Premiership: City Drop Points at Burnley as Arsenal Thrash Everton

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, Sports News Saturday, February 3rd, 2018

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Pep Guardiola absolved Raheem Sterling of the blame for Manchester City’s failure to win at Burnley.

Sterling side-footed wide in front of an open goal in the second half when City was leading through Danilo’s strike on Saturday.

Burnley made the most of the reprieve, with Johann Berg Gudmundsson snatching a 1-1 draw in the 82nd minute as City dropped points for only the fourth time in the English Premier League.

The draw allowed second-place Manchester United to close the gap on Guardiola’s side by beating Huddersfield 2-0 — but only to 13 points with 12 games remaining.

“It is football,” Guardiola said. “Next day (Sterling) is going to score a goal. Raheem scored against Southampton in the 96th minute (in a 2-1 win in November). Today he missed one chance. That can happen.”

Meanwhile, It was a dream debut for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as Arsenal destroyed Everton 5-1 at the Emirates.

While Arsene Wenger will be delighted by the Gabonese’s debut goal, Aaron Ramsey stole some of the limelight with a first ever hat-trick.

Laurent Koscielny also scored for the hosts, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin hit a consolation to deny Petr Cech his 200th clean sheet.