Manchester United are heading to Turf Moor to face newly-promoted Burnley in a crucial Premier League match this Saturday evening.
Vincent Kompany’s team came close to securing their first Premier League win since returning to the top flight. They appeared to be on the verge of victory when Lyle Foster scored a late goal to give them the lead against Nottingham Forest on Monday.
Despite their efforts, they were left disappointed with a painful 1-1 draw as VAR controversially ruled out Foster’s goal.
The South African forward was then shown a red card in stoppage time. Tempers flared at the City Ground, leading to the player receiving a straight red card for elbowing an opponent, meaning he won’t be available for the upcoming match.
Must Read: Bayern Munich vs Man United – United’s Predicted Lineup | UCL
Meanwhile, Erik ten Hag’s squad suffered a heart-wrenching 3-1 defeat against Arsenal just before the recent international break. This came after Alejandro Garnacho’s late goal was disallowed due to a close offside call.
Back to the @PremierLeague on Saturday ⚪️ #MUFC || #PL pic.twitter.com/nknzWMMTRb
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) September 22, 2023
Unfortunately, Manchester United suffered another loss when they were convincingly beaten 3-1 by high-flying Brighton & Hove Albion at Old Trafford last weekend.
Their remarkable 31-game unbeaten streak at home came to an end, and United faced low expectations as they headed to Bayern Munich for a midweek Champions League match.
Despite Andre Onana’s struggles and a generally underwhelming performance against Bayern, United managed to keep the match at Allianz Arena competitive, at least on the scoreboard, if not in terms of their overall performance.
Rasmus Hojlund scored his first goal in a United jersey, and Casemiro netted a late brace. However, it wasn’t enough to secure a point in Munich, as Thomas Tuchel’s team narrowly clinched a dramatic 4-3 victory.
Burnley’s hopes of securing their first win in the 2023-24 Premier League season hinge on their ability to shore up their leaky defence.
Also Read: Man United suffer major blow as Aaron Wan-Bissaka is sidelined for several weeks
Kompany’s team has been conceding goals at an alarming rate, with a league-high of 12 goals against, including 11 at their home ground, Turf Moor, where they’ve lost all three games by multiple-goal margins.
Even though they faced strong opponents like Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, Burnley’s defensive performances have been dismal.
Burnley vs. Manchester United: Head-to-head
Man United’s upcoming visit could worsen Burnley’s crisis, as historical records show that they’ve struggled in this fixture.
In their last seven home head-to-head matches, Burnley has managed only two draws and suffered five defeats.
Turf Moor has been a happy hunting ground for United, primarily because they have been able to keep Burnley at bay, resulting in six clean sheets in their last seven visits to Lancashire.
However, it’s been a while since the Red Devils looked like strong opponents on the road, as they’ve lost all three competitive away matches this season.
Also Read: Manchester United keeping an eye on Royal Antwerp wonderkid Arthur Vermeeren
Their defence has been hampered by the absence of Raphael Varane and Luke Shaw, conceding multiple goals in each of those three away games.
Burnley’s challenging start to the season presents an opportunity for United’s manager, Erik ten Hag, to address their struggles on the road and earn three points.
Ten Hag is aiming to avoid becoming the first United manager since 1986-87 to lose four of the opening six season fixtures.
Burnley vs. Manchester United: Team News
Besides Lyle Foster, Burnley will be missing Darko Churlinov, Hjalmar Ekdal, and Michael Obafemi due to various reasons.
Meanwhile, Man United are facing an injury crisis, with several key players sidelined. Raphael Varane and Luke Shaw are among the injured, and they are joined by Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Harry Maguire, Mason Mount, and Sofyan Amrabat.
Jadon Sancho is also not available for selection due to a dispute with manager Erik ten Hag. Antony won’t be in the matchday squad either, as he is dealing with legal issues in his home country.
Burnley vs. Manchester United: Predicted line-ups
Expected Starting Line-up for Burnley:
Formation: 4-2-3-1 Predicted Players: James Trafford, Charlie Taylor, Jordan Beyer, Ameen Al-Dakhil, Connor Roberts, Josh Brownhill, Josh Cullen, Johan Gudmundsson, Luca Koleosho, Mike Tresor, Zeki Amdouni.
Expected Starting Line-up for Manchester United:
Formation: 4-2-3-1 Predicted Players: Andre Onana, Diogo Dalot, Lisandro Martinez, Victor Lindelof, Sergio Reguilon, Casemiro, Christian Eriksen, Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Rasmus Hojlund.
Also Read: Borussia Dortmund not interested in re-signing United star Jadon Sancho
Our Scoreline: Burnley 0-2 Manchester United
Man United will aim to secure an easy victory against Burnley. The last manager to experience four defeats in the first six games of a season was Ron Atkinson, and he was replaced by Sir Alex Ferguson. Erik ten Hag is likely feeling the pressure due to the team’s recent performances.
United’s struggles in away matches have been ongoing, with 18 losses in their last 35 away games across all competitions, which isn’t very reassuring.
However, they have a positive record in recent away matches against newly-promoted teams, winning their last five encounters. We expect that they will continue this trend with a victory on Saturday.
