Bruno Fernandes produced a moment of magic as an unfamiliar-looking Manchester United line-up ended a run of three consecutive defeats to climb into the top half of the Premier League table.
Match Report
After surviving a few first-half scares with Burnley hitting the post, captain Fernandes settled manager Erik ten Hag’s nerves by volleying a Jonny Evans pass Robin van Persie-style on the stroke of the interval.
On TV, an admiring Rio Ferdiannd said: ‘That is what captains do. They step up in big moments when you need something special.’
It was a gutsy rather than convincing United win but they’ll take it after a traumatic start to the season and their back-four entirely made up of understudies because of injury, with 35-year-old Evans the most surprising pick.
Burnley, managed by United’s old nemesis Vincent Kompany, could feel aggrieved to be trailing at half-time but nonetheless slump to the foot of the table with this defeat.
Everyone inside Turf Moor at kick off knew something had to give with Burnley having lost all their previous home games and United pointless away.
Erik ten Hag, already without Luke Shaw and Aaron wan-Bissaka long-term, had to contend with a fresh injury to Lisandro Martinez while a knee issue meant Harry Maguire still wasn’t available and Raphael Varane only fit enough for the bench.
The Dutchman therefore turned to 35-year-old Evans for his first Premier League start with the club since 2015, having re-signed for United in the summer.
Hannibal Mejbri and Scott McTominay were also drafted in to bring younger legs to a new-look midfield. The Tunisian’s only previous United start came in 2022 against Crystal Palace under Ralf Rangnick.
For Burnley, Zeki Amdouni was asked to fill the striking boots of suspended Lyle Foster. Amdouni was pushed further forward with Aaron Ramsey coming into midfield following his summer move from Aston Villa.
United looked crisp in their all-white kit and started brightly with Marcus Rashford firing into the side-netting in the opening minute.
Rashford then fed Fernandes whose fierce cross-shot forced the first save of the game from James Trafford.
Burnley didn’t get into the United box until the 10th minute but would have scored without a magnificent stretching save by Amadou Onana, who had been at fault for the midweek Champions League defeat against Bayern Munich.
Josh Brownhill and Conor Roberts combined down the right and when the ball was fired in Amdouni’s downward header was destined the corner until Onana sprung into action and clawed the ball away.
Diogo Dalot became the first player to be booked when he had to foul Luca Koleosho to stop the Burnley winger from flying past him.
The home side have an energy under Vincent Kompany that United tried to counter by slowing the game down with patient passing, all the way from Onana at the back.
But when Burnley got near the United penalty area, they were mightily dangerous.
After 17 minutes, Ramsey slipped in Amdouni and though he slipped the ball past Onana it bounced off the inside of the post and was cleared by the relieved visitors.
Burnley fans were then fired up when Hojlund went down looking for a free-kick as he tussled with Roberts and gestured in frustration when he got nothing.
Johan Gudmundsson, one of Burnley’s most experienced players, had to leave the field after 20 minutes with Mike Tresor coming on for his first Turf Moor appearance having signed from Genk in the summer.
United needed a relaxant and it nearly came from an unlikely source after 25 minutes.
Evans met Sergio Reguilon’s corner well with a glancing header and the celebrations were wild – until VAR spotted Hojlund obstructing Trafford’s view and possibly obstructing him as well from an offside position.
Though technology is often finickity it was the correct decision on this occasion – Hojlund was trying to gain an unfair advantage and hopefully had it pointed out to him by team-mates.
Despite an unusually mild evening in Burnley, United’s midfield enforcer Casemiro opted for gloves.
The Brazilian was able to enjoy his presumably warm half-time cuppa with United in front after Onana had managed to save from Ramsey at the second attempt.
As the board signalled three minutes of injury time, they took the lead with a goal of real quality out of place with the rest of the first half.
There was a touch of the great Wayne Rooney-van Persie combination against Aston Villa in United’s last title-winning side about the breakthrough.
This time Evans played the Rooney part with a lofted pass to Fernandes on the right angle of the penalty area.
From there, the Portuguese midfielder showed his technical class, watching the ball as it dropped out of the sky before hitting a right-footed sidefoot volley that flew past Trafford giving the goalkeeper no chance.
Fernandes hadn’t scored in the Premier League away from Old Trafford since January and it felt hugely significant for a club low on morale because of injuries, poor results and off-field issues of varying kinds involving Mason Greenwood, Antony and Jadon Sancho.
Some neat interplay between the skipper and Casemiro at the start of the second period hinted that the confidence was just starting to creep back.
A well-worked move to Scott McTominay on the edge of the box deserved better than the midfield’s scuffed shot into the arms of Trafford.
At the other end, United’s makeshift back line held Burnley fairly well though the pace of Kompany’s players coupled with by the visitor’s slender advantage meant there were always nerves when The Clarets crossed the halfway line.
