BURNLEY (AFP) - Sergio Aguero's 20th Premier League goal of the season left Manchester City just two wins from the title after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Burnley at Turf Moor on Sunday (April 28).
Aguero, who has now scored nine times in his past eight appearances against Burnley, struck in the 63rd minute, with a shot that only just crossed the line despite the best efforts of defender Matt Lowton to keep it out, although goal-line technology was needed to award the goal.
The win takes City on to 92 points, one ahead of Liverpool, with two games to play.
Victories at home to Leicester next Monday, and away at Brighton the following Sunday will see Pep Guardiola's side retain their English title.
For the first time in months, City's elimination from the Champions League means they will crucially have a free midweek to prepare for those key matches.
By contrast, Liverpool must travel to Newcastle next weekend, either side of the two legs of their Champions League semi-final against Barcelona, before hosting Wolves on May 12.
City have now won 12 consecutive Premier League games but they had to work to maintain their composure against the Clarets.
Â
Guardiola's side enjoyed the bulk of possession, but found creating clear chances difficult. When they did, Burnley goalkeeper Tom Heaton was in excellent form.
Heaton, a former Manchester United reserve, made two excellent saves in the opening minutes of the second half.
He was alert at his near post to beat away Aguero's shot, after Raheem Sterling's neat flick had created the opening, before beating out Bernardo Silva's snap shot at the end of a goalmouth scramble.
Sean Dyche's side knew before kick-off they were mathematically certain of Premier League survival, yet played as if they too were fighting for the title.
Burnley even caused City the occasional first-half problem.
Jack Cork chested down a ball on the edge of the penalty area and then hit a shot that struck visiting captain Vincent Kompany full in the face.
As the home fans appealed for handball and screamed for a penalty, referee Paul Tierney put his whistle to his lips as if considering awarding one. Television replays, though, showed he was right not to.
The Clarets' best opening fell to Chris Wood, who was left to rue a poor first touch that denied him his big moment.
Played through by Jeff Hendrick, the New Zealand forward allowed the ball to squirt away, and Ederson was bravely out at his feet to smother.
At times, City's frustration threatened to boil over.
In the closing moments of the first half, Aguero over-hit a pass down the left for Leroy Sane, resulting in the ball rolling out of play, and the German responded by turning to his team-mate and flinging his arms out in despair.
Eventually, though, City's patience was rewarded. Bernardo Silva's low ball into the middle found Aguero, who, with his back to goal and minimal space to work with, managed to fashion a shot that beat Heaton.
Lowton, on the line, looked to have blocked the shot with his chest, but the ball looped up and just crossed the line before he could recover to clear it.
If City were hoping that goal would provide the platform for a comfortable final half-hour, though, they were to be disappointed as Burnley continued to give everything.
Few players were more committed than Burnley's Ben Mee, the boyhood City fan who used to captain their youth team.
He produced an extraordinary goal-line clearance to deny the visitors a second goal, stretching to hook the ball clear after substitute Gabriel Jesus collected Kyle Walker's crossfield pass, and had gone round Heaton to shoot towards what he thought was an empty net.
After that, City were content to run down the clock as they kept their cool to leave their northwest rivals with all three points.
Atletico title bid suffers with defeat at Betis in Alvaro
A glut of European football clubs look set to visit China in pre-season, with Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur also committed to coming. Pray for no rain: Man City to return to China after
Pray for no rain: Pep Guardiola's Manchester City to return
Guardiola Dismisses Klopp's 'No Weaknesses' Claim About City that his Manchester City side are showing "no sign of weakness" in the Premier League title race. Stadium on January 3 and
Time for Sanchez, Lukaku to shine. The emergence of an invigorated Manchester United attack has seen Alexis Sanchez (far left) and Romelu Lukaku fall down the pecking order. PHOTO: REUTERS.
Time for Sanchez, Lukaku to shine - theworldnews.net
Neymar "cried for two days" after injuring his right foot for a second time in January, he told Brazilian television according to an excerpt of an interview broadcast.
Neymar 'cried for two days' after new foot injury | Inquirer
England captain Harry Kane wants to end career as NFL kicker Harry Kane is a fan of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and was at the Super Bowl this year, watching from the stands as the
England captain Kane wants to end career as NFL kicker
Wolves beat Bournemouth in their best top-flight run for 38 years Soccer Football - Premier League - Wolverhampton Wanderers v AFC Bournemouth - Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, Britain - December 15, 2018 Wolverhampton Wanderers Helder Costa in action with Bournemouths Steve Cook REUTERS/Darren
Wolves beat Bournemouth in their best top-flight run for 38
Qatar can win the Asian Cup for the first time, according to coach Felix Sanchez. The 2022 World Cup hosts booked their place in the quarter-finals with a 1-0 defeat of Iraq on Tuesday.
Who is Qatar's national football team coach Felix Sanchez?
Marcus Rashford Family, Parents, Wife, Son, Daughter, Brothers & Sisters. Marcus Rashford Parents: Word "parents" itself is so sweet that it seems that all the sweetness and kindness is combined together to make this world. We all know the importance of the word and the persons which are called parents. Father: Robert Rashford
Marcus Rashford Biography - Affair, In Relation, Ethnicity
Bangladesh authorities jailed a senior member of football's world governing body on Saturday, hours after she was arrested for allegedly defaming the country's leader. Mahfuza Akhter, a FIFA council member since 2017 and national chief of women's soccer, had told a TV talk show last month that Prime
The ASEAN Football Federation (ASEAN is Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Championship begins tonight with Philippines vs Laos. Of course, nobody will actually see that, so we move on to the proper opening match featuring co-host Vietnam taking on my country Indonesia.
Singapore Football : No.1 Source for SG Football Compilation
0 Kommentare:
Kommentar veröffentlichen