Erling Haaland sends Manchester City top with narrow win over relegated Burnley

TOP: Manchester City's Erling Haaland celebrates. Pic: Martin Rickett/PA Wire.

Burnley 0 Manchester City 1

Erling Haaland scored the goal that took Manchester City to the top of the Premier League and confirmed Burnley's third relegation from the top flight in the last five years.

But only time will tell whether this was a missed opportunity for Pep Guardiola's side in a title race with Arsenal that is so tight with five games to go that City only sit at the summit by virtue of scoring more goals than the Gunners.

The Blues have been ruthless and relentless in their pursuit of Mikel Arteta's team as they look to secure the seventh championship of Guardiola's decade-long reign. But this was an evening when their nerves showed clear signs of fraying.

It took only four minutes for Haaland to score his 24th league goal of the season. The expectation was for the visitors to then make a statement of intent by going on to score a few more.

But with with obvious signs that Guardiola was feeling the tension on the touchline, the Clarets refused to buckle. Scott Parker's side have been doomed for weeks. But this result sealed their fate.

City face Southampton in the semi-finals of the FA Cup on Saturday and will be back in second place again if Arsenal avoid defeat against Newcastle on the same evening. Having already lifted the Carabao Cup, a second domestic treble is there for the taking.

The equation before kick-off was that a single-goal victory would take City level with Arsenal on 70 points as well as goal difference. But their goals tally would take them to the top of the table for the first time since August 22.

It was clear that Guardiola had the prospect of the title race being decided on goals in his mind when he was contemplating his team selection.

City were without Rodri, the Ballon d'Or winning midfielder who suffered a slight groin strain in the epic win over Arsenal on Sunday that lit the blue-touch paper for a title race.

Guardiola opted to move Nico O'Reilly into central midfield rather than recall £50million the less adventurous Nico Gonzalez, with Rayan Ait-Nouri coming in at left-back.

It was fitting that Burnley's special guest for the evening was 89-year-old Trevor Meredith. Back in 1960, he scored the goal that secured the old Football League title for the Clarets when his strike secured a 2-1 victory at Maine Road.

It was only his eighth appearance of the season - not enough to meet the regulations for a medal. But a recent rule change has rectified that heartbreak and the former winger finally got his hands on his priceless piece of silverware in a pre-match presentation on the pitch.

The Clarets knew that a defeat would confirm their relegation back to the Championship.

Loum Tchaouna served notice that the Clarets didn't intend to go down without a fight by smashing into Marr Guehi inside the first five seconds.

Jaidon Anthony then forced City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma into a flying save after cutting inside Matheus Nunes.

City should have gone ahead from their first attack of substance. Bernardo Silva escaped down the right and found Rayan Cherki eight yards out, but the Frenchman's shot was brilliantly turned onto the crossbar by Clarets' keeper Matin Dubravka.

If Arsenal fans thought their prayers might be answered, they were mistaken.

In the fifth minute, Jeremy Doku turned Bashir Humphreys before inviting Haaland to speed between Maxime Esteve and Hjalmar Ekdal with the kind of pass the Norwegian thrives on. Haaland waited for Dubravka to commit himself before lifting his 35th goal of the season over the Slovakian.

But Burnley had another chance when Kyle Walker found Zian Flemming through the middle only for the striker to drag his shot wide.

Despite their dominance, some of City's passing was sloppy. Ait-Nouri's in-swinging corner was punched from under his own crossbar by Dubravka, but Guardiola was starting to fret on the touchline as the interval approached.

The visitors increased the tempo on the restart but Antione Semenyo lifted a decent chance over from Cherki's pass, prompting Guardiola to once again make his frustration clear.

Moments later, Nunes had to be alert to deny Anthony with a timely tackle after Zian Flemming had cushioned a header into the winger's path.

Haaland then scuffed a low shot against the outside of the post under pressure from Esteve after Semenyo had played him in.

Guardiola sent on Gonzalez for Ait-Nouri in the 65th minute and instructed O'Reilly to move to left-back. Savinho replaced Semenyo at the same time.

Savinho drove a chance against the legs of Dubravka after Guehi's cross had been missed by Haaland. Then OReilly scuffed a shot straight at Dubravka from point-blank range before the final whistle brought relief for one team and dejection for the other.

Burnley (4-5-1): Dubravka 7; Walker 7, Ekdal 7, Humphreys 6 (Florentino 82), Esteve 6, Hartman 6; Tchaouna 5 (Foster 72, 5), Ward-Prowse 7, Laurent 6 (Edwards 87), Anthony 5 (Tresor 87); Flemming 5 (Broja 82).

Manchester City (4-2-3-1): Donnarumma 6; Nunes 5, Khusanov 6, Guehi 6, Ait-Nouri 5 (Gonzalez 65, 6); Silva 7, O'Reilly 6; Semenyo 5 (Savinho 65, 5), Cherki 7, Doku 6; Haaland 7.

Referee: Andy Madley.