Burnley 2-2 Manchester United: The Red Devils sacked Ruben Amorim on Monday, with a familiar misstep reappearing in Darren Fletcher’s first game as caretaker manager.
Ruben Amorim is gone but Manchester United’s failings remain, with caretaker manager Darren Fletcher watching as Manchester United failed to pick up a win against Burnley.
Benjamin Sesco scored twice for the Red Devils early in the second half and the visitors should have won the game, but Jadon Anthony’s superb goal in the 66th minute gave Burnley a share of the spoils.
Sesco’s double – two very impressive finishes – erased Burnley’s Bashir Humphries’ lead inside the opening 13 minutes, his cross deflected by Aiden Haven and looped past Senne Lamence and into the net. Fletcher would have cursed his luck.
Shay Lacey almost sealed the victory later in the day with a spectacular 25-yard shot that hit Martin Dubravka’s crossbar. But the truth is United lacked the skill and quality needed to win here, especially when Bruno Fernandes, who was 70% fit, was sent off with an hour remaining.
Here are five stories from Turf Moor.
read more: Ole Gunnar Solskjær gives green light to return to Manchester Unitedread more: Manchester United supporter sends disgusting four-letter message to owner after Ruben Amorim’s sacking
1. No, it’s very heavenly.
One player who has received considerable praise for his recent performances is young centre-back Aiden Heaven.
Despite the team’s recent instability, he has impressed in the heart of a defense that lost Matthijs de Ligt and Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez has gradually returned and Lenny Yolo has been out more than in of late.
But his role after 12 minutes in Burnley’s opener deserves scrutiny as, frankly, it wasn’t good enough.
It’s not that I didn’t feel the danger when the Clarets broke through down the left flank. It’s just that he was too slow on it. He knew that his escape had not been traced and that Dalot had been caught up in high ground. But instead of sprinting towards it, he staggered out. Had they done so, they would not have had the misfortune of having a cross deflected into their own net.
It was a simple and basic defense. He didn’t do that and United were punished. To add insult to injury, Haven becomes the youngest United player to score an own goal in the Premier League, at 19 years and 107 days old.
2. Fletch says goodbye to 3-4-3
That always happened, didn’t it? The moment Ruben Amorim went out, that 3-4-3 formation he was obsessed with went with him. And so it happened.
But the return of one of Fergie’s favorite sons to the back four didn’t stop United from having a frustrating night against a team they haven’t won since October.
3. Bruno’s brilliance
Bruno Fernandes is Manchester United’s best player. He is still only at the club thanks to Ruben Amorim.
Thankfully for United fans, the club’s former head coach made it clear to their captain last summer that he was vital to his plans and that he should not go to Saudi Arabia, but at the time the player felt the club’s higher-ups would welcome his move.
United remain overly reliant on their captain. He wasn’t a perfect fit here, but just over 24 hours after going out to a coffee shop with Amorim’s number two – a pretty sad farewell by all accounts – he gave the caretaker manager 60 minutes and produced a brilliant slide-rule pass that brought Sesco in behind for United’s goal.
Whoever the next manager becomes, whether permanent or interim, Fernandes remains a difference-maker for United at the top level. But Amorim’s departure and the Saudi specter mean his long-term future is back under the microscope.
That’s a big problem. Because if he doesn’t play, United are lost.
4. Details of United’s Bruno problem
They did it here. Fernandes was substituted in the 60th minute. Six minutes later, Burnley equalized.
“It’s a beautiful strike from Jadon Anthony,” Gary Neville said on commentary for Sky Sports. “It came out of nowhere when Man United were in top form.”
But that’s not strictly true. Yes, United dominated the first 15 minutes of the second half, scoring twice and taking the lead. However, the moment Fernandes left the field immediately after hitting the post, the team became visibly smaller. Suddenly, players felt anxious about winning the ball and trying to dominate the game against a team ranked 19th.
And it didn’t take long for this to happen. This happened within seconds. As United neared their own goal, the home side suddenly became more courageous and the visitors were once again sloppy around their own box, but this time Lisandro Martínez was unable to close it down as close as he should have been, and Anthony curled a fine shot into the top corner.
You have to wonder whether United’s leaders, who may or may not have been in the directors’ box at Turf Moor, still think they can do without Fernandes. Because this period of the game, as well as the whole miserable home draw with Wolves, highlighted this team’s inability to do that.
5. Sesko Stats Life
Manchester United’s giant striker scored twice but should have scored more and showed that with his movement, speed and quick feet he can be a real threat to opposition defences. His two goals-achieving finishes were great. Both have been clinically adopted and are finished with oozing lessons.
But those were by no means the only opportunities the former RB Leipzig hitman took. In fact, he has taken more shots on target than any other player in Premier League games this term (seven). The problem was the standard of his shots on other chances – some of which weren’t as difficult as his second – which left a lot to be desired.
If he had been a little more calm, he could have scored a hat-trick.
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