There isn’t much else to say with this Man Utd team, quite frankly. This is a 19th placed Burnley who will probably be plying their trade in the Championship next season, barring a small miracle. If anything is to go by, United should probably being plying their trade in the second division too. No one would be able to tell the teams apart if not for the badge and kits. The breakthrough came through Antony, as he latched onto a mistake before slotting home even while falling. However, Onana, who had kept us level in the game with a series of important saves in the first half, conceded a penalty after being royally stitched up by Casemiro. It is just another mark against Ten Hag, in surely what is just a stay of execution for the Dutchman before he is pushed out of Old Trafford for good.
Living on the edge
The problem with leaving games on the edge and relying on the opponent to have a bad day in front of your goal it means that you are not comfortable. When you are not comfortable, you become more angsty with things don’t go your way.
The first 20 minutes, United had chances to go ahead. Eriksen, Garnacho and Antony all had the opportunity to open the scoring and they all failed to do so. Usually, when a big team starts like that against a relegation threatened opponent, it is a sign of things to come. In a way, it was as more chances were missed throughout the game. However, Burnley were able to come back into it and if not for the interventions of Onana and Maguire, the Clarets may have been the one to open the scoring instead. Because, United are not a team that can control proceedings when they are not constantly attacking.
It was a young attacking front line today, with Garnacho, Hojlund and Antony all being 24 or younger. On their best of days, they are going to spurn chances and on days like today, they will do so in tight games. Even in the second half, Garnacho and Antony passed up chances to open the scoring. Again, after a flurry of 20 minutes in the opening proceedings of the second, Burnley once again came back into. It is a heavily momentum based team and when it switches against us, United are one of the worst teams to watch in all aspects of the game.
The spaces in midfield is continually mentioned and you see that this is not just simply a problem when it is Casemiro having to cover space with his heavy legs. It is a problem throughout the season and with all types of personnel. Couple of occasions as well, Bruno and Casemiro conceded possession deep in our half. Eventually, Antony would capitalise on a mistake from Berge to put us ahead and it seemed as if we would be on the right side of the edge. However, a mix up with Casemiro and Onana meant that Burnley were able to level again. That is the problem with Man Utd. We are never comfortable, no matter the opposition. From top to bottom in the league, it will always be an angsty day and that is as much of an indictment on the manager as anything else.
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