Burnley have a famous first win at Manchester United since 1962 and Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s side must again regroup somehow. This was a defeat that spoke of their deep callowness and their inability to turn possession into goals.
Burnley were sharper at the business end of the pitch, leaving United to rue a chance to close the gap to fourth-placed Chelsea to three points. Instead the deficit is six and United’s one-step forward, one-step back form continues.
During a torrid evening there were anti-Glazer and anti-Ed Woodward chants from a Stretford End seriously disgruntled at the owners and executive vice-chairman. There were songs in support of Solskjær but the bottom line is that this was a new nadir in a rocky season.
Solskjær had spoken of bouncing back from Sunday’s defeat at Liverpool and a slick move involving Andreas Pereira, Anthony Martial and Juan Mata ended with a Fred shot during a bright start. But, really, this was the first sign of United’s lack of bite. Daniel James slipped in along the left and won a corner. Next Brandon Williams switched the ball to Aaron Wan-Bissaka from the same corridor, whose cross deserved better control from Pereira.
As they did in last month’s reverse fixture United were controlling the ball and, apparently, the contest. Sean Dyche’s men seemed content to sit deep and back themselves to defend better than United could attack.
When Solskjær’s side picked up the pace Burnley struggled but this only occurred sporadically. The only peril United were in at this juncture was of complacency but when Mata then Fred took aim at Nick Pope’s goal they seemed to be up to the task.
Moments later they were warned, though, in what was a dress rehearsal for Burnley’s opener. Chris Wood was able to take aim following a free-kick punted into United’s area by Dwight McNeil which was headed on by Ben Mee. While the No 9 could not score, David de Gea was left furious at his defence, whose aerial vulnerability led to Liverpool’s first goal at Anfield at the weekend.
There was an equal lack of focus when Mata hit a shot from close range against his other leg: a surprise from a technically accomplished footballer. Far better was when Wan-Bissaka once more crossed the ball in and James rose, but his header was tipped over by Pope. Then, Nemanja Matic’s diagonal ball was allowed to run past by Mata and suddenly Martial had the goal before him. But a heavy touch allowed Charlie Taylor to intervene and so the Frenchman spurned the game’s clearest chance.
Burnley were about to strike with a route-one special. Ashley Westwood pinged in a free-kick from halfway, Mee beat Matic to the header and Wood finished first-time past De Gea. Having been on the ropes here was a classic one-two counter that had Burnley fans gleefully singing about “anti-football”.
By the interval there had been the first angry chants from the home fans and the manager had serious work to do. Solskjær reacted by replacing the misfiring Pereira with the 18-year-old striker Mason Greenwood. He then saw Williams take out Mee who inadvertently felled De Gea. The latter two were able to recover but the question was whether United could find a spark that had so far been missing in front of goal.
The answer would prove to be a resounding no. Burnley were confident: Taylor and Jack Cork exchanged passes near United’s right corner flag, hemming them in. The sense was that having gone ahead the Clarets would fight ever harder to keep their opponents out.
James has not scored since August and has struggled to be a creative factor all season. The latest illustration came when he breached Burnley’s backline only to produce an aimless pass that ultimately led to an easy clearance.
There was nothing simple about Burnley’s second goal from Jay Rodriguez. With Harry Maguire off the pace – not for the first time in a United shirt – the striker fashioned a one-two with Wood before firing in a finish that rifled past De Gea at his near-post and ricocheted in off the bar. Cut to Solskjær rooted to his seat and the sense that United were slipping into disarray.
“Stand up if you hate Glazers” chanted the Stretford End. On the pitch a Greenwood turn drew a yellow card for Taylor before Solskjær introduced Luke Shaw and Jesse Lingard for Williams and James. Despite a few shots and a disallowed Shaw goal, United’s lack of ruthlessness told in the end.
Next up for Solskjær is an FA Cup fourth-round tie against either Watford or Tranmere Rovers on Sunday afternoon. They dare not lose that match, too.
