Goal-scorer Sergio Aguero’s enduring individual quality is also highlighted for praise while there are also reflections on a memorable night for Raheem Sterling and Georgia Stanway who were last night named PFA Young Player and Women’s Young Player of the Year respectively.
But we start with analysis on City’s pivotal 1-0 win at Turf Moor which moved Pep Guardiola’s side back to the Premier League summit, a point ahead of Liverpool with just two games remaining in a compelling title race.
And the BBC’s chief football writer Phil McNulty believes the manner of our win in East Lancashire offered further evidence of City’s champion qualities.
McNulty writes: “City have been put to the test since their Champions League quarter-final exit against Tottenham - and they have responded in the manner of champions with three wins without conceding a goal.
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“And in Premier League victories at home to Spurs and here at Burnley, with a routine derby win at Manchester United sandwiched in between, they have had to show a different side of their character, one not associated with the flowing football which has become their trademark.
“City were so sloppy in spells, with passes going astray and moves breaking down after moments of carelessness, that there must have been genuine anxiety at half-time that they would be the first to blink in this magnificent tit-for-tat title battle with Liverpool.
“In the end it was Aguero, predictably, who made the decisive contribution, as he became only the second player in Premier League history to score 20 or more goals in five consecutive campaigns, after Thierry Henry between 2001-02 and 2005-06.
“The goal, like City’s display, was not a thing of beauty but City’s players and their fans did not care as they celebrated another vital step forward on the road to the title at the end.”
The Daily Mail’s chief sports writer Martin Samuel was equally taken with the small margins that signified our latest win with Aguero’s goal revealed to have crossed the line by the slenderest of margins.
Samuel scribed: “Tighter and tighter, are the margins at the top. Not just the a single point shown on the league table but, at Turf Moor, 29 millimetres.
“That was the distance the ball crossed the line to give Manchester City victory. And with that victory, City and Liverpool changed places again.
“Despite the misgivings of those who see the Premier League gap widening, this was always going to be a difficult 90 minutes for City, and so it proved. Without goal-line technology they would most likely have drawn and the advantage been placed in Liverpool’s hands.
“Instead a signal in the ear of referee Paul Tierney told him the ball had first travelled backwards from the chest of Matt Lowton before he cleared it, and justice was done.
“Next year, a voice would probably have told him he missed a handball by Ashley Barnes that would have given City a penalty, too. No VAR this season, so no two-goal cushion. City were made to sweat until the end.
“Liverpool too, given that they would have been getting their hopes up that Burnley were about to succeed where Tottenham and Manchester United had failed in City’s previous two games. City were dominating the second half but not getting the breaks.
“Tom Heaton was in brilliant form again, Ben Mee was every bit as good as at Chelsea on Monday. Burnley fans were sensing City’s frustration and singing cheerfully about ‘anti-football’ when the match-winning incident happened.
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“Kyle Walker played a through ball which found Sergio Aguero. He held it up, turned, battled through, and went for goal. Lowton was on the line but the ball struck him and spun up before he could power it forwards to safety.
“That was enough. Tierney got the signal, then gave the signal, and Aguero puffed out his cheeks in relief. Joined by every last soul in the away end, no doubt, and plenty more at home.”
In the Manchester Evening News meanwhile, Stuart Brennan believes City’s Burnley success also highlighted another crucial facet that could ultimately prove the difference in this most compelling of title races.
Namely the fact that City have come through tight, tense title finishes in the past and tasted success.
Brennan reports: The victory shoved Manchester City back to the top of the Premier League with two games left – a home clash with Leicester and a trip to Brighton – and broke a few Liverpool hearts, just when it seemed the tough-nut Clarets would thwart the Blues.
“But it showed, yet again, the one edge that City have over Jurgen Klopp’s side, as the two have slugged it out in spectacular fashion all season.
“The Blues have done all this before. They have come good in tight finishes, and players like Aguero, Vincent Kompany and David Silva have drawn deep on those memories to keep their squad focused.
“Last season, of course, it was all done and dusted at this stage, with City having already disappeared over the horizon in a cloud of Blue smoke.
“But five years ago, Manuel Pellegrini’s team faced an incredibly tricky trip to the Goodison Park graveyard in their 36 league fixture – and came away with a crucial 3-2 win courtesy of Joe Hart’s brilliant save.
“It is easily forgotten that in both those campaigns, as things got tight, there were games like this – messy, unconvincing displays which were won by a filthy goal.”
For former Manchester United and England star Paul Scholes, speaking on the premierleague.com Aguero’s winning strike was the latest example of the Argentine’s special powers.
But Scholes also declared he believed our all-time record goal-scorer’s quality was still somewhat overlooked after he claimed his 20th league goal of the season for the fifth consecutive campaign.
Scholes declared: “It goes to show as not many people have done it. But I’m not sure if he gets the credit he deserves.
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“I think he’s been sensational for years. He’s obviously playing in a great team but to do what he’s done – even just staying fit in that period – is an incredible achievement.
“He’s got so much quality and he can make his own goals as well. He doesn’t need the ball on a plate all the time.
“And we’ve seen he’s getting even better and stronger as the years go by.”
Sterling and Stanway’s special individual awards meanwhile were also recognised as well as a much-merited PFA prize for Steph Houghton with the Daily Mirror’s Matt Maltby hailing a what has been a remarkable campaign for Raheem.
Maltby writes: “Sterling has played an integral role in City’s title pursuit and was one of two City players on the six-man shortlist for this accolade, with team-mate Bernardo Silva joining him.
“But it was the England superstar who collected the coveted trophy on Sunday at Grosvenor House in central London after a season which has seen him display his goalscoring prowess.
“He has deservedly earned praise this season for his impressive displays on the pitch and for taking an active role in highlighting football’s continued issue with racism.
“Sterling has scored 17 Premier League goals this campaign, four behind Liverpool forward and Golden Boot pace-setter Mohamed Salah.”
The BBC, meanwhile, reported on how Stanway’s award was fitting recognition for a stellar season.
The Beeb scribed: “Women’s young player of the year Stanway has scored 11 goals in the WSL this season.
“She has the chance to win two domestic trophies this season, with City facing West Ham in the FA Cup final at Wembley on Saturday, 4 May, having won the League Cup in February.
“Stanway, who made her senior England debut last year, beat overall women’s player of the year Miedema, team-mate Walsh, Chelsea midfielder Cuthbert, West Ham United forward Alisha Lehmann and Bristol City keeper Sophie Baggaley.
“Special Achievement award winner Steph Houghton, 31, is set to lead the Lionnesses at this summer’s World Cup in France, having won 104 caps for her country to date.”
Finally, the Beeb also reflected on Manchester City’s final FA Women’s Super League home clash of the season.
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They reported: “Lauren Hemp’s second-half header saw Manchester City fight back to beat Yeovil Town at the Academy Stadium.
“But the result was not enough to take the title race to the final day after Arsenal’s 4-0 win at Brighton.
“Yeovil took the lead inside the opening 25 seconds through Olivia Fergusson but City levelled through Nikita Parris’ penalty after Hemp was brought down.
Parris then turned provider after half-time, standing up a cross into the six-yard box for Hemp to head home.
It secured a 14th victory of the season for Nick Cushing’s unbeaten second-placed side, while already-relegated bottom side Yeovil slipped to their 15th defeat.
Hemp said “I’m really pleased to have got the goal to secure the win but, overall, we need to be better technically and tactically if we are to go into the cup final next week with a strong performance.
“The support from the fans has been massive and will be, especially, next week.”
