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Manchester United are fifth in the Premier League after 22 games this season, one point behind Liverpool in fourth. The mood at Old Trafford is optimistic after last weekend’s 2-0 win over Manchester City in the league, but the club is currently going through a difficult phase.
The Red Devils said goodbye to former head coach Ruben Amorim at the beginning of this month and initially appointed Darren Fletcher on an interim basis for two games. The Scot oversaw a 2-2 draw against Burnley in the league and a 2-1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion in the third round of the FA Cup.
United have since appointed Michael Carrick as caretaker manager for the remainder of the season. The Englishman recorded a convincing victory over their bitter rivals in his first game in charge, but it now appears that the Red Devils were unlucky not to take all three points against Burnley.
United dropped points at Turf Moor
Amorim’s departure saw United switch back to a back four under Fletcher, who opted for a 4-2-3-1 formation. Luke Shaw, Lisandro Martinez, Ayden Heaven and Diogo Dalot formed the backline, while Manuel Ugarte and Casemiro were central in midfield.
Matheus Cunha, Benjamin Sesko and Patrick Dorgu formed the attack, while Bruno Fernandes played in his preferred number 10 position. The Red Devils started well, but fell behind in the 13th minute when Lucas Pires’ cross into the penalty area found its way into the net via Heaven.
United increased the pressure on the home side and in the 27th minute it looked like Martinez had equalized from a corner. However, the goal was disallowed by referee Stuart Attwell due to a foul on Kyle Walker in the build-up to the goal.
Sesko finally scored the equalizer in the 50th minute and gave his team the lead ten minutes later. However, Jaidon Anthony came off the bench to restore parity for the Clarets and the match finished 2–2. The Premier League’s Key Match Incidents (KMI) Panel has now ruled on Martinez’s disallowed goal.
Statistics: Manchester United 2-2 Burnley
| Stands | Burnley | Man united |
|---|---|---|
| Possess (%) | 34.6 | 65.4 |
| Expected Goals (xG) | 0.24 | 2.25 |
| Shots | 7 | 30 |
| Shots on target | 1 | 10 |
| Touches in the opposition box | 9 | 43 |
| Goalkeeper saves | 6 | 0 |
| Won aerial duels | 9 | 22 |
| Commit mistakes | 9 | 8 |
| Corners | 2 | 6 |
| Distance traveled (km) | 115.47 | 114.02 |
| To walk (%) | 32.27 | 34.56 |
| Jogging (%) | 57.92 | 57.02 |
| Sprinting (%) | 9.82 | 8.43 |
| Shots off target | 1 | 13 |
| Attempts outside the box | 1 | 9 |
| Hit Woodwork | 0 | 2 |
| Offside | 3 | 0 |
Source: BBC.
Martinez’s goal should have stood
According to the RMI panel, as quoted by the BBCMartinez’s goal was wrongly disallowed by Stuart Attwell. The five-member panel voted 3-2 that there was no foul on Walker and the goal should have stood. The panel noted that “the contact was exaggerated by Walker and the decision to disallow the goal for a foul was incorrect.”
Craig Pawson was on VAR duty for the match and supported Attwell’s decision on the pitch. The RMI panel supported his move and voted 4-1 in favor of no VAR intervention. They added: “The decision not to intervene by VAR was divided but supported as it was not a clear and obvious error.”
Another talking point from the match was Walker’s foul on Dorgu, in which the Englishman appeared to be standing on the Dane. However, the violation did not meet the requirements for an RMI assessment.
Final thoughts
Although United will feel undone after the latest update, they did have plenty of chances to secure all three points on the night. The Red Devils registered 30 shots in the match, 10 of which were on target, but were undone by poor finishing.
However, there is no point in dwelling on the past. With Arsenal next, fans will be hoping Carrick’s Midas touch can help avenge the 1-0 defeat to the Gunners at the start of the season.
Featured image Michael Regan via Getty Images
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