There was no room for error. On Monday night, Mikel Arteta’s squad welcomed 19th-placed Burnley to their home ground with a singular objective: to claim all three points. Any other result would have left them vulnerable to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, who trailed the Gunners by a mere two points heading into the evening’s fixture.
True to their season-long form, Bukayo Saka and his teammates broke the deadlock from a corner. Rising above the opposition, Kai Havertz powerfully headed the ball past a rooted Max Weiss in the 37th minute. For the remainder of the encounter, Arsenal asserted their dominance, particularly in possession, maintaining 62% compared to Burnley’s 38%, though without creating a multitude of clear-cut chances. Notably, the goal scorer, Havertz, was fortunate to avoid a red card in the 69th minute after a challenge on Lesley Ugochukwu, where his studs connected with the midfielder’s calf. This goal marked Arsenal’s 18th from a corner in the Premier League this season, highlighting a key strength.
With three vital points secured, Arsenal continues its determined march towards the English championship title, a trophy they haven’t lifted since 2004. The London club could potentially be crowned champions as early as Tuesday night, should Manchester City falter in their 8:30 PM match against Bournemouth. This pivotal week precedes another monumental moment for the club: the Champions League final against PSG in Budapest, scheduled for May 30th at 6:00 PM.