Kai Havertz header edges nervy Arsenal past Burnley and one step from title

A first-half header from Kai Havertz gave Arsenal a 1-0 win over Burnley and three precious points in the title race

It was a night when fervour and hope ran into yet more Arsenal anxiety. This was supposed to be straightforward, wasn’t it? Burnley’s relegation from the Premier League was confirmed on 22 April. They sacked their manager, Scott Parker, shortly afterwards and came here under the caretaker, Michael Jackson. They had avoided defeat only three times in their previous 10 league matches, drawing all three.

It was not straightforward. Arsenal laboured under the spectre of the mother and father of all calamities. It nagged away during a traumatic second half. Everybody knew that with the margins so tight it might take only one flash from Burnley; a bolt from the sky blue. If Arsenal do stagger over the line and win their first title since 2004, they will have done it in nerve-shredding fashion.

There were seven minutes added on at the end and we were still playing two minutes after that, time for Kyle Walker, the former Tottenham player, who was barracked throughout, to sling a long throw into the Arsenal box. It was repelled. On the sideline, Mikel Arteta signalled that it had to be over. And then, at long last for him and his players, it was.

The line remains in sight. It will be all over if Manchester City fail to win at Bournemouth on Tuesday night. If City do get the points, then it will go to the final day on Sunday when Arsenal visit Crystal Palace, seeking to preserve what would be a two-point advantage over City, who host Aston Villa.

Arsenal relied on the twin pillars of their challenge to see off Burnley. A set-piece goal, Kai Havertz heading home from a Bukayo Saka corner towards the end of the first half, and the latest demonstration of their defensive excellence. It was their 19th clean sheet of the league season.

Arsenal caught a break in the 67th minute when Havertz stretched into a challenge on Lesley Ugochukwu and went into him with his studs. He was shown the yellow card but there was a review to upgrade it to red. Havertz survived. It was touch and go.

In the final analysis, Burnley did not create the big chance and that was down to Arsenal. It was more the threat of them doing so because they did play well. And, when it was over, Arsenal preparing to go around the pitch for a lap of appreciation, there was Arteta with a microphone, waiting to address the crowd. A banner had appeared in the crowd – “Mikel Knows” – and he was serenaded lustily; a beautiful moment for him. His voice was hoarse because it had been some night. Arsenal are nearly there.

Arteta had demanded passion and energy, the Arsenal fans heeding his demand to turn out in their thousands to welcome the team bus beforehand, red flares adding to the visuals. He put the throttle down with his selection – Martin Ødegaard and Eberechi Eze in central midfield in front of Declan Rice. Havertz was preferred to Viktor Gyökeres in the No 9 role. It turned into a grind.

There was the moment in the 15th minute when Leandro Trossard rattled a post from just outside the area but the early goal did not come. Burnley flickered, which was not supposed to happen. When Zian Flemming sparked a break on 27 minutes, Loum Tchaouna crossed for Hannibal Mejbri at the far post. The finished was sliced.

There was uproar when Havertz got in up the left and crossed low for Saka, who had got in front of Lucas Pires.

The challenge was messy and down Saka went. There was contact but was it enough? After a review, it was decided there was not.

Arsenal sensed something and they got it from a familiar route. Ødegaard had a clear shooting opportunity only for the ball to deflect out off Ugochukwu for a corner. When Saka curled it over and Havertz rose imperiously, nobody close enough to him, it was the prompt for a wild release.

Eze came to the fore at the start of the second half as Arsenal craved the comfort of a second goal. When he banged a volley from Cristhian Mosquera’s cross into the ground and back up, he watched the ball skim the top of the crossbar. Moments later, Eze was well placed to meet a Havertz cross only to head into Maxime Estève, a decent chance wasted.

It remained uncomfortable. The Arsenal crowd tried to lift their players as Burnley came to fancy their chances of landing the slingshot. “Stand up for the Ar-se-nal,” they demanded. They stood but their team was increasingly standoffish. Havertz got away with his nasty challenge and the closing stages were harrowing for everyone connected to Arsenal. Burnley, though, could not find a way through. Not for the first time, Arsenal did not yield.