Manchester City are back on top of the Premier League table for the first time since Aug. 21 after beating relegation-bound Burnley 1-0 at Turf Moor on Wednesday, but not yet full in control of the PL title race.
WATCH — Burnley vs Manchester City full match replay
The victory puts Pep Guardiola’s side above Arsenal not on points (70) or goal difference (+37), but on goals scored (66-63). Fittingly and somewhat predictably, it was Golden Boot leader Erling Haaland who bagged his 24th PL goal of the season and put Man City top with five games left to play. The breakthrough came after just five minutes, and Burnley weren’t without a handful of chances to equalize — nor for City to make it two or three or more.
That’s three straight wins and 11 games without defeat for City (8W-3D-0L) at the business end of the season, during which Arsenal have been beaten three times, including by City last weekend, and watched their nine-point lead evaporate right in front of them. The Gunners can put the pressure back on Man City this weekend when the play Newcastle at home (Saturday, 12:30 pm ET), at the same time City will be busy playing Southampton in the FA Cup semifinal at Wembley Stadium.
What’s next?
- Manchester City vs Southampton — Saturday, 12:15 pm ET (FA Cup semifinal)
- Leeds vs Burnley — Friday, May 1, 3 pm ET
- Everton vs Manchester City — Monday, May 4, 3 pm ET (next PL fixture)
Burnley vs Manchester City live updates – by Andy Edwards
Burnley vs Manchester City final score: 0-1
Goalscorers: Erling Haaland (5′)
GOAL! Burnley 0-1 Man City: Haaland runs away from everyone and scores (5′)
Haaland dinks Manchester City 1-0 ahead of Burnley
Erling Haaland gets through on goal and makes no mistake in front of Martin Dubravka to put Manchester City 1-0 in front of Burnley at Turf Moor.
Burnley starting XI
Dubravka – Humphreys, Ekdal, Esteve – Walker, Ward-Prowse, Laurent, Hartman – Tchaouna, Anthony, Flemming
Man City starting XI
Donnarumma – Nunes, Khusanov, Guehi, Ait-Nouri – O’Reilly, Silva, Cherki – Semenyo, Doku, Haaland
How to watch Burnley vs Manchester City live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 3pm ET Wednesday (April 22)
Venue: Turf Moor — Burnley
TV Channel: USA
Streaming: Watch on USA
Man City have all of the momentum at the business end of the season after beating the Gunners 2-1 on Sunday, but anything short of three points against relegation-bound Burnley would put Arsenal back in the driver’s seat with five games left to play. Erling Haaland scored the winner, his first PL goal in more than two months, and now the big Norwegian faces a Burnley side that he scored two and assisted one against when City beat them 5-1 back in September.
Burnley’s math is also rather simple: The Clarets need to win their remaining five games and hope that 17th-place West Ham only earn one more point from their final five, otherwise they will head back to the Championship this summer. Scott Parker’s side has conceded the most goals in the PL this season, while scoring the second-fewest (behind only last-place, and already-relegated, Wolves).
Burnley team news, focus
OUT: Jordan Beyer (thigh), Josh Cullen (knee), Connor Roberts (calf) | QUESTIONABLE: Axel Tuanzebe (calf), Zeki Amdouni (knee), Hannibal Mejbri (thigh)
Man City team news, focus
OUT: Rodri (groin), Josko Gvardiol (calf), Ruben Dias (thigh)
Burnley vs Manchester City prediction
City might start slow after putting so much into the top-of-the-table clash just 72 hours earlier, but so long as they don’t concede and early goal (slightly more likely with Rodri expected to be out), Haaland and Rayan Cherki and Antoine Semenyo and Jeremy Doku will simply prove to be too much. Burnley 0-2 Man City.
