Why there could be a twist in the saga surrounding Mainoo's Man Utd future

Manchester United escaped double embarrassment this week thanks to Bruno Fernandes' late penalty against Burnley.

United twice threw away the lead against their newly promoted opponents, before Bruno Fernandes saved the day with a last-gasp winner from the spot - just days after their humiliating Carabao Cup defeat at the hands of League Two Grimsby Town.

With the 3-2 triumph, Amorim's strugglers earned their first win of the new campaign and temporarily moved his side into top half ahead of the international break.

Mainoo twist?

Kobbie Mainoo was back on the bench after making his first appearance of the season at Grimsby, but first-half injuries to Matheus Cunha and Mason Mount could provide a twist in the saga surrounding the midfielder’s future.

Mainoo remains determined to leave on loan before tomorrow’s transfer deadline because he is disillusioned at being Fernandes’ understudy and wants regular football ahead of next summer’s World Cup after losing his England place as well.

But when Cunha and Mount went off, Amorim’s reshuffle saw Fernandes at No 10 and Mainoo replace the captain in midfield.

It was too early for Amorim to give an update on the injuries but Cunha’s looked like a hamstring issue and he went straight down the tunnel without any treatment.

Assuming United’s £62.5million summer signing faces a significant lay-off, Mainoo may be needed more than he thought in the weeks ahead. The 20-year-old showed his importance in the dying seconds with the game locked at 2-2, twice getting back to prevent Burnley breakaways.

Restless Ruben

Having bared his soul after Manchester United’s shock Carabao Cup exit at Grimsby in midweek, Ruben Amorim kept his programme notes for Saturday's game to just 95 words, in which he apologised to the fans again.

The embattled United boss had cut a more laid-back figure at Carrington on Friday, yet was anything but relaxed as kick-off loomed at Old Trafford.

Amorim paced back and forth across his technical area no fewer than 17 times in the moments before the start and, after hiding in the dug-out during Wednesday’s shootout, could barely watch again when Bruno Fernandes converted an injury-time penalty to seal the three points.

At the end of only his eighth win in 30 Premier League games — four of which have come against newly promoted teams — a relieved Amorim shook hands with Burnley boss Scott Parker and hugged Joshua Zirkzee before heading down the tunnel.

Sesko setback

It was surprising to see Benjamin Sesko as the last outfield player to take a penalty in the shootout defeat at Grimsby, and the new £74m striker didn’t cover himself in glory on Saturday, either, missing two chances in quick succession to grab a winner after replacing Casemiro.

When Bryan Mbeumo delivered from the right, Sesko rose above Kyle Walker and hung in the air poised to score. Was Mbeumo’s cross an inch too high or did Sesko jump a second too early? Either way, he couldn’t prevent his header flying over from close range.

Then, when Diogo Dalot crossed from the left, Sesko got away from his marker to meet it but his glancing header was well wide.

Amorim defended the striker, saying the cramp Sesko suffered at Grimsby was the reason he didn’t take a penalty sooner and why he was back on the bench on Saturday.

‘It’s connected,’ said the United boss. ‘He finished the game with cramps, really in the limit. That’s why we protected Ben from the penalties. And today was that reason also.’

Parker’s pain

VAR denied United a penalty in the first half after referee Sam Barrott pointed to the spot for Walker’s challenge on Mount, then sent him to the monitor again deep into added time when Jaidon Anthony was penalised for ‘sustained pulling’ of Amad Diallo’s shirt, enabling Fernandes to score the winner from the spot.

Parker wasn’t the only person inside Old Trafford left wondering where football is heading in a new VAR world.

‘That’s the way the game has gone,’ said the 44-year-old.

‘It’s going to become the most sterile game there is really. We’re probably months or a year away from not celebrating goals. I stand on the touchline, you score the goal, and I feel like there’s a million things that go through your mind.

‘Checklists, what happened three minutes before it. Was it offside? Did he stand on his toe two minutes before? He needs to get his computer out to check where it is offside.

‘Linesmen and referees are slowly becoming redundant. We live in a world of perfection, and everyone wants perfection. I’m absolutely frustrated now, but when you do look back, there’s a lot of positivity.’