Stacy Boit,

It took just five minutes for chants of “we are top of the league” to ring out around Turf Moor from the visiting supporters.

Manchester City beat Burnley 1-0 to hit the summit of the Premier League for the first time in eight months, when they led the way after thrashing Wolves in the opening week of the season.

During the intervening period Arsenal sat at the top looking down on all below them, but they have had a nine-point lead evaporate in the past 11 days.

Mikel Arteta’s men could have gone 12 clear and possibly out of sight on 11 April, but suffered a shock home defeat by Bournemouth and City took full advantage with three straight wins, including a monumental one over the Gunners on Sunday.

Despite the victory and going top, will City rue being unable to find a more clinical edge against a team relegated down to the Championship?

With each goal potentially proving crucial in a tense title race, City may view a victory with a solitary Erling Haaland goal as a missed opportunity to boost their goal difference.

“We had chances,” said Guardiola. “Not for what is going to happen in the future but to win the game. It was clear, [Martin] Dubravka [Burnley goalkeeper] was good but the last part of shooting was sometimes fatigue.

“I had the feeling if we scored for 2-0, we would be more relaxed [knowing] the game is in our hands and more composed in the final third. In terms of what I asked of the team, the gameplan and focusing on what we have to do, they have been extraordinary.”

He added: “We played a really good game. Unfortunately we missed a lot of chances. We defended better in the second half and we had less problems.

“I was not frustrated, why would I be? We won three points, we are top of the league. Of course we can do better but the guys did everything.”

Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville said on Sky Sports: “The players, coaches and fans of Arsenal watching this will be thinking ‘will Manchester City play like this against other better teams?’ They could trip up.

“There should be urgency to kill the game off, but it is also the goal difference part – it could become vital in the title run-in and you would have thought this was an ideal opportunity.”