Manchester City Can Thank VAR Technology For Staying on Course For Premier League Title Push

Perhaps cruelly denied by VAR in its agonizing Champions League exit, Manchester City relied on technology to keep its Premier League title charge on course on Sunday. City scraped past Burnley 1-0 thanks to a scruffy strike by Sergio Aguero that needed the confirmation of goal-line technology. The distance over the line? Less than 3 centimeters.

The nervy wait before referee Paul Tierney awarded the goal was in keeping with a tense match at Turf Moor that ended with City having six defenders on the field — including four center backs — and under instructions from Pep Guardiola to “get it in the corner.” A win by any fashion is gratefully received by City as it looks to stay ahead of Liverpool in the two-team title race that looks set to go to the final weekend. With its 12th straight victory in the league, City — seeking to retain the title for the first time — moved one point clear of Liverpool with two games left. City’s last two games are at home to Leicester and away to Brighton, while Liverpool still has to face Newcastle away and Wolverhampton Wanderers at home.

Aguero joined Thierry Henry as the only players to score 20 or more goals in five straight Premier League seasons.

Technology has ruled City’s fate this season. Another big call in the league came in its 2-1 win over Liverpool in January, when City defender John Stones cleared the ball off the line — off his own deflection — with 11 millimeters to spare. That remains Liverpool’s only loss this campaign.

But it was another story in the Champions League when an injury-time goal by Raheem Sterling, which would have sent City through against Tottenham in the quarterfinals, was belatedly ruled out for offside by the video assistant referee. At least City knows it will have another chance to win the Champions League next season. The same probably cannot be said of Manchester United anymore after its latest disappointing result, a 1-1 home draw with Chelsea. Arsenal is also struggling to qualify for Europe’s top club competition — by virtue of its Premier League placing, anyway — after getting beaten 3-0 at Leicester.