Man City go back to the top of the Premier League after Sergio Aguero scores a vital goal away at Burnley!
Sometimes winning is done by the smallest of margins, and that’s exactly what happened at Turf Moor on Sunday. City went into this game in second place but with a game in hand on Liverpool. Pep’s side has already beaten Burnley this season when they played at the Etihad, the match finished 5-0. Burnley drew 1-1 with City at home last year but were in far better form than they are now. They finished seventh last year but this season they are are just above the relegation places.
City knew they were going to have to be at their best to win this game. Burnley only needed one point to ensure safety and there had already been a lot of talk in the press about Sean Dyche wanting to help Liverpool.
The game
Burnley started off the game very well. City were struggling to break down their defence and never really produced a chance in the first half. From the start, the visitors passing game wasn’t as precise as we had been used to. Burnley were defending Citys ball into the box fantastically.
It was, in fact, Burnley who managed the first real chance of the match. A through ball to striker Chris Wood found him one on one. But a poor touch and fast reactions from Ederson meant the City keeper managed to come out and smother the ball. City struggled to make anything really happen in the first half of the match as Burnley frustrated them very well.
The second half started and Aguero nearly opened the scoring in the second minute. He picked up the ball on the edge of the box and ran down the right-hand side of it. A chance opened up for him and he smashed it goal bound but Heaton pulled off a good save to keep him out.
Five minutes later and City were knocking on the door again. A good save though from Heaton and the game was still level. City kept going and felt they should have had a penalty after a David Silva shot struck the arm of Ashley Barnes.
However, Peps side kept going and eventually, their persistence paid off in the 63rd minute. Aguero had a shot from six yards out that appeared to have been stopped on the line. Goal line technology gave the goal though and replays showed it just went over the line. By 29.5mm to be exact!
The visitors managed to hold on and win the game 1-0. This was a massive three points and looking back at the end of the season how big may goal-line technology of been in deciding where the title goes.
The title race
The win now puts City top of the league on 91 points and Liverpool in second place on 90. Both sides have two games left to play and it looks like this will go down to the last game of the season.
Liverpool will feel hard done to this season especially by goal-line technology. When Liverpool met City at the Etihad this season it looked as if they had scored a goal but goal-line technology said otherwise. Flip this on its head for City and goal-line technology has awarded them a goal. Who knows where the title would be heading now had we not had this technology introduced into the Premier League.
⛔️ Left: John Stones’ goal-line clearance vs. Liverpool
⚽️ Right: Sergio Aguero’s goal vs. Burnley
The 2018-19 Premier League title could be settled by a matter of centimetres. 📏 pic.twitter.com/Mfu37XIC1i
— Squawka News (@SquawkaNews) 28 April 2019
With two games to go in the title race, Man City are the 1/5 favourites on Bet365. They face Leicester next at home, who have already beaten them this season. They also have ex-Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers in charge. Could this give his side that little bit extra against the defending champions? Their final game of the season is against Brighton. After Cardiff losing to Fulham on the weekend it seems now that Brighton are all but safe, which Liverpool won’t be happy about.
Liverpool are at 7/2 on Bet365. They face Newcastle away this weekend, who they beat 4-0 at Anfield this season. Liverpool haven’t won at Newcastle since 2013, and they drew 1-1 last year. The game on Saturday will be an extremely fascinating one with all this into account. Liverpool’s final game of the season is against Wolves at Anfield. Liverpool have beaten Wolves 2-0 already this season, but they have also lost to them in the FA Cup.
No one for sure knows where the title is going to end up this year but what is for sure is these last two games are going to be very tense for the two teams still in the title race!
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