E take only five minutes for chants of ‘we dey top of the league’ to ring out round Turf Moor from visiting supporters. Manchester City beat Burnley 1-0 to reach summit of Premier League for first time in eight months, when dem lead after thrashing Wolves for opening week of season.
During di intervening period Arsenal sit at top looking down on everybody below dem, but dem don see nine-point lead evaporate for di last 11 days. Mikel Arteta men fit don go 12 clear and possibly out of sight on 11 April, but dem suffer shock home defeat by Bournemouth and City take full advantage with three straight wins, including monumental one over Gunners on Sunday.
Despite di victory and going top, City fit regret say dem no find more clinical edge against team relegated to Championship. With each goal potentially proving crucial for tense title race, City fit see victory with solitary Erling Haaland goal as missed opportunity to boost dia goal difference.
Pep Guardiola talk: ‘We had chances. Not for wetin go happen for future but to win di game. E clear, [Martin] Dubravka [Burnley goalkeeper] bin good but di last part of shooting bin sometimes fatigue. I get feeling say if we score for 2-0, we go dey more relaxed know say di game dey for our hands and more composed for di final third.’
Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville talk for Sky Sports: ‘Di players, coaches and fans of Arsenal watching dis go dey think, “Weda Manchester City go play like dis against better teams? Dem fit trip up. There should be urgency to kill di game off, but e be di goal difference part – e fit become vital for title run-in and you for think dis na ideal opportunity.’
If City and Arsenal win all dia remaining five games dem both go end on 85 points, meaning goal difference or goals scored fit be di determining factor come May. Dis na how tight e be – both teams don play same number of games (33), get same number of points (70) and dia results identical – dem don win 21, draw seven and lose five. Di only factor separating di two sides na di number of goals scored, with City netting 66 to Arsenal 63.
Such be di topsy-turvy nature of dis season race, City fit find demself trailing by six points by di time dem next play for league for Everton on Monday, 4 May – if Arsenal beat Newcastle and Fulham for dat period.
City don previously score five or more goals against Burnley for five different Premier League games – di most one side don do against another for di competition – and for don dey eye similar before dis match. Haaland winner for di opening five minutes.
Former City defender Nedum Onuoha tell BBC Radio 5 Live: ‘Not many Arsenal players for expect Burnley to get result today, but if you be Arsenal player or fan, you go take 1-0 loss for Burnley. Arsenal play Burnley for few weeks and dem probably no go dey as wasteful with dia chances as City, with so much on di line.’
Former Premier League goalkeeper Tim Krul add: ‘Arsenal don dey so close di last few years, I think we all half want dem to get am. But you no fit rule out Manchester City. My money for dey on City, just with di experience. Dem be serial winners with di best manager for di world looking after dem. You no fit not back dem.’
Phil Johnson, chartered member of British Psychological Society division of sport and exercise, tell BBC Sport: ‘One of di gifts wey Guardiola get na im strong emotional connection with im players, with di staff and with di fans. Dis na crucial to di whole culture of di club. Wetin we dey see with Arsenal na something wey I often see when I work with swimmers and runners. Dem dey so close to di finish line say for moment dem imagine say dem don already win – dia bodies and dia brains just kind of relax dat little bit more and dem get pipped to di post.’
I think momentum dey significant and dat na where City don dey particularly good. Momentum dey conceptual, e be idea, but e get tangible feeling to am. You literally fit feel dat sense of dey for control. I often use di queen bee analogy to demonstrate leadership. She get pheromone – like energy – wey keep di bees happy. She travel round and touch di bees with her own pheromone. Dis keep di whole group tight together. E like Guardiola be di queen bee for Manchester City and don get di right pheromones going through im hive at di moment.
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