Match report and free highlights as a much-changed Manchester United move up to sixth in the Premier League table thanks to goals from Scott McTominay, Ben Mee (own goal) and Cristiano Ronaldo; Aaron Lennon pulled one back for Burnley who remain in the relegation zone.
Friday 31 December 2021 06:08, UK
Ralf Rangnick rang the changes and got a much-improved performance from his Manchester United players in a 3-1 win over Burnley, which moves his side up to sixth in the Premier League table.
After a disappointing draw at Newcastle on Monday, Rangnick made six changes to his line-up and shifted from his preferred 4-2-2-2 to a 4-4-2 formation. The move was rewarded within eight minutes, when Scott McTominay fired in from the edge of the box.
A rejuvenated United played with a lot more fluency and looked like they'd run away with it when Ben Mee deflected in Jadon Sancho's shot (27) and Cristiano Ronaldo tapped in (35) after McTominay's strike had been pushed onto the bar.
Burnley had caused problems at the other end, though, and Aaron Lennon's quick response (38) was a sharp reminder of United's defensive vulnerabilities.
However, a quieter second half was ultimately a comfortable one for United, with the impressive Wayne Hennessey preventing McTominay from adding to the scoreline.
United will finish the year four points off fourth-placed Arsenal with a game in hand. Meanwhile, Burnley - who had not played in 18 days - remain in the relegation zone, two points from safety but having played a game fewer than Watford.
Burnley, who had seen games against Watford, Aston Villa and Everton postponed due to COVID, were fired up to be back on the field in the early stages, with Wood going close before pinging a shot just off target from an offside position as the visitors pressed United frantically.
However, while they were let off by a glaring miss from Ronaldo from a one-on-one at the other end, the Portuguese's poor touch moments later teed up McTominay to break the deadlock for the hosts, with the Scot curling in his first of the season from 18 yards.
Luke Shaw impressed on his return to the team and hit the side-netting after a driving run. He was involved in United's second, too, winning the ball back before feeding Sancho, who cut back on his right and fired for the far post, with Mee unintentionally clipping it past Hennessey.
Ronaldo passed up his second good chance of the half when he failed to get his shot away quickly enough, allowing Mee to block, but there was no way he was going to miss when McTominay's tipped shot came back off the bar and fell kindly for him to prod home.
A loose piece of control from Eric Bailly allowed Lennon to arrow in an almost instant reply to prevent United's supporters getting carried away but after half-time United strengthened their grip on the contest, with early chances after the break seeing Ronaldo head wide and Hennessey save well from Mason Greenwood.
Hennessey was sharp again to tip another McTominay effort over the bar soon after the hour mark, and he somehow saved a Cavani effort with his face - although the offside flag had gone up.
In between those stops, Bailly was forced off with an injury which will worry Ivory Coast supporters ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations, and there were a couple of half-chances for Burnley late on, but it was an otherwise satisfactory night for United and Rangnick to end the year on.
Man Utd boss, Ralf Rangnick: "It was about fresh legs, fresh energy, fresh bodies, more physicality against this team. We knew how difficult they would be, how persistent they would play and it was a little bit of a war of attrition, a little bit of a difficult one to play. Therefore, it was important to me to have six fresh players on the pitch compared to the game at Newcastle.
"In the end it paid off. It was the right players in the right positions. For me it was important to have every player in his best possible position. That's why we decided to play Jadon from the left and Mason from the right and the two strikers up front and we decided to play the two sixes as they did. We had Nemanja in the team as a sort of quarter-back player who can also calm the game down and play the passes from that position.
"Scotty, again, his energy on the pitch is contagious in a positive way. That was an extremely good performance by Scotty today."
Burnley boss Sean Dyche: "We're trying to work with the side in different ways, to score more goals and look more of a threat and I thought we did tonight. Coming to Old Trafford, that is probably one of the highest chance rates we've made here - certainly quality-wise - and we've had a lot of the game. There were a lot of signs suggesting we're doing the right things but details are so important and you have to get them right at both ends of the pitch."
Manchester United host Wolves live on Sky Sports on Monday in a 5.30pm kick-off, while Burnley are back in action at 2pm on Sunday when they go to Leeds.
