‘Don’t know football’ – Mark Gehey points to Arsenal after Man City win
Manchester City defender Mark Gehey spoke about the title race after the Blues leapfrogged Arsenal at the top of the Premier League.
Mark Gehey said anyone expecting Manchester City to steamroll Burnley “doesn’t know football”, as the Blues had to reset after beating Arsenal.Pep Guardiola’s team currently holds the top spot in the Premier League table, but their 1-0 victory at Turf Moor also strengthened Arsenal’s position in a title race that could potentially hinge on goal difference..
City certainly appeared poised to score significantly against the Clarets, who faced relegation following their defeat on Wednesday. Ryan Churkey’s brilliant save was followed by Erling Holland’s opening goal just five minutes into the game, leaving both Burnley and Arsenal fans apprehensive.
While they created plenty of chances to add a second goal, City again couldn’t beat Martin Dubravka and had some nervous moments of their own as Burnley threatened to grab an unlikely point. In the end, Guardiola’s side settled for a narrow win that took them above Arsenal on goals scored in 33 games with the same two-goal difference.
The City squad discussed goal difference before the Burnley game, but they deemed it essential not to concede. As one of the team members who helped keep another clean sheet, Gehry believes the team faced a major hurdle in picking themselves back up after the fallout from Arsenal’s hopes of a shootout.
“The boys were saying it today; to be very fair, Erling was talking a lot to make sure we don’t concede because it’s critical. “We don’t know how the season will end, so any edge in the title race is vital,” he said.
“It’s not simple. A lot happens in these games and we knew how important it was. [Arsenal] The game was there, but you always had to back it up and come to a place like Turf Moor; they were fighting for their lives, which made it really difficult for us to attack and do it defensively. It’s not simple, but crossing the line was paramount.
“Everyone thinks these games are simple when so much emotion and focus went into the last game against Arsenal. It’s not going to be simple when you’re playing a team who are fighting for their lives. Anyone who thought it was going to be simple clearly doesn’t know football. I’m glad everyone did their job today and dug in and the most important thing today was just to get the win.”