There was a scare after 75 minutes when Burnley sub Jacob Bruun Larsen bore down on goal shortly after coming on with Onana bravely coming out to close the angle and block, and ten Hag brought on Sofyan Amrabat for his United debut to help see out the final few minutes.
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
8' What a save from Onana!
13' Yellow Card! Dalot booked
19' CLOSE! Amdouni hits the post
26' Disallowed! Evans scores but the goal is offside
44' ClOSE! Ramsey’s shot saved by Onana!
45' GOAL! Burnley 0-1 Man Utd (Bruno Fernandes)
80' Sub! Varane replaces Reguilon
Line-ups
Burnley XI: Gudmundsson, Taylor, Brownhill, Josh Cullen, Connor Roberts, Beyer, James Trafford, Ameen Al-Dakhil, Zeki Amdouni, Aaron Ramsey, Luca Koleosho
Subs: Jay Rodriguez, Cork, Benson Manuel, Larsen, Berge, Hannes Delcroix, Mike Trésor, Anass Zaroury, Arijanet Muric
Man Utd XI: Evans, Casemiro, Lindelof, Bruno Fernandes, Onana, Reguilon, Dalot, Rashford, McTominay, Hannibal, Rasmus Højlund
Subs: Eriksen, Varane, Martial, Amrabat, Van de Beek, Altay Bayindir, Facundo Pellistri, Alejandro Garnacho, Daniel Gore
idah33
803
Hannibal has been running for days, his energy is never ending.
Doxmang
770
If you love the pinpoint killer pass from Evans don't skip without showing love 😘 by 30likes 4him👏⭐✍️🤝🙌💯🎯👉⚽🥅🫅🌹
Ophab
657
Onana to Clean sheet[Crylaugh][Crylaugh]
DavidFoley
588
Few takeaways tonight folks 1. Evans was immense rolled back the years ,brilliant 2. Hoiland will be that fox in the box gets in great positions another night those few inches are goals 3. Hannibal was really good got around the pitch ,some really good dynamic passes forward 4. Clean sheet for Onana made a few good saves looked solid won’t do his confidence any harm 5. Var hates us 6. Bruno’s goal was perfect ,just at the right time aswell 7. Another few injuries it looks like and a tricky place to come a very important 3 points easier games to come to build momentum 8. Bayern won 7-0 Kane hat trick and 2 assists midweek game wasn’t as bad as made out really considering 9. Players starting to come back into squad from injuries 10. First few minutes of anbrabat looking forward to seeing his all action style And Ireland won some egg chasing match 👍🏻not a bad sat night all told
favyaz
573
Bruno gave his man of the match award to Johnny Evans....(well deserved) .my captain leading by example 💯✅✅❤️❤️❤️❤️
Doxmang
559
🚨Sofyan Amrabat debut vs Burnley 🔥⚡️ Becomes the first MOROCCAN to EVER play for Manchester United 🇲🇦 what a nice debut Record for him👏⭐✍️🤝🙌💯
Mosanya
532
35 yrs old Jonny Evans got relegated with Leicester, was without any club for months, comes back to Man United and still has more assists than €100m Mudryk. 😭
dopdikrsy
502
Football is all about winning an every game ERIC hv a plan for it sometime the plan doesn’t work is football when United lose the coach should be sacked when United win they play boring Football I don’t understand a lot here knows nothing about football I’m a dead United fan an I trust my manager an his project all his decision are okay cause if u don’t want to play for the berg go somewhere else if u can’t follow instructions go away he is in charge not player cause a lot of coaches that come before always says the behavior of some players which is not good go to city or Liverpool the coach says in press conference SANCHO is not training well that’s y I dropped him an you SANCHO u when to instergram an talk rubbish an even calling him a lyer it’s only happened in Manchester ERIC TH give SANCHO 3 months to find his form in the middle of the season an this what he pay the coaches an the staff of the club go away I don’t need such energy in my club
King_Martins_Lover
402
Appreciation post for the skipper ❤️❤️. Saved the world from noise pollution
Lebclrtuy
327
no one is talking abt Onana again football fans are so annoying [Crylaugh][Crylaugh][Crylaugh][Crylaugh]you should learn to appreciate also
Youtd4eva
231
Ineznik
208
let's all welcome our new boy ☺️
building
202
Gif here. Like me: http://www.goalgif.xyz/v2/live/matchGifs?match_id=53615121&language=en
Doxmang
199
Bruno goal • Amrabat debut • Varane back • Clean sheet for Onana • 3 points and back to winning ways. UTFR. 🔴❤️ pressure drop a little down✍️🤝🙌
Yuuaclmny
162
The game was just boring to me
Mutckmrtz
137
happy to see Manchester United winning again
Evans0323
8
Hannibal has been running for days, his energy is never ending.
[image]
Running without direction