After losing three of our first five matches – our worst start to a Premier League season – Manchester United managed to jumpstart their 2023/24 campaign on Saturday with a 1-0 win over Burnley.
This isn’t the Burnley of old, managed by Sean Dyche, that guaranteed fierce physical battles all over the pitch. They are a more technical outfit under Vincent Kompany, but United did a good job to sniff out any danger they posed in the second-half.
Ultimately, United achieved the win we needed, but the performance itself was far from convincing.
We take a look at the pros and cons from United’s 1-0 win over Burnley, so sit back and enjoy a cuppa.
Pros
Jonny Evans proves doubters wrong: Eight years on from his last start for the club, Evans put in a man of the match display against Burnley. He nearly put United in front, had it not been for VAR ruling it offside. Evans was the creator for the game’s only goal, finding Bruno Fernandes with a perfect pass over the top.
Hannibal Mejbri taking his chance: The young Tunisia international is knocking on the door for more chances in the first team. He deserves them too because he stood up to the plate at his second time asking under Erik ten Hag. The goal against Brighton as well as a solid display at Turf Moor. Hannibal Mejbri should make a consecutive start against Crystal Palace.
Bruno Fernandes shows why he is captain: On nights like that, away from home at Turf Moor, you need your star players to stand up and be counted. Fernandes did exactly that and showed why he was named club captain during the summer. His world class volley made the difference at the end, which allows the pressure to be eased on everyone at Old Trafford.
Andre Onana reacts well to pressure: After conceding 14 goals in our past five games, United desperately needed a clean sheet. The headlines about Onana were harsh but I thought he dealt with the pressure very well on Saturday night with two important saves in either half.
Raphael Varane is back: The Frenchman came off the bench with over 10 minutes remaining on the clock. He’s the man who makes everything stick for us in defence and we’ve missed him. I just hope he doesn’t get injured again in the coming weeks because his record isn’t great.
Cons
Another injury fear: Manchester United have been missing all four of Ten Hag’s first-choice back-four. This is why we had to think of a makeshift defence at Turf Moor. Late in the second half it looked like Sergio Reguilon had pulled up with a hamstring injury, although the manager confirmed that he had been feeling unwell during the week but remained determined to play on.
VAR buzz kill: We were preparing for a party when Jonny Evans opened the scoring but VAR had to go and ruin the fun. Modern technology is a total buzz kill!
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i know i seem to be a negative fan but bruno had a 55% completion rate on his passing. that is abysmal. hannibals was 92%, less passes tbf but still.
it was an amazing goal and he deserves praise for it, but is 55% not alarming?
united yesterday literally made burnley look like barcelona. 62% possession against a team that were in the championship last year.
I understand injuries and all and the result was the most important thing but are writers here at SN not even remotely concerned about the style or lack of under ETH?
kompany has burnley, i reiterate burnley playing better and more possession based football than united. we played park the bus and counter against burnley. and it has basically been ETH’s style since he has arrived. ole ball. there are no patterns of play, nothing one would expect from a modern manager of football. the press is a joke, uncoordinated, meaning its useless.
also trafford the burnley keeper was taking positions i expect onana to be taking, to shrink the pitch. what is going on when burnley play in a modern way and united can’t? 400m spent and nothing has changed.
I hope ETH will improve drastically but i doubt it.
as a plus least the players appeared to care.