BURNLEY 0, MANCHESTER CITY 1
Manchester City went back to the top of the Premier League with a dominant 1-0 win over Burnley with a Sergio Aguero goal confirmed by goal line technology.
Embed from Getty ImagesSergio Aguero hit his 31st goal of the season after being played in by Bernado Silva in the 64th minute to win the game.
It was City’s 12th Premier League win in a row and victory saw them move back to the top of the league by a single point – 92 to Liverpool’s 91 with two games to go.
Pep Guardiola’s side were also denied a potential penalty when David Silva’s strike appeared to hit the hand of Ashley Barnes in his own area during an early blitz at the beginning of the second half.
Guardiola had earlier made just one change from the team that beat Manchester United in the derby at Old Trafford – the injured Fernandinho was replaced by Leroy Sane in an attacking City line-up at Turf Moor.
But it was Burnley who had an early chance.
Chris Wood’s imperfect control allowed Ederson to bravely collect the ball at his feet early on.
Bernardo Silva delayed his shot which was tame in the while David Silva’s shot was blocked by James Tarkowski.
Aguero forced Tom Heaton to save as the siege continued in the second half following a City reshuffle to match Burnley’s 4-4-2 formation.
Aymeric Laporte was denied by Heaton from Oleksandr Zinchenko’s cross.
And a period of intense pressure Ashley Barnes appeared to have handled the ball but the penalty appeal was turned down.
Sterling and Bernardo Silva peppered the Burnley keeper with shots as City continued the siege.
But there was a limit to the resistance as Bernardo Silva found Sergio Aguero six yards out with a deep cross into the area in the 64th minute.
Aguero’s subsequent shot from 6 yards out was cleared by Matt Lowton from behind the Burnley line.
The goal decision system ruled that the ball had crossed the line and City finally had something to hold on to after their hard graft on the front foot.
Second half sub Gabriel Jesus could have doubled that advantage after cutting inside from the left but his fierce strike was legitimately cleared off the line by former City youth product Ben Mee.
City protected the precious lead through many tense moments at the end of the game having denied Burnley a shot on target.
And they are now just two wins from a double and three wins from an unprecedented domestic clean sweep of trophies.