City to the top, Man Utd back at sixth as Arsenal get thrashed

Manchester City prevailed 1-0 over Burnley thanks to Sergio Aguero’s second-half strike, helping Pep Guardiola’s team reclaim first position on the English Premier League table.

Following Liverpool’s 5-0 win on Friday, a meeting against the sturdy Burnley was seen as a real test for City’s relentless juggernauts. Although it was a tough afternoon, City dominated and Aguero’s goal just after the hour mark was the difference at Turf Moor stadium.

In a scrappy game played on a dry pitch to limit City’s free-flowing game, goal-line technology came to City’s rescue.

Argentine striker, Aguero, whose goals have won league titles for City in the past, had a left-foot shot stopped on the line by Mathew Lowton, but referee, Paul Tierney’s goal-line technology watch alerted the match official who awarded the goal.

In a turn of events which is unlike City, the blue side of Manchester grinded the game to halt from the 80th minute, similar to how Burnley did in Monday’s 2-2 draw at Chelsea.

The final whistle was met with jubilation from both players and staff of Man City, with the feeling that the most difficult test of the run-in has been passed.

One point ahead of second-placed Liverpool, wins against Leicester City (home) and Brighton (away) in their last two games will see them become the first side to defend the EPL crown in a decade.

In the race for a top-four place, Arsenal were roundly beaten 3-0 at Leicester City, while Chelsea stole a point at Manchester United in a 1-1 draw.

Arsenal’s Maitland-Niles was sent off on 36 minutes, and the Gunners capitulated in the second half, conceding three goals. Youri Tielemans opened the scoring, while Jamie Vardy added two late goals.

The defeat leaves Unai Emery’s men with 66 points, two points behind Chelsea who had David De Gea to thank for earning a draw at Old Trafford.

Manchester United, with just one win in six games and no goal in three, scored a well-worked team goal on 12 minutes.

Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku combined to set Luke Shaw free in Chelsea’s box, and the England fullback found Juan Mata to slot home from eight yards for a well-deserved United lead on his 31st birthday.

With Manchester United dominating, Pogba and Lukaku playing one of their best halves in a Red Devils’ shirt, their fumbling goalkeeper, David De Gea gifted Chelsea the equalizer against the run of play.

A seemingly harmless 40-yard shot by Antonio Rudiger was fumbled by De Gea into Marcos Alonso’s path, and the Chelsea defender slammed home the rebound, to agonizing groans from the home fans, to restore 1-1 scoreline at halftime.

The home side lost confidence and a drab second half ensured but substitute, Marcos Rojo, could have won it for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side in injury time but his header was cleared off the line by Pedro. The draw leaves United rooted in sixth position, three points from a Champions League spot with two games left.

RESULTS

Leicester City 3-0 Arsenal
Burnley 0-1 Manchester City
Manchester United 1-1 Chelsea