Manchester City win sends Burnley to Championship as Pep Guardiola's side take league lead

Burnley are the second team to be relegated from the Premier League this season, following Wolverhampton Wanderers -Credit:Carl Recine/Getty Images

They sit three points above Wolves, meaning avoiding finishing last is now the sole remaining objective for Parker's team, who have now suffered three Premier League relegations in five seasons, cementing their status as the ultimate yo-yo club between the two divisions.

Burnley enjoyed five consecutive top-flight seasons before dropping into the Championship in 2021/22. They bounced straight back under Vincent Kompany the following season, but the Belgian tactician was powerless to prevent another relegation in 2023/24 before departing for Bayern Munich.

Parker has now replicated his predecessor's trajectory, securing promotion from the Championship in emphatic fashion with 100 points and an outstanding defensive record last season, only to come straight back down, with the step up in quality proving insurmountable.

Parker has managed to retain his position so far, but cut a dejected figure after his side squandered a 1-0 half-time advantage to suffer a 4-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

"I'm a fan as well, I understand the passion and emotion, it's been a disappointing season," he said. "At times we haven't given them much to cheer about and at times I would have liked more in terms of the general getting behind us but I don't expect that really."

As for City, both they and Arsenal have 70 points and a positive 37 goal differential after 33 games, although the Manchester side has scored 66, three more than the Gunners.

Their league title fate now lies in their own hands with five games to go, starting with a trip to Everton on May 4 and concluding with a visit from Aston Villa on May 24.

All the while, Guardiola's side also remains in the hunt for the FA Cup, with their semi-final against Southampton scheduled for Saturday.