Sesko double but Utd drop more points
The post Amorim reign started in familiar fashion as the reds dropped further points at Turf Moor tonight. Behind at the break to a Heaven own goal, they stormed into the lead thanks to Benjamin Sesko. A lapse in defending, added to chances not taken, meant the points were shared.
Burnley now have not won in 12 games and seem destined to be relegated again despite the fight they showed here. They took advantage of a sloppy start from Utd to go ahead and then landed a great equaliser. They know that games are running out to save themselves though.
Interim Manager Darren Fletcher made just one change in personnel from the draw with Leeds before Ruben Amorim’s sacking. He decided to go with a back four and started Bruno Fernandes after his recent injury. Leny Yoro was the man to make way. Jack Fletcher featured on the bench and he was joined by the returning Mason Mount, Kobee Mainoo, and Harry Maguire after recent injuries.
Scott Parker made three changes from their recent defeat to Brighton. Hannibal Mejbri started against his former club whilst Maxime Esteve and Marcus Edwards also came back into the side. Hjalmar Ekdal, Jaidon Anthony and Jacob Bruun Larsen were the men to make way. Lyle Foster was back in the matchday squad after featuring in AFCON.
Patrick Dorgu was busy in the opening ten minutes as neither side really got into any kind of stride. He first lifted a cross into the area that evaded anyone in a red shirt. He then latched onto a backheel from Benjamin Sesko and looked to shoot. His touch was too heavy though.
It was no surprise that the opening goal on 14 minutes was a messy one. Casemiro had initially won the ball off Bashir Humphreys but failed to track his run when he got the ball back. He squared to shoot on the edge of the area where he was faced up by Ayden Heaven. The resulting shot took a wicked deflection and past the stranded Senne Lammens.
The best response that the visitors had was a glanced header from Sesko from a Bruno Fernandes that went just wide. Humphreys then headed over from his own bar to deny Matheus Cunha.
United did have the ball in the net on the half hour via Lisandro Martinez after Casemiro headed down a free kick. It was ruled out for a rather soft looking foul on Kyle Walker. Burnley almost extended the lead on a breakaway in the aftermath. Marcus Edwards picked up the ball in midfield and advanced after Casemiro missed an attempted tackle on him. It came to Lucas Pires on the edge of the area who fired just wide.
Sesko had been having another frustrating night but he did well with a header just before the break. Martin Dubravka lept to tip it over the bar. The goalkeeper was suddenly busy to keep out efforts from Manuel Ugarte and Cunha as Utd sought an equaliser before the break. When the Burnley keeper was beaten, he had Maxime Esteve to save him with a goal-line clearance from Dorgu.
The momentum was kept up at the start of the second-half and five minutes in Sesko broke his goal drought. Fernandes slid a ball down the outside of one of the home defender that landed at the feet of the Slovenian. He spun immediately and flashed a shot past Dubraka.
It might have got better a few minutes later. Sesko flicked it on to Fernandes who lashed a shot goalwards despite the pressure of Humphreys. It crashed off the post though.
United were to go in front and it was Sesko yet again. He had the good work of Dorgu to thank for it. He played a one-two with Ugarte before dinking an excellent cross to the back post. Sesko stuck out a leg to land his first double for the club.
Just when it appeared that United had the game turned around, Burnley found an equaliser. Edwards found substitute Jaidon Anthony lurking to the left of the area. He turned inside Martinez and bent a drive into the top corner.
Sesko did have an opportunity to land his hat-trick after he was found in space inside the area. He scuffed his contact and Dubravka was glad to be able to grab hold off it.
Fletcher introduced Shea Lacey and he almost had an immediate impact. He cut infield and launched a curling effort goalwards. With Dubravka beaten all ends up, it crashed back off the bar. Fellow subsitute Kobee Mainoo should have done better when the ball came to him on the edge of the area. He smashed it over the bar though.
In the five minutes of injury time, Lacey almost made a name for himself. He cut in from the right and let fly with a drive that went just over the bar. It was not to be for either to land a winner, and the points were shared.
Undoubtedly the away side were the ones more annoyed with themselves at the end. Three games against teams in the relegation area that we have dropped points in. It is games like this that are holding us back. Both teams are in FA Cup action this weekend with Burnley facing Millwall on Saturday and us playing Brighton on Sunday. Both teams are back in Premier League action Saturday week. Utd face into the Manchester derby at 12:30 while Burnley travel to Anfield at 15:00.
Burnley: Martin Dubravka, Josh Laurent, Maxime Esteve, Bashir Humphreys, Kyle Walker, Lesley Ugochukwu, Luis Florentino, Lucas Pires, Marcus Edwards (Oliver Sonne 90+2), Hannibal Mejbri (Jaidon Anthony 58), Armando Broja (Lyle Foster 76).
Subs not used: Max Weiss, Quilindschy Hartman, Jacob Bruun Larsen, Loum Tchaouna, Hjalmar Ekdal, Ashley Barnes
Booked: Hannibal Mejbri (42), Scott Parker (90+1), Lyle Foster (90+4)
Sent off:
Manchester United: Senne Lammens, Diogo Dalot, Ayden Heaven (Leny Yoro 62), Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw, Manuel Ugarte (Shea Lacey 84), Casemiro (Kobee Mainoo 74), Bruno Fernandes (Mason Mount 62), Patrick Dorgu, Mattheus Cunha (Joshua Zirkzee 74), Benjamin Sesko.
Subs not used: Altay Bayinder, Harry Maguire, Tyrel Malacia, Jack Fletcher.
Booked: None
Sent off: None
Referee: Stuart Atwell
Attendance: 21,047
Simply Red Man of the Match: Patrick Dorgu
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