Havertz Fires Arsenal Closer To Premier League Title After Narrow Win Over Burnley
Arsenal F.C. moved a step closer to winning the Premier League title after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Burnley F.C. at the Emirates Stadium on Monday night.
Kai Havertz scored the only goal of the match with a powerful header in the first half, but the German midfielder was fortunate to avoid a red card later in the game after a dangerous challenge that could have changed the course of the title race.
The victory leaves Arsenal on the brink of becoming Premier League champions, with Mikel Arteta’s side now potentially able to secure the title as early as Tuesday if Manchester City F.C. fail to beat Bournemouth.
Even if City win their remaining games against Bournemouth and Aston Villa, Arsenal would still clinch the title with victory over Crystal Palace on Sunday.
However, the narrow win against already relegated Burnley has kept the title race alive and given Manchester City a glimmer of hope.
A draw for Arsenal at Selhurst Park could allow Pep Guardiola’s side to snatch the title on goal difference if City win their final two fixtures.
Adding further drama to the closing days of the season are reports suggesting Guardiola may leave Manchester City after nearly a decade in charge following Sunday’s match against Aston Villa.
Arsenal entered the match as heavy favourites and were expected to comfortably overpower a Burnley side that had collected only two points from their last 10 games.
But despite dominating possession, the Gunners struggled to break down a determined Burnley defence for large parts of the contest.
Leandro Trossard struck the post from distance, while Bukayo Saka saw penalty appeals waved away after attempting to connect with a low cross from Havertz.
The breakthrough finally came in the 37th minute when Havertz rose highest to head home Saka’s corner delivery, marking Arsenal’s 18th league goal from a set-piece this season.
Despite taking the lead, Arsenal failed to completely take control of the game and survived a major scare in the second half.
Havertz caught Burnley midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu with his studs during a mistimed tackle, but after a VAR review, the referee’s original yellow card decision stood.
Shortly after the incident, Havertz was substituted for Viktor Gyökeres as Arteta looked to protect his side’s narrow lead.
Although Arsenal lacked their usual attacking sharpness, their disciplined defence once again proved decisive.
Since their defeat to Manchester City last month, the Gunners have now gone four consecutive Premier League games without conceding a goal, strengthening their push for a first league title in over two decades.
