Match Report: Burnley 0 - 1 Manchester City

MANCHESTER CITY - 1

SERGIO Aguero ended Burnley's four match unbeaten run as the Argentine scored the only goal of the game in the narrow 1-0 defeat at Turf Moor.

Burnley's top-flight status was already secured for a fourth successive season after Cardiff City lost at Fulham on Saturday.

The win for City moved them back above Liverpool at the top of the Premier League with just two games remaining in the season.

You could sense the occasion at Turf Moor as Pep Guardiola's title-chasing side came to Lancashire knowing that nothing less than a win would put the title back in Liverpool's hands.

Manchester City started the game in the fashion you would expect with them keeping hold of possession and probing at the Burnley defence.

Burnley's defensive shape in the first half was excellent - Ben Mee and James Tarkowski getting in vital blocks and the midfield moving across the pitch to block passing lanes.

City's Spanish maestro - David Silva - found space in the box on one occasion in the first 45 minutes, but there was Tarkowski to block his effort on goal.

Despite all of the possession, the best chance of the half fell to Burnley's Chris Wood.

Kyle Walker lost the ball on the half way and the Kiwi international was slipped in behind the City defence, with a better first touch he would've had a one-on-one with Ederson, but his touch was non-existent and the City keeper gathered well.

You felt as though City were on the brink of something brilliant as Oleksandr Zinchenko whipped in a peach of a cross that no City forward was attacking.

PFA Player of the Year nominee, Bernardo Silva, found space in the box, he jinked on to his left foot, but was unable to steer anything beyond Tom Heaton.

Sergio Aguero worked his first effort on goal brilliantly as he cut inside on his right foot and struck a sweet one towards the far, top corner - it was inches over.

The visitors flew out of the blocks in the second half as Aguero fired one towards Heaton's near post, but the England man was equal to it.

From the resultant corner, Bernardo Silva's shot was blocked by the arm of Barnes - it looked a penalty all day long, but nothing was given.

Heaton was then called in to action as Bernardo Silva had a shot, again, this time from six yards out and Heaton saved magnificently - the little Portuguese should have scored.

The breakthrough was found just after the hour as City's all-time leading scorer, Aguero, put his side in the lead - with the help of goal line technology.

Aguero received the ball with his back to goal, turned and shot with his left foot. The ball struck Matt Lowton's chest on the line and he then cleared the ball, but it was too late.

Guardiola's men then proceeded to do what they do best - control the ball and look for openings at goal.

In a show of respect for Sean Dyche's side, Aguero was replaced by centre half John Stones as Guardiola looked to hold on to the three points City had in their grasp.

City finished the game with six defenders on the pitch as they cemented their place back at the top of the table.