HAAL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL

Erling's goal is enough to help Pep pass a real Turf test in fight for the title

- BY JEREMY CROSS

IT MIGHT have taken 244 days - but the Premier League table has a familiar look about it again.

Manchester City are top and looking down on the rest after limping past Burnley at Turf Moor with a hard-fought win which sent Scott Parker' (inset) and his men down.

Erling Haaland's fifth-minute strike was enough to see Pep Guardiola's side leapfrog title rivals Arsenal, courtesy of having scored more goals.

Rarely had the outcome of a game felt more predictable.

Maybe because, since 2018, City had won the past 14 games between the two clubs in all competitions - by an aggregate score of 51-3.

Throw in the fact the Clarets had not won a home league game for six months and it felt like all Guardiola's men had to do was turn up and the three points would be theirs.