Gudmunsson late strike stun Man City as Burnley draw

Johann Berg Gudmundsson’s late equaliser earned Burnley draw against leaders Manchester City

Johann Berg Gudmundsson’s late equaliser for Burnley denied Manchester City victory for only the fourth time in the Premier League this season as Pep Guardiola’s side paid the price for missing a host of chances.

City took the lead through a long-range Danilo strike but failed to turn their dominance into further goals.

 

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Raheem Sterling was guilty of their worst miss when he failed to find the target from six yards out after meeting Kyle Walker’s cross at the far post.

Burnley had gone close through Ben Mee and Aaron Lennon, who were both denied by brilliant Ederson saves, but there was no stopping Gudmundsson’s effort.

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He ran into the box to meet Matthew Lowton’s cross with a powerful half-volley that City’s Brazilian goalkeeper got a hand to, but could not keep out.

City still extend their lead at the top of the table to 16 points, at least until nearest rivals Manchester United play Huddersfield later on Saturday.

Burnley have now gone nine league games without a win, but the manner of their comeback to hold the runaway leaders will give boss Sean Dyche something to smile about after a disappointing start to 2018.

City pay the price for Sterling’s miss

City were chasing their 23rd win in 26 league games this season, and also trying to become only the third team in the Premier League era (after Manchester United in 2000 and Chelsea in 2006) to hold an 18-point lead at the top of the table.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger complained this week that competition in the Premier League is being destroyed by City’s financial power but the memo has obviously not reached Dyche.

His Burnley side rode their luck at times, notably with Sterling’s terrible miss, but were a threat throughout and got their reward at the end of the game.

Guardiola had picked only six out of the seven permitted substitutes, because of a shortage of fit players and a reluctance to call upon his reserves, who played on Friday night.

But their failure to see out this victory was down to their sheer wastefulness, not any shortage of resources in their squad.

And while Sterling had complained before the game that City were being “butchered” by bad tackles, the Clarets’ wholehearted approach never got near to anything remotely resembling dangerous play.

The only challenge that might have irked Guardiola was a scything first-half tackle by Kevin Long on Ilkay Gundogan that earned the Burnley defender a booking.

Burnley fans stay behind their team

The Clarets’ current run is their worst since Dyche’s side failed to win any of their first 10 Premier League games of the 2014-15 season following promotion.

But for the second time in four days, they rescued a point with a goal in the last 10 minutes, and it is clear the spirit that Dyche feels is a fundamental part of his side has not gone missing.

Helped by a home crowd that showed nothing but support for their players, the Clarets did not play like a side struggling for form or appear short of any confidence.

Only Southampton (with 12 games before Saturday) are currently on a longer winless run in the top-flight than the Clarets, whose last victory came against Stoke on 12 December.

However they have still picked up five points in that time, and remain on course to achieve Burnley’s highest league finish since they finished sixth in 1974.