Why Manchester City’s subdued win over Burnley may prove a misstep in nailbiting title race | OneFootball

It may be a familiar feeling for Arsenal, overhauled by Manchester City again in the run-in, just as they were three seasons ago.

After exactly 200 days at the summit, Arsenal have been knocked off it, if only until Saturday. For the first time since August, City are top. Burnley cemented the relegation that has been on the cards for them since August.

City can time their surge to the top of the table to depress their rivals, and yet they did not have the air of an unstoppable juggernaut. They were separated from the demoted Clarets only by Erling Haaland’s 35th goal of the season and his second winner in four days. This was City’s fifth consecutive victory but the least impressive of them. Their lack of ruthlessness could encourage Arsenal.

They are now top on goals scored, but squandered a chance to go ahead on goal difference. While they have a habit of scoring five against Burnley, they only got one. They hit both the post and the bar and required Martin Dubravka to make a series of saves. “No frustration,” insisted Pep Guardiola. “Why should I be frustrated? We are now top of the table. Frustration doesn't exist.”

Not for Haaland, anyway. “We are top of the league,” he said. “Be happy.” His winter drought feels a thing of the past. Haaland’s finish was delightfully delicate, the deftness a contrast to his bruising battle with Gabriel Magalhaes on Sunday.

It is a moot point if the Premier League will miss Burnley, who have contributed too little this season. It is safe to say Haaland will. He has been prolific against them, even by his standards. He has started four games against the Clarets and scored eight goals, three of them this campaign. The latest came early and as Burnley made a shambolic start. If Scott Parker had looked for solidity by picking a back five, they were cut open with conspicuous ease. Jeremy Doku bisected the defence with an incisive ball, Haaland raced on to it and dinked a shot over Dubravka.

With the opening exchanges the most eventful of the game, City might have led even before then. Dubravka had pushed Rayan Cherki’s shot on to the top of the post. The Frenchman could have been more precise with his finish but he was at least effervescent, buzzing around, trying tricks.

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Burnley put up more of a fight but it was too late (AP)

What City lacked, however, was a clinical touch. “Unfortunately we missed a lot of chances.,” Guardiola admitted. Dubravka underlined why he deserves to be named Burnley’s player of the year. The goalkeeper saved twice from Nico O’Reilly and once from Cherki.

Meanwhile, Antoine Semenyo lifted a shot over the bar after a burst from Cherki. Haaland rolled a right-footed shot on to the upright. The substitute Nico Gonzalez whistled an effort just wide. From close range, O’Reilly only produced a tame finish. “The guys did absolutely everything, we just didn't score [more],” lamented Guardiola.

City amassed 28 shots. Their expected goals stood at a hefty 3.15. Their actual goals was just one. They remain the top scorers in the division but, against a side bound for the Championship, they should have added to their tally.

“We played really good,” Guardiola insisted. But it did not help that they missed the injured Rodri. O’Reilly took the Spaniard’s place in midfield but, while Bernardo Silva was excellent, City were still more open as a result. O’Reilly can be the answer to many things; on this occasion, however, he may have been the wrong choice.

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Pep Guardiola may have reason to rue the chances City wasted at Turf Moor (Reuters)

And if it never seemed as though Burnley would get a point, there were at least times when they could have done. Jaidon Anthony was lively and Gianluigi Donnarumma parried the winger’s third-minute shot. Zian Flemming scuffed an effort when found well by Walker. James Ward-Prowse showed a menace when he whipped in free kicks. City were far from watertight; a better side than Burnley might have punished them.

But then a better side than Burnley might have made a better fist of staying up. Over the season, they have put up too little resistance, though their manager argued they lacked not effort but quality. “The challenge for us was humongous and where it has gone wrong is we have not been able to overachieve,” said manager Scott Parker. “I am sad and upset and disappointed with the way the season has gone and tonight brings the curtain down on that but it is a group that gives everything and I can’t fault them for that.”

He pronounced himself proud of their efforts. “I thought we were superb,” he said. But it came amid doubts about his own future, with Parker declining to say he wants to stay, and to a backdrop of empty seats. The Burnley public had resigned themselves to relegation. The ratification of it felt confirmation of the inevitable.

So, too, the defeat. City have now chalked up 15 consecutive wins against Burnley. But, if goal differences proves decisive, the danger is that this victory was not emphatic enough.