Manchester United fought back from 2-0 down with three minutes remaining to earn a 2-2 draw with Burnley as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s perfect record ended at Old Trafford on Tuesday.
Victor Lindelof slammed home a 92rd-minute equaliser from close range despite some Tom Heaton heroics, after Paul Pogba had halved the deficit with a penalty (87) to give United a chance of an unlikely draw.
Burnley had taken the lead through Ashley Barnes six minutes after the break as the visitors capitalised on an Andreas Pereira mistake outside his own box, and doubled their advantage with nine minutes remaining as Chris Wood headed home Ashley Westwood’s cross, and that looked to be that until United’s late flurry.
The result means sixth-place United missed out on a chance to move into the top four. Burnley are 15th, four points off the relegation zone.
United struggled to break down a disciplined and industrious Burnley side in the first half, as Sean Dyche’s men reduced the hosts to just one clear-cut chance.
Breaking with blistering pace, Marcus Rashford fed Romelu Lukaku and received the Belgian’s return pass in space inside the box with just Heaton to beat, only to miscue his effort and poke wide of goal from 10 yards out.
The second half was far more open, but it was Burnley who went ahead as Pereira was robbed 40 yards from goal by Jack Cork, who played in Barnes to slam into the roof of the net from 15 yards.
Heaton then made a superb stop from Lukaku’s close-range effort, changing direction and tipping wide to his left, as United peppered Burnley’s box to little success.
Burnley thought they had won it as Wood glanced home from six yards from Ashley Westwood’s first-time cross on 81 minutes, but there was far more drama to come.
Jeff Hendrick’s clumsy tug on substitute Jesse Lingard in the box gave United the chance to halve the score, and Pogba’s trademark slow penalty run-up resulted in a fine finish into the top left corner.
Heaton beat away Pogba’s curling 20-yard effort shortly after, but United levelled two minutes into the five added on as Heaton first brilliantly tipped away Alexis Sanchez’s header, only to be marginally beaten by Lindelof’s rebound from a few yards out.
The managers
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer: “We started the game almost feeling like the eight previous games meant we could start the game with a 1-0 lead, but it doesn’t happen like this. We have to earn the right to win the game by having a good start. They made it difficult for us, but then again we had a great comeback.”
Sean Dyche: “The frustration is a mystery five minutes, I was confused by that, I thought it gave the crowd a lift, and gave more energy to their side. I don’t like to see penalties when they touch you on the shoulder and all of a sudden your legs don’t work, I’m not a fan of that, but we know that happens.
“And unfortunately the tight calls went against us tonight. Sanchez wins the first header on their second goal, Heaton makes a save and I think Lindelof is offside to finish it off.”
Opta stats
Manchester United came from two goals down to draw against Burnley for the second time in as many Premier League meetings at Old Trafford, also doing so against the Clarets in December 2017.
Burnley remain winless in their last 20 visits to Old Trafford against Man Utd in all competitions (D8 L12).Burnley striker Ashley Barnes has scored in each of his last two Premier League appearances at Old Trafford against Manchester United (two goals).
Paul Pogba has both scored and missed a Premier League penalty against Burnley this season, failing from the spot at Turf Moor in September but scoring tonight.
Victor Lindelof became the fourth Swedish player to score in the Premier League for Manchester United, after Jesper Blomqvist, Henrik Larsson and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Man of the match – Tom Heaton
Returning to the ground where he started his career, Tom Heaton may be the most disappointed among Burnley’s ranks to come away without a win.
His saves – seven in total – frustrated United no end, in particular his fine fingertip stop from Lukaku at 1-0, changing direction to get the faintest of touches.
He nearly kept out the leveller too, stopping Sanchez’s header and getting a touch on Lindelof’s rebound, and his dejection as Old Trafford went wild said it all.
What’s next?
United now go to Leicester on Super Sunday, live on Sky Sports Premier League at 2.05pm, while Burnley host Southampton at 3pm on Saturday.
source: Sky Sports
