Manchester United fans cannot get out of ground quick enough as Burnley heap more misery on Ole
Match Summary
Manchester United 0 - 2 Burnley
kick off: 22/01/2020 20:15
Referee: Jonathan Moss|Venue: Old Trafford|Attendance: 73,198
- Chris Wood39
- Jay Rodriguez56
Desperate – and deserved - defeat to Burnley left them still six points adrift but it was the impotent manner of the loss in the absence of Marcus Rashford and in such an uncomfortable season that fuelled the anger. These are strange times at United.
“Stand up if you hate the Glazers,” was the chant on 65 minutes with a good number inside Old Trafford rising to their feet and there can only be a fear from the United hierarchy that this will only get worse. For all the talk of improvement and steps forward there are crushing set-backs like this.
There were more chants, including an unsavoury one again aimed at the Glazers and executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward and worryingly there were empty seats also around the top tier.
“We want United back,” was another song but, right now, United fans will surely settle for at least one January signing with another striker – and a creative midfielder – desperately needed.
There was a sense of confusion around Old Trafford; a fog of uncertainty amid the mists of a cold January evening and a feeling that this game and United’s season could go either way. The Rashford injury and the saga as to whether midfielder Bruno Fernandes would ever sign – there is an on-going and predictable impasse with the Portuguese club Sporting over his valuation – did not help the mood. Although a win surely would.
Big Chris Wood opens the scoring
There had been chances for United but it was Burnley who took the lead with, before half-time, Ashley Westwood’s free-kick from deep being headed on by Ben Mee after he easily beat Nemanja Matic in the air. Just as easily Chris Wood stole in front of Harry Maguire and although the striker did not connect with the ball crisply he did enough to sweep it past David De Gea at his near post.
Yet again, though, United had been undone at a set-piece. To make it even worse for the home side they had already received a warning with Mee having reached a free-kick to find Wood who had sent the ball wide from inside the six-yard area.
Burnley, buoyed by the weekend victory over Leicester City, which followed four league defeats as they had slid down the table sensed an opportunity and Phil Jones – a surprise inclusion – had to react quickly to deny Jay Rodriguez as he threatened to burst through.
There had been chances for United but it was Burnley who took the lead with, before half-time, Ashley Westwood’s free-kick from deep being headed on by Ben Mee after he easily beat Nemanja Matic in the air. Just as easily Chris Wood stole in front of Harry Maguire and although the striker did not connect with the ball crisply he did enough to sweep it past David De Gea at his near post.
Yet again, though, United had been undone at a set-piece. To make it even worse for the home side they had already received a warning with Mee having reached a free-kick to find Wood who had sent the ball wide from inside the six-yard area.
Burnley, buoyed by the weekend victory over Leicester City, which followed four league defeats as they had slid down the table sensed an opportunity and Phil Jones – a surprise inclusion – had to react quickly to deny Jay Rodriguez as he threatened to burst through.
United
had started with a purpose. There were a couple of miscued efforts
before Anthony Martial should have done better - when Aaron Wan-Bissaka
crossed low from the right – than direct his shot across goal at full
stretch. Wan-Bissaka was providing the threat and, after a fine pass by
Matic, his cross took a deflection but even so Juan Mata had time to
adjust only to side-foot a shot against his left leg from six yards out
with the chance spurned. Soon after and Wan-Bissaka delivered once more
from the right with Daniel James rising to head goalwards and Nick Pope
pushing the ball away from under his cross-bar for a corner.
Inevitably the frustration grew with an angry chant of “love United and hate Glazers” from the Stretford End although that was drowned out when Matic again cut through the Burnley defence with an incisive pass and Martial was put clear on goal only to take too many touches with Charlie Taylor superbly sliding in to tackle him.
The smattering of boos as the teams departed at half-time was there but was short-lived. United had spurned opportunities and it was no surprise to see Mason Greenwood ready himself on the pitch while his team-mates were in the dressing room. The 18-year-old replaced the ineffective Perreira and his introduction was cheered with Mata dropping back into midfield although there was an early scare when Fred fell on the ball inside his own area. Burnley demanded a penalty, Sean Dyche was adamant but the claim was waved away and the VAR did not intervene.
Inevitably the frustration grew with an angry chant of “love United and hate Glazers” from the Stretford End although that was drowned out when Matic again cut through the Burnley defence with an incisive pass and Martial was put clear on goal only to take too many touches with Charlie Taylor superbly sliding in to tackle him.
The smattering of boos as the teams departed at half-time was there but was short-lived. United had spurned opportunities and it was no surprise to see Mason Greenwood ready himself on the pitch while his team-mates were in the dressing room. The 18-year-old replaced the ineffective Perreira and his introduction was cheered with Mata dropping back into midfield although there was an early scare when Fred fell on the ball inside his own area. Burnley demanded a penalty, Sean Dyche was adamant but the claim was waved away and the VAR did not intervene.
United
remained slow in their build-up, allowing Burnley to organise themselves
and re-group and when James did find space his cut back was poor and
easily cleared.
The winger, in fairness, looks like he is desperately in need of a rest and has played too often already this season which is his first in the Premier League.
As United struggled they conceded again with Rodriguez scoring a stunning goal. The striker quickly exchanged passes and with Maguire slow to react he struck a fierce left-foot shot from just inside the corner of the area that grazed the goal-frame as it caught out De Gea beat between the cross-bar and the angle of the post. What a strike and what a score-line although given United’s struggles and inconsistency it was not a shock.
United had a life-line when they earned a free-kick on the lip of the area after Taylor brought down Greenwood but that was sent over the bar by Mata. James shot narrowly, wide, before being replaced, and Pope got down low to his right to turn a Martial effort away for a corner but Burnley appeared to be easing to the victory that would take them even further away from the relegation places and, in fact, just four points behind United who somehow are still in fifth in what is such a disappointing league, in terms of quality, below the top three.
The fog started to descend. Was it divine intervention to give the home side hope that the game would be called off? Instead large numbers of United fans drifted away. There was time but another defeat was inevitable.
The winger, in fairness, looks like he is desperately in need of a rest and has played too often already this season which is his first in the Premier League.
As United struggled they conceded again with Rodriguez scoring a stunning goal. The striker quickly exchanged passes and with Maguire slow to react he struck a fierce left-foot shot from just inside the corner of the area that grazed the goal-frame as it caught out De Gea beat between the cross-bar and the angle of the post. What a strike and what a score-line although given United’s struggles and inconsistency it was not a shock.
United had a life-line when they earned a free-kick on the lip of the area after Taylor brought down Greenwood but that was sent over the bar by Mata. James shot narrowly, wide, before being replaced, and Pope got down low to his right to turn a Martial effort away for a corner but Burnley appeared to be easing to the victory that would take them even further away from the relegation places and, in fact, just four points behind United who somehow are still in fifth in what is such a disappointing league, in terms of quality, below the top three.
The fog started to descend. Was it divine intervention to give the home side hope that the game would be called off? Instead large numbers of United fans drifted away. There was time but another defeat was inevitable.
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