Burnley vs Manchester United: Ralf Rangnick will be wondering how the Red Devils managed to throw away two points in a 1-1 draw at Turf Moof on Tuesday.
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Manchester United were incredibly unlucky to not lead by three goals at halftime, and Burnley made them pay almost immediately as they took their 45-minute turn in the driver’s seat. Paul Pogba made his first Premier League start since Oct. 24 and scored the opening goal, only for Jay Rodriguez to equalize two minutes after the restart.
Burnley vs Manchester United final score, stats, results
Final score: Burnley 1, Manchester United 1
Goal scorers: Burnley (Rodriguez 47'), Manchester United (Pogba 18')
Shots: Burnley 9, Manchester United 22
Shots on target: Burnley 3, Manchester United 5
Possession: Burnley 36%, Manchester United 64%
3 things we learned - Burnley vs Manchester United
1. Best 45 minutes of Man United’s season: Ralf Rangnick had total and complete buy-in from all 11 players when the opening whistle blew. The entire team’s energy was different from anything they’d shown all season, as they possess the ball plenty (63 percent), passing it and moving into space with a quickness and sharpness that, again, hadn’t been on display this season (out-shot Burnley 12-0). They chased and pressed the ball in the rare event that Burnley moved it out of their own defensive third. It’s no surprise they managed to put the ball in the back of the net three times in the first half (only one counted) and were denied either by a goal-line clearance or a sensational block on two other occasions.
2. Burnley dominant after halftime: It was as if the sides swapped kits and faces at halftime, with Burnley taking the fight to Manchester United’s doorstep in all the same ways the Red Devils did previously (out-shot 7-1 in the first 25 minutes). Rodriguez’s goal in the 47th minute not only pulled Burnley level when they could have just as easily been 5-1 down, but it took the wind out of Man United sail at the first sign of adversity.
3. Making top-four more and more difficult: There will be certain games on the remaining fixture list which Manchester United could be understood, and maybe even excused or expected, to drop points as they try to secure a top-four finish and UEFA Champions League qualification. Burnley, the last-place team in the Premier League, was not one of them. West Ham (40 points) leapfrogged Manchester United (39 points) for 4th place with a win of their own on Tuesday. Arsenal and Tottenham (36 each) are right behind with one and two games in hand, respectively. Three points against Burnley would have meant holding serve — doing the bare minimum.
Man of the Match: Bruno Fernandes - The Portuguese playmaker was at the heart of everything Manchester United did during their utterly dominant first half. He looked back to his best after being re-installed in more of a free role (made possible by Cristiano Ronaldo being dropped from the starting lineup, it should be noted).
Burnley vs Manchester United highlights
Raphael Varane goal ruled out for Harry Maguire’s offside block (video)
This is a tough way for any player to lose out on a goal, but even more so for someone who thought they had just scored their first goal for the club.
Paul Pogba finishes a slick sequence, makes it 1-0 (goal video)
First things first, it’s Pogba’s first goal of the season for Manchester United (all competitions) — good for him. Now, let’s focus, instead, on Bruno Fernandes’ pass to Marcus Rashford in the build-up. Zinedine Zidane would be proud of that technique.
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Jay Rodriguez gets in behind, dinks over De Gea for 1-1 (goal video)
Wout Weghorst wasn’t particularly heralded for his range of passing when Burnley signed him in January, but this ball in behind for Rodriguez is top-notch. Rodriguez cutting across Maguire prevents him from challenging for the ball out of fear of committing a foul. Stellar from Burnley, all the way around.
