Two sensational late goals inside five
frantic minutes salvaged a point for
Manchester United against Burnley but
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s winning run as
caretaker boss came to an end.
by Stuart Mathieson
The Reds were staring defeat in the face and
Solskjaer’s first loss of his reign with three
minutes of normal time to go after Burnley
had stunned the home fans with goals from
Ashley Barnes and Chris Wood in the second
half. But a spirited finale from the Reds led
tp Paul Pogba scoring from the spot before
Victor Lindelof snatched a point two minutes
into time added on.
After the delights of the Emirates FA Cup win
at Arsenal, this was always going to pose a
different challenge to the Reds.
Solskjaer’s spying mission last Saturday at
the Etihad to watch the Clarets play
Manchester City in the cup won’t have
provided him with much info with Turf Moor
boss Sean Dyche naming only four starters
from the much-changed knockout XI who
were thumped 5-0 by City.
He won’t have been taken in by that
surrender and the way Burnley started was
more the side who have picked up in the
Premier League following a dreadful start to the season that limped on into early winter.
But they’ve improved with three wins and a
draw in their last four league games. And
you could see why, with the visitors posing
United early problems.
Marcus Rashford missed United’s best chance of the first
half
The slick, lively and dangerous Reds of the
Solskjaer era was missing. However, the
Norwegian has consistently emphasised the
importance of an early goal and, despite a
slow start, United almost got it. In the ninth
minute, the Reds broke from the halfway line
with Marcus Rashford on the ball. Old
Trafford was up and on its feet as the in-
form striker raced away.
He slipped the ball to Romelu Lukaku and
was superbly handed a chance on a plate by
the Belgian. The Stretford End rose and was
ready to salute Rashford’s sixth goal under
Solskjaer but, despite the room he had, the
forward side-footed his golden chance well
wide.
Burnley were not troubling David De Gea but
were still enjoying taking the game to United,
pressing high up at the pitch at every
opportunity.
Paul Pogba did poke the ball past former
United man Tom Heaton in the Burnley goal
after 38 minutes but was rightly judged to be offside. However, United at least started to look like our recent selves again with Juan
Mata then following up with a low drive that
went close.
The Reds began the second half testing
Heaton with a couple of drives from Mata
and Pogba but they were meat and drink for
the ex-United Academy product. Just when
you thought United might be winding up for
an onslaught, the shock hit us as Burnley
pounced to take the lead in the 51st minute.
Phil Jones played a ball out of defence to
Andreas Pereira who seemed caught out by
the pass and was robbed instantly by Jack
Cork. He then fed Barnes, who slammed the
ball past De Gea before Lindelof could
rescue the situation with a tackle.
It was the first time United had gone behind
in the Solskjaer reign. The home support
certainly accepted the gauntlet thrown by the
visitors as they got behind the Reds in ever-
increasing decibels. The noise levels were
raised when the crowd appealed for a
handball against Ashley Westwood but
referee Jonathan Moss was having none of
it.
With Jesse Lingard on for Pereira, United
went into attack mode and almost drew level
after 66 minutes. A cross from Ashley Young
was met with a volley from close range by
Lukaku but Heaton pulled off a remarkable
acrobatic save to keep the shot out.
It was Lukaku’s last piece of action as he
was soon replaced by Alexis Sanchez.
Burnley were getting heads, feet and
anything in the way as they read every ball
into the box and repelled United’s efforts
which had become so rushed and ragged
that Solskjaer was forced to indicate to his
side that they needed to calm down and
show some composure. While United
struggled, Burnley showed how simple it was
as they went into a stunning 2-0 lead.
After United pressure, Dyche’s side went
forward and Westwood dinked a ball onto
the head of Wood, who glanced easily past
De Gea, while the defenders waited for an
offside flag that never came.
United thought we’d won a potential way
back into the match two minutes after
Burnley’s second, when referee Moss
pointed to the spot after Ben Mee had
blocked Rashford’s run. However, as Burnley
players protested the offence was outside of
the box, Moss changed his mind and gave a
free-kick.
Four minutes later, the official was pointing
to the spot again and this time there was no
dispute as Jeff Hendrick pulled back Lingard.
Pogba smashed the penalty into the roof of
the net to set up a grandstand finale.
Heaton looked like he was going to be the
hero of the night as he pulled off another
great save to deny Pogba a leveller but
United wouldn’t be kept out and, after the
goalkeeper miraculously saved an Alexis
effort ,Lindelof followed up with an
unstoppable close range finish to make it
2-2 during the five minutes of stoppage time.
It was an electrifying conclusion but the
Reds ran out of time as we swarmed forward
searching for the winner.
Paul Pogba’s penalty set up a pulsating finale
United: De Gea, Young (C), Lindelof, Jones,
Shaw, Matic, Pogba, A. Pereira (Lingard 62),
Mata, Rashford, Lukaku (Alexis 67).
Subs not used: Romero, Dalot, Smalling,
Fred, Herrera.
Scorers: Pogba 87 (pen) Lindelof 90+2..
Bookings: Mata
Burnley: Heaton (C), Taylor, Cork, Tarkowski,
Mee, Barnes, Wood, Hendrick, Westwood,
Bardsley, McNeil (Gudmundsson 77)
Subs not used: Hart, Vokes, Gibson, Ward,
Vydra, Benson
Scorers: Barnes 51, Wood 81
Bookings: Barnes, Taylor, Cork.
Attendance: 74,529
