Gudmundsson pegs back wasteful City to give the chasers hope
BURNLEY 1
Gudmundsson (82)
MANCHESTER CITY 1
Danilo (22)
Burnley taught a lesson to those managers of the top six clubs who have thrown in the towel in the Premier League title race.
Never give up. You never know what might happen.
A goal behind for an hour, Sean Dyche’s team never stopped hassling and harrying and when Johan Berg Gudmundsson struck a tremendous equaliser eight minutes from time, Manchester City paid a heavy price for chronic over-elaboration and wasted chances.
Pep Guardiola said before kickoff that he wouldn’t be waving the white flag if he was Jose Mourinho and the rest and Burnley showed why.
City went ahead midway through the first half through left back Danilo, but were never able to kill off Burnley’s spirit because they were so wasteful in front of goal.
The worst culprit was Raheem Sterling, who missed an absolute howler in the 72nd minute and was hauled off by Guardiola two minutes later.
Guardiola wouldn’t be drawn into any war of words with Mourinho, but reiterated: “He said what I said. I said what I said. You can believe which one.
“There are still 36 points to play for. Still a lot can happen. Football is unpredictable.
“I am so happy with this game. What we have done today is, wow, one of the best performances we have done this season by far.
“Last season we had two shots on target here and we won, maybe we didn’t deserve it. Today is the other side of the coin.”
Guardiola caused a pre-match stir by naming only six substitutes, claiming that he didn’t have enough players.
Maybe he was right when he pleaded poverty the other week and this was him making a point!
“We don’t have any more players because they are injured,” he said. “I would like to have 18 players. I could call one of the second team, but they play last night and I didn’t think it was worth it.”
City’s first of many untaken chances came after 14 minutes when Bernardo Silva’s cross flicked off Ashley Barnes’ head, but Vincent Kompany could only help it beyond the far post. The opening goal came eight minutes later when Danilo picked up the ball from Bernardo with no Clarets player within 10 yards of him and had all the time he wanted to curl it into the top corner from just outside the box.
Burnley might have levelled in the 31st minute, but Ederson produced a superb save from Ben Mee’s well struck volley.
The Burnley skipper and former City youngster then headed wide at the far post from Gudmundsson’s corner.
Kevin De Bruyne’s stinging shot was parried by Nick Pope, but Sergio Aguero couldn’t turn in the rebound.
The Argentinean had another chance in stoppage time, but fired his angled shot into Pope’s chest and yet another in the opening minutes of the second half when substitute Matt Lowton deflected his shot wide.
It was goalscorer Danilo, though, who came closest with another long-range effort that Pope managed to tip over.
Guardiola was apoplectic on the sidelines and he had reason to be in the 69th minute, when only an amazing save by goalkeeper Ederson, who tipped Aaron Lennon’s shot onto the top of a post, prevented an equaliser.
Three minutes later, Sterling missed his absolute sitter, failing to convert Kyle Walker’s cross from two yards out.
“It’s just football,” said the City boss. “Many times Raheem has scored late goals for us. He will score in the next game.”
The significance of that miss was shown in the 82nd minute when Burnley got the leveller their effort and enterprise deserved to raise the roof at Turf Moor.
It was a great strike, too, from Gudmundsson who volleyed his shot through Ederson’s arms from Lowton’s deep cross.
Dyche said afterwards: “I was really pleased. City are a top class side and we’ve been beaten 3-0 and 4-1 by them in our two previous games so we had to change something.
“You can’t all be glory, not when you’re us. You have to do the ugly stuff.
“But we still have some fine quality and we showed that with the goal.
“We’re working hard to be better than last season. We’ve got a lot of injuries at the moment, but we don’t lack belief.
“The collective spirit here is brilliant and that’s a powerful thing.”
WEST bROM 2
Hegazi (4), Rondon (72)
SOUTHAMPTON 3
Lemina (40), Stephens (43), Ward-Prowse (55) Southampton claimed all three points in a frenetic Premier League match, moving out of the relegation zone and leaving hosts West Brom in more trouble at the foot of the table.
Albion paid tribute to the late Cyrille Regis prior to kick-off – and, when the game started, the supporters did not have to wait long for the first goal.
Chris Brunt’s pinpoint corner found Ahmed Hegazi, who had escaped his marker – and the defender’s powerful header found the net to provide the hosts with an early advantage.
The visitors continued to see plenty of the ball, but seemed to be missing Charlie Austin’s guile in the final third – until they made the breakthrough from a set-piece.
Only moments after chants from the away end of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” were aimed at Mauricio Pellegrino, Sofiane Boufal picked the ball up, fed Mario Lemina on the edge of the area and he lashed in a terrific equaliser. One became two minutes later as Jack Stephens’ flicked header nestled into the far corner, meaning the beleaguered hosts – who had managed just two home wins all season – required a response after the interval.
It did not come, with Pellegrino’s motivated side picking up where they left off.
Wesley Hoedt’s barnstorming run from defence was only ended when he was scythed down by Gareth McAuley and James Ward-Prowse finished off the free-kick from the edge of the area.
There was a change in momentum though when Alan Pardew turned to his bench and introduced former Southampton attacker Jay Rodriguez and youngster Oliver Burke, with the latter immediately involved.
Scotland Under-21 international Burke brought down Salomon Rondon’s cross, skipped past Hoedt and gave the home side an injection of belief. Albion maintained their urgency and when Rondon headed in a splendid Brunt cross, the home crowd found its voice.
However, Saints held on for a crucial success to ease the pressure on Pellegrino and give them added hope in the fight against relegation.