1 Inch by inch
With only a point separating Manchester City and Liverpool, this is a Premier League title which could prove to be decided by the finest of margins.
Or, perhaps, a 29mm gap.
That was by how much Sergio Aguero’s match-winning effort crossed the line at Turf Moor and it’s not the first time this season that the slenderest of measurements has handed City three points.
Cast your mind back to January and John Stones’ last-ditch clearance, 11mm in front of the goal line, as Guardiola’s side consigned Liverpool to a 2-1 defeat at the Etihad Stadium.
High drama indeed and indicative of how keenly fought this title race has been.
Every yard ran, tackle made, goal scored or millimetre gained counts.
2 Evergreen Aguero
When the stakes are at their highest reliability so often conjures rewards.
And on Aguero City can depend.
It was a pinpoint pass from Bernardo and from there the Argentine did what he does best, did what he’s done since he walked through the door eight years ago.
He scored when it mattered.
In doing so he became only the second man to reach 20 Premier League goals in six different seasons.
That level of reliability has won titles before and is proving vital as we bid to do so again.
3 Getting the job done
It was tense. Oh, it was tense.
Burnley were unsurprisingly resolute, but City still created opportunities and when Bernardo, David Silva and Aymeric Laporte’s chances went begging the heightened sense of nerves only grew.
While City’s easy-on-the-eye style receives acclaim, we remain a side who at the core, know how to win.
It was only just a goal, but we got it over the line and at the other end, when the hosts tested City’s resolve late on, an assured steeliness secured the victory.
4 Defensive solidity
Famed NFL coach, Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant, once claimed “defence wins championships”.
Should City go on to do just that, it will be in no small part thanks to our effort protecting Ederson‘s goal.
Sunday’s clean sheet was our 19th of the season and our eighth in the last 10 games. Vincent Kompany made nine clearances, Oleksandr Zinchenko, five and Laporte, three.
It was Aguero’s goal which won the game, but when your back five give you a platform to win by a single strike, it makes victory that little bit easier to come by.
