Premier League over Arsenal on Wednesday night.
In the process, the Cityzens’ victory also effectively confirmed the Clarets’ relegation to the Championship.
Three days after netting the winner in the title showdown against the Gunners, the Norwegian striker demonstrated his physical prowess by scoring the winner in under six minutes as Pep Guardiola’s men struggled to stay afloat all through the game.
Despite the two sides occupying places at opposite ends of the league table, City were left hanging on to their solitary goal deep into added time, conceding a corner for which Burnley goalkeeper Martin Dubravka joined his team-mates in the penalty area.
With five games remaining, City survived, though, to claim top spot over Arsenal on goal difference
Two Down, One To Go!.
On their part, Burnley became the second side to be relegated this season along with Wolverhampton Wanderers. In having their relegation from the Premier League confirmed, Burnley are returning to the Championship for the second time in four seasons.
For the past couple of weeks, four teams, Leeds, Nottingham Forest, West Ham and Tottenham, were clearly neck-deep in the battle to avoid the remaining spot in the drop zone.
However, following Sean Longstaff’s dramatic late equaliser at Bournemouth, Leeds have taken seven points from their last three games to reach the magical 40-point mark, and many will be starting to exclude them from any relegation conversations.
Despite their late surge, Leeds boss Daniel Farke told BBC Match of the Day that it is not yet uhuru! According to him, “I am experienced long enough in this world, we will celebrate when it’s mathematically done. It’s too early.
“We are on 40 points, seven games unbeaten in all competitions, so I am confident. Why should we lose the last four games?”
Victory over Championship-bound Burnley at Elland Road might be enough to make Leeds mathematically safe. Until then, there is still work to do before Farke will let himself celebrate and, certainly for the other three sides in the mix, things could easily go down to the wire.
