Manchester United 3-2 Burnley: Both excitement and relief on show as Amorim’s side finally catch a break
Old Trafford has seen its fair share of dramatic late goals but the roar that greeted Bruno Fernandes’ stoppage-time penalty against Burnley was as much relief as jubilation.
Manchester United had been on the brink of another damaging result against newly promoted Burnley before their captain’s composure spared them, sealing a chaotic 3-2 victory and a first league win under Ruben Amorim.
It may ease the pressure temporarily, but it does little to mask United’s fragility. Four days on from their humiliating Carabao Cup exit at the hands of League Two Grimsby Town, this was another performance riddled with uncertainty, flashes of promise undone by defensive lapses and nerves from front to back, fans wanting to rejoice but at the same time tempering their excitement for fear it will go wrong, as it has very often done.
United began brightly, feeding off a crowd desperate to see action rather than despair. Casemiro could have opened the scoring with a thumping header from a Fernandes free-kick. It rattled the crossbar instead, but only for the rebound to ricochet in off Burnley captain Josh Cullen.
It was scrappy, but Old Trafford was grateful for anything that carried the scent of fortune.
Then came the low, when new signing Matheus Cunha limped off clutching his hamstring. It got worse as Burnley levelled shortly after half-time when Jacob Bruun Larsen’s low cross was turned home by Lyle Foster, sparking delirium in the away end.
That joy lasted less than two minutes. At the restart, a cross-field pass from Altay Bayindir was flicked on by Joshua Zirkzee, and then Bryan Mbeumo scored his first goal for the club at Old Trafford with a sweeping finish from the six-yard box after good work from Diogo Dalot.
Yet the fragility of Amorim’s side was again exposed. United’s unsettled defence was unable to react during a set-piece, Bayindir spilled a shot from Loum Tchaouna, and Jaidon Anthony pounced to drag Burnley back to 2-2.
For long spells, it looked liked it would end in yet another depressing weekend for United. Then they finally caught a break. Deep into stoppage time, VAR spotted a tug from Anthony on Amad Diallo’s shirt inside the box.
Fernandes, who had missed from the spot at Fulham last weekend, rectified matters when he buried the penalty in the bottom left corner and wheeled away.
