Manchester United moved up to sixth place in the English Premier League, winning 3-1 against struggling Burnley at Old Trafford on Thursday, maintaining their unbeaten record under interim manager Ralf Rangnick. United reached sixth place with 31 points, equal with fifth-placed West Ham United, while Burnley remained in 18th place with 11 points.
After a modest performance in the 1-1 draw with Newcastle United on Monday, the German coach made six changes to the starting lineup, placing Edinson Cavani alongside Cristiano Ronaldo. Burnley, whose last three matches were postponed due to COVID-19, faced a significant setback before the match with four players, including goalkeeper Nick Pope, sidelined due to the virus, while forward Maxwell Cornet was injured.
The attacking nature of the match was evident from the outset, with Chris Wood missing an early opportunity for the visitors, and Ronaldo sending a shot over the bar when in front of the goal. Shortly after, United opened the scoring when Mason Greenwood passed the ball to Ronaldo, who mishandled it, allowing Scott McTominay to score with a low shot into the net.
Luke Shaw surged into midfield and sent a shot just past the post as United grew in confidence. After a misunderstanding in Burnley's defense, Jadon Sancho cut inside and sent a low shot that deflected off Ben Mee's foot into the net. United relied on a 4-4-2 formation but left large gaps in defense against Burnley; however, their positive approach paid off with a third goal in the 35th minute.
Hennessey saved a powerful shot from McTominay, but it hit the post and fell to Ronaldo, who easily slotted the ball into the net. Three minutes later, Burnley reduced the deficit through Aaron Lennon, the former Tottenham and England player. Hennessey denied attempts from Greenwood and Cavani after the break, while Burnley focused on header attempts from set pieces.
