Burnley, Sep 24: With a clinical volley, Bruno Fernandes got Manchester United back to winning ways against Burnley in the Premier League.
His 45th-minute strike on Saturday secured a 1-0 win at Turf Moor and ended United’s three-match losing run.
The Portugal international produced a moment of quality when meeting a long diagonal pass from Jonny Evans with a right-footed shot past Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford from a tight angle.
It was only United’s third win of a troubled season that had seen it lose three of its opening five games in the league going into Saturday’s match.
Newly-promoted Burnley is still looking for its first league win of the campaign. While United’s narrow victory is unlikely to allay concerns among its fans, Fernandes’ goal at least halted a run of three straight defeats in all competitions.
United had not lost four in a row since Louis van Gaal’s second and last season at the club in 2015. The Dutchman was fired at the end of the campaign, despite winning the FA Cup.
Ten Hag avoided emulating his compatriot and will hope the result can spark a turnaround in his team’s form, even if Burnley threatened to add to the Dutch coach’s troubles.
Fernandes had given notice of what was to come when forcing Trafford into an early save with a shot from an angle, but the home team twice came close to scoring afterwards.
On both occasions it was Zeki Amdouni who threatened. First he saw a header pushed away by the diving Andre Onana and he came even closer to finding the back of the net when sliding a shot past the United keeper, which hit the post.
Evans, starting his first match for United since March 2015 after returning to the club in the summer, thought he’d fired the visitors in front with a header. But his goal was ruled out after a VAR review adjudged Rasmus Hojlund to be interfering with play from an offside position. Despite being denied on that occasion, Evans played a pivotal role as United eventually took the lead before halftime.
With the ball at his feet just over the halfway line, the 35-year-old defender launched a diagonal pass into the box, which Fernandes converted.
In a second half of few chances, Hojlund was close to connecting with a cross from Diogo Dalot which could have doubled United’s lead and Connor Roberts was denied by a pouncing Onana.
Substitute Sander Berge headed over the bar in the last 10 minutes as Burnley went in search of an equaliser.
Tottenham rallies to
draw 2-2 at Arsenal
Son Heung-min scored twice as Tottenham Hotspur maintained its unbeaten Premier League record under Ange Postecoglou by holding Arsenal to a 2-2 draw in the north London derby on Sunday.
Arsenal led twice through an own-goal by Cristian Romero and a penalty by Bukayo Saka, but Son made it 1-1 shortly before halftime and levelled again on a quick counter just a minute after the Gunners had scored their second.
Tottenham’s second goal came after a huge mistake by Jorginho, who dawdled on the ball in midfield and was dispossessed by James Maddison.
Both teams remained level on 14 points each after four wins and two draws to open the season but fell four points behind leading defending champion and table-topper Manchester City.
Chelsea’s slide continues
Aston Villa ramped up the pressure on Mauricio Pochettino by beating 10-man Chelsea 1-0 at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Chelsea now has three losses and just one win under Pochettino in the league and went a man down in the 58th minute when Malo Gusto was shown a straight red card for a reckless tackle.
Villa took full advantage as Ollie Watkins scored the winner in the 73rd with a second effort after his initial shot was blocked.
Chelsea had been the dominant team until the sending off but once again were inefficient in the final third.
Chelsea has not scored in the league since August but played through Villa with a confidence that belied their modest goal return of five under Pochettino. (AP)
