In a match at Old Trafford in the 35th round of the Premier League, Manchester United was held to a 1-1 draw by Burnley. Despite being 19th in the Premier League standings, Burnley was not expected to pose much difficulty for Manchester United.
At Old Trafford, Burnley displayed a low-quality style of play. Their attacking efforts lacked distinction, and they made several defensive mistakes. These factors explain why Burnley is currently in 19th place in the league table.
Despite dominating in terms of dangerous chances, Manchester United failed to capitalize on their opportunities against a weak opponent. They unleashed 27 shots towards Burnley’s goal, but only 10 of them hit the target.
On the other hand, despite their subpar performance, Burnley frustrated Manchester United by having more ball possession (53% compared to United’s 47%). Burnley also managed to take 16 shots towards Andre Onana’s goal, with 7 of them on target.
Manchester United opened the scoring in the 79th minute thanks to Antony, the Brazilian defender who was a €100 million signing from Ajax. Antony stole the ball from a Burnley defender and sprinted into the penalty area before finishing with a diagonal shot to give Manchester United the lead.
This was Antony’s first goal for Manchester United in the Premier League this season. However, this goal couldn’t secure the three points for Manchester United due to Onana’s mistake. In the 85th minute, goalkeeper Onana punched Zeki Amdouni (Burnley) in the face during an aerial challenge.
After consulting VAR technology, the referee awarded Burnley a penalty kick. Zeki Amdouni easily deceived Onana from the spot, equalizing the score at 1-1 for Burnley.
With this draw, Burnley continues to cling to hopes of avoiding relegation. After 35 rounds, Burnley has 24 points, sitting in 19th place and trailing Nottingham, who are in 17th place, by 2 points. Meanwhile, Manchester United’s chances of finishing in the top five this season have become more challenging with this draw.