Burnley 2 Man United 2
How on Earth did United not win that? The first half was a real struggle from a United perspective, conceding an unlucky own goal from Ayden Heaven then having a goal ruled out from a corner which in my opinion should have stood with Kyle Walker going down far too easily but the attacking quality from United in the first half was atrocious and had me wondering if we were gonna score at all against a Burnley team that’s basically already relegated. Fletcher made an adjustment in the second half moving Bruno Fernandes to the right and putting Matheus Cunha central which worked perfectly for the Seskos first goal. The second goal then comes from a brilliant Dorgu cross which Sesko thumps past Dubravka and your thinking that United smell blood and could score 4 or 5. However they sit back and Jaidon Anthony scores a worldy to get Burnley a draw, United had so many chances to put the game to bed especially in the second half but that lack of quality in attack cost them again, a costly draw with Arsenal and City next in the league.
Lift-off for Benjamin Sesko. I’m probably not the only one that was less than impressed with Sesko’s first half performance, giving the ball away, failing to hold it up and tame efforts in front of goal had me thinking that Zirkzee could come on at half-time for him but that goal at the start of the second half gave him real confidence in front of goal with the second coming soon after from a superb cross from Patrick Dorgu converted by Sesko to give United the lead. From there United had to score to the third with Sesko getting a couple of half chances to score his hat-trick but it wasn’t to be for him tonight. You’d hope that this can now start a real run in front of goal for him as I actually think his link-up play has always been quite tidy since he’s joined United, it’s just that killer instinct in front of goal that he needs to start a run of scoring goals, United really need it with some big games coming up.
Can Burnley stay up? No is probably the answer to that question with Burnley 8 points from safety and I actually thought Scott Parker might try and win the game late on to with United throwing everything at it in the end. Holding the ball in the corner in the 93rd minute to take a point when you probably needed 3 to try and build some momentum says everything about Burnley this season and no doubt they will be playing in the Championship next year. That being said Burnley played some nice stuff in the first half without really threatening Lammens in goal with Marcus Edwards having a few nice moments here and there, the two goals were out of nothing and to be honest I think Burnley were lucky to get the point on the day.
That United midfield is horrifying. I’ll admit I haven’t missed watching a pivot of Casemiro-Ugarte and I thought in particular Casemiro had a terrible game tonight, losing the runner for the first Burnley goal and giving the ball away time after time, he’s just so slow on the ball and it halts every United attack when the ball comes to him. Manuel Ugarte had a pretty decent game by his standards winning the ball back countless times but he’s just so bad on the ball, whilst Mainoo didn’t light up the pitch when he came on at least he can keep the ball and play it forward when needed. It looks like United won’t be doing any business in January which is a real shame considering the state the Premier League is currently in with Europe easily achievable if you can put together a few wins, if whoever comes in as interim persists with that pivot, there’s no chance United finish in Europe this season.
What has happened to Matheus Cunha? I said in the Leeds review that Matheus Cunha looked absolutely knackered towards the end of the game and that a rest might do him some good but he put his worst performance of this season in this game so far in my opinion. His first touch over the last couple of weeks has been so bad with the ball bouncing of him giving it to the closest defender. I think playing on the right didn’t do him any good in the first half where he really struggled to get into the game along with Bruno Fernandes. He seems to be a shell of the player we saw at Wolves at the minute and maybe when the AFCON players come back he might get some much needed rest as he’s played nearly every minute over the last month or so. That Brighton game on Sunday is massive for United’s season so there’s no doubt he’ll start if he’s fit, here’s hoping he can find some form in arguably United’s biggest game of the season so far.