Guardiola hails technology as City stumble back to top
● Aguero winner creeps 29mm over line
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was grateful to goalline technology after his side kept their Premier League title hopes in their own hands by a matter of millimetres at Burnley.
Twenty-nine of them, in fact, as Sergio Aguero’s 20th goal of the season barely crossed the line ahead of Matt Lowton’s desperate bid to keep it out.
It was enough to settle a nervy encounter at Turf Moor, with Guardiola joking he was “trembling” through the closing stages as City finished with four centre-halves on the pitch.
It was not a typical City performance, but Guardiola was able to celebrate in front of the away fans at full-time as his side moved one point clear of Liverpool with two games to play. “We deserved to win, we created a lot of chances,” Guardiola said. “I’m so delighted for the way we controlled them.
“We came to the most typical English stadium and we didn’t concede one corner.”
Guardiola insisted it was not a complaint, but could not help but point to the pitch conditions, with Burnley choosing to leave the grass long and dry.
He did have cause to complain early in the second half when City were denied a penalty as David Silva’s shot struck Ashley Barnes firmly on the arm.
It is the sort of incident which VAR will correct from next season, but as far as City’s titles hopes are concerned, at least goal-line technology is now well established.
Sergio Aguero initially mishit Bernardo Silva’s throughball, but his second attempt had the beating – just – of both Tom Heaton and Lowton.
“Without technology maybe it is not given,” Guardiola said. “There was a penalty
not given but that is why I like [technology].”
The goal means Aguero is now only the second player after Thierry Henry to score at least 20 Premier League goals in five consecutive seasons.
“He is a legend. He does that all the time, important goals,” said Guardiola.
David De Gea cost Manchester United again as the Red Devils’ hopes of Champions League qualification were dealt a major blow.
United’s three-game run without a goal was ended 11 minutes into the clash with Chelsea at Old Trafford as Juan Mata scored on his 31st birthday but another goalkeeping error allowed Marcos Alonso to equalise two minutes before half-time and the game ended 1-1. Antonio Rudiger’s speculative 35-yard shot was Chelsea’s first effort on target and it should have been comfortable for De Gea but the Spaniard spilled the ball at Alonso’s feet and he guided it in off the far post.
The draw means United remain three points behind fourth-placed Chelsea with only two games to go and with a substantially inferior goal difference.
Arsenal’s Champions League hopes suffered a serious blow as the ten-man Gunners went down to a 3-0 defeat at Leicester. Unai Emery’s side slipped to a third straight loss and missed the chance to climb back into the Premier League’s top four.
Jamie Vardy continued his hot streak against the Gunners with his late brace making it eight goals in his last nine games against them.
Youri Tielemans opened the scoring after Ainsley Maitland-niles’ first-half dismissal.