Martial the difference as United see off stubborn Burnley

United went into the game looking to close the gap on leaders and arch-rivals Manchester City, but they were frustrated for large spells by a dogged Burnley side.

United started on the front foot, but their end product was lacking, with a series of crosses either floating harmlessly out of play or being gathered by Nick Pope.

At the other end, James Tarkowski arguably should have done better when he met Steven Defour’s free kick from deep, whilst Phil Jones did magnificently to prevent Ashley Barnes from having a free shot on goal.

Ashley Young was at the heart of much of United’s best stuff on the day, with Paul Pogba lifting an effort onto the roof of the net after being found by the left-back.

Manchester City academy product Ben Mee headed a corner from the right narrowly over the bar as the hosts issued a reminder of their threat, but United ended the half as the better side, with Young curling an effort narrowly wide of the far post after cutting in from the left, before Anthony Martial saw an effort from the edge of the box fizz wide with the last action of the half.

That meant that the two sides went in at the break level.

It looked like staying that way as well, until a couple of moments of individual brilliance. Romelu Lukaku did brilliantly to hold off a challenge on halfway and drive forward, before the Belgian had the presence of mind to feed Martial on the left. What came next can only be described as emphatic, with the Frenchman sending Pope the wrong way with an effort that crashed in off the underside of the crossbar.

 

20 January 2018

That goal briefly kicked Burnley into life and Johann Berg Gudmundsson curled a free kick against the crossbar, before the same player saw a penalty shout against Chris Smalling turned down.

Smalling made a key intervention with 19 minutes to play as he got a touch on Gudmundsson's low cross, preventing it from falling to a claret shirt in the middle in the process.

At the other end, United had a great chance to seal the win as Pogba carried the ball fully 40 yards, only for him to shoot with two team-mates better placed, with his effort blocked away. 

The hosts continued to press at the other end, particularly from set-pieces, with Sam Vokes coming closest to a late leveller when he excaped the attentions of Marouane Fellaini to head a corner from the left just wide.

Martial could have had a second late on when he beat his man on the outside but Pope kept his left-footed effort out.

In the end that didn't matter though, as United held out to claim three vital points.