Match report: United 1 Burnley 1

Manchester United 1 Burnley 1

Saturday 27 April 2024 17:00

Manchester United dropped points at Old Trafford with a 1-1 draw against a Burnley side fighting against relegation.

After a string of missed chances for the hosts, and some top-class keeping by Andre Onana at the other end, Antony finally broke the deadlock in the 79th minute, when running through to score.

However, Onana's mistimed punch caught Zeki Amdouni, following some poor defending by the Reds with time running out. VAR intervened and Amdouni got up to steer in the penalty to earn Vincent Kompany's men a share of the spoils.

It all made for a frustrating afternoon that could see Scott McTominay added to our extensive injury list.

FIRST HALF - ONANA TO THE RESCUE

Burnley managed to get a shot on target in the opening minute as David Datro Fofana received the ball on the right but his shot was straight at Andre Onana. Moments later, Alejandro Garnacho had the first opportunity for the Reds after Bruno Fernandes lifted the ball towards the far post but our no.17 couldn't keep his effort down.

A long range effort by Casemiro was deflected just wide of Arijanet Muric's post for the first corner of the half. Delivered by Fernandes, it found its way to Antony, whose shot was well saved by Muric, but United were attacking well and after winning the ball back quite quickly, Antony looked like he was through on goal but dragged his shot wide.

It was all United in the opening period as Christian Eriksen fancied taking on a shot from the edge of the area but it was millimetres wide. The game settled down but we still dominated possession. As United once again made our way into the Burnley box, Rasmus Hojlund felt he had been brought down but the ball fell kindly to Fernandes regardless. His powerful shot was palmed onto the post by Muric.

With 25 minutes gone, Burnley won their first corner. It was half-cleared and Wilson Odobert found space on the edge of the area and his rocket, which looked to be dipping under the crossbar was tipped over by the alert Onana. It was the beginning of a good spell of possession for the visitors as, from the corner, Lyle Foster had a chance to put them in front but he couldn't keep it down.

Then a key moment arrived when Burnley won a free-kick in a dangerous area. Jacob Bruun Larsen stood over it and, as the cross came in towards the far post, Aaron Wan-Bissaka headed it away from danger but only as far as Cullen who whipped it back in towards the head of Foster. Onana pulled off a fantastic save to prevent the Burnley forward from getting the opening goal.

Onana was called into action once again as Foster out-ran Harry Maguire down the right but our shot-stopper made himself big and Foster's shot thumped off his chest. At the other end, Garnacho found the side-netting following a promising move. As the half marched on, tackles began to come flying in resulting in bookings for both sides.

SECOND HALF - FRUSTRATING FINALE

Despite Burnley having a good spell of possession in the opening five minutes of the second half, we had the first real chance of the half. Garnacho went on a good run down the left and darted into the box. He cut it back to Antony for what would have been the opener but the Muric managed to scramble across to smother the ball.

Moments later, Garnacho had another opportunity to try to break the deadlock after Antony perfectly picked out his run but Argentina international's shot curled the wrong side of the post. After coming off the bench for Fofana, Amdouni made his presence known to the United defence by fashioning a shot on goal but it was well over the bar.

Hojlund was wrestled to the ground by Maxime Esteve, earning United a free-kick. It was taken quickly by Fernandes who found the run of Christian Eriksen but as he tried to square it to Antony it took a deflection into the arms of the keeper.

We were itching for an opener and Garnacho once again went on a blistering run through the middle but the Burnley defence tracked back well. It looked as though, if a goal was going to come, it was going to come from Garnacho as the youngster had another chance following a corner, forcing Muric into a fingertip save to tip it over the bar.

United finally made the breakthrough in the 79th minute. Burnley were sloppy in possession, with Sander Berge's pass going astray, and Antony pounced. As he darted into the box he was clipped, he tried to stay on his feet and, as he fell, he managed to slot it into the bottom corner.

Burnley were desperate to get something from this game though and as we entered the last few minutes, the ball ping-ponged around United's penalty area. Onana went to punch the ball away but caught Foster instead. The referee John Brooks waved it away but VAR intervened to instruct him to view the screen and award a penalty. Amdouni stepped up and made no mistake as Onana went the wrong way.

United had a penalty shout of our own as we entered injury time as the ball appeared to hit Vitinho's hand but the ref waved it away. After McTominay was forced off in some pain, both sides were desperate to take all three points and there were opportunities at both ends. Onana pulled off another big save to deny Odobert at his near post. With the last kick of the match, Antony's shot was saved by Muric after Fernandes got in the way of an Amad effort.

MATCH DETAILS

United: Onana; Wan-Bissaka, Casemiro, Maguire, Dalot; Mainoo (McTominay 65, Mount 90+1), Eriksen (Amrabat 81); Antony, Fernandes (c), Garnacho; Hojlund (Amad 65).

Unused substitutes: Bayindir, Amass, Jackson, McTominay, Forson, Wheatley.

Goals: Antony 79.

Bookings: Antony.

Burnley: Muric; O'Shea, Assignon, Vitinho, Esteve; Cullen, Larsen (Gudmundsson 72), Odobert; Berge; Fofana (Amdouni 56), Foster

Unused substitutes: Trafford, Ekdal, Taylor, Brownhill, Tresor, Benson, Rodriguez

Goals: Amdouni 87 (pen).

Bookings: Odobert, Cullen, Esteve.

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