Disappointed Martin Dúbravka Speaks Out After Premier League Relegation: "We Have to Give Something Back to the Fans"

According to manager Pep Guardiola, Manchester City must win all five of their remaining matches to secure the title. Meanwhile, newly promoted Burnley, featuring Martin Dúbravka, has been relegated, a fact the Slovak goalkeeper openly expressed disappointment about.

The Citizens secured their third consecutive victory, drawing level on points with the London club. Both teams also share an identical goal difference (+37), but Guardiola's side holds the advantage with a higher number of goals scored (66-63).

The Gunners have relinquished their top spot after 200 days, with City leading the league for the first time since August. This Saturday, City faces Southampton in the FA Cup semi-final, while Arsenal hosts Newcastle United in the league before their prestigious Champions League semi-final clash against Atletico Madrid.

"Sunday's game was very tough. It's not easy after three days, but in the Premier League, you have to adapt. We have the FA Cup on Saturday, and after that, we have five league games. The only chance is to win them all," the Spanish coach stated after the match in Burnley.

His team dominated proceedings on Wednesday, enjoying 65% possession and a 28-9 shot advantage. However, the only goal came in the 5th minute from Norwegian striker Erling Haaland. Dúbravka made eight saves for Burnley, and the woodwork denied City twice.

"The win was the main objective, and considering the last three days, the emotions, and the physicality of the game we played, we performed excellently. With the chances we created, we could have scored more goals, but the important thing is to win every game. There are five left, and we'll see what happens," Guardiola continued.

Haaland has now netted 24 goals in the current English top-flight season, leading the scoring charts ahead of Igor Thiago (21). However, for him, securing the three points was paramount. "We had many chances, but I'm happy. We won, and that's the most important thing. I'm super happy we won and got the three points. We are at the top of the league. It's all about winning, no matter how. We just try to play our football and win. That's what you need in your mindset," the 25-year-old Norwegian remarked to the club's website.

Captain Bernardo Silva had a personal reason to celebrate after the match, recording his record 215th league victory for City, surpassing David Silva's tally. He will depart the club at the end of the season after nine years.

Burnley, who have consistently oscillated between the Premier League and Championship for the past five seasons, suffered their fourth consecutive defeat, remaining in 19th place. With only four matches left in the season, they are an insurmountable 13 points behind 17th-placed West Ham.

"I'm disappointed. We wanted to stay in the league, but unfortunately, we couldn't. There were some good moments in today's performance, but sadly it wasn't enough. There wasn't much space, but they still created a lot of chances. Unfortunately for us, Haaland was clinical with his opportunity. They have a very good team. We tried to give our all tonight, and we are disappointed with the relegation," Dúbravka stated on Burnley's official website.

The newly promoted side has a record of four wins, eight draws, and 22 losses in 34 games. Their last full-point victory was on February 11th, when they triumphed 3-2 at Crystal Palace. "The start of the season was, I would say, a bit difficult. We played against the best teams, we didn't get points, and you need those to stay up. We were close a few times, but we couldn't manage it," the Slovak goalkeeper reflected on the season.

Despite relegation, the team will try to make the most of their remaining matches, according to Dúbravka: "We have to give something back to the fans because they support us every week. We want to repay them for that in the remaining games." Burnley will next face 15th-placed Leeds United.