Report: United 3 Burnley 2

United, who lost Matheus Cunha to injury in the first half, were ahead at the break through an own goal by Burnley captain Josh Cullen. The newly promoted Clarets levelled early in the second period through Lyle Foster before Bryan Mbeumo’s first Premier League goal for United a minute later restored the Reds’ advantage.

Burnley fought back again and looked to have earned a point through Jaidon Anthony, who was then penalised in injury-time for pulling Amad’s shirt and Fernandes struck the decisive goal from 12 yards.

At the end of a busy week of three games in the space of seven days, it was the ideal response for Ruben Amorim’s Reds following the huge disappointment of Wednesday night’s early Carabao Cup exit at the hands of League Two side Grimsby Town.

The boss made eight changes from the midweek line-up at Blundell Park, with Matheus Cunha, Amad and Diogo Dalot the only players remaining in the XI. There was also the welcome sight of a return to the bench for Noussair Mazraoui, who has been out injured since our pre-season meeting with Leeds United on 19 July.

Meanwhile, Burnley boss Scott Parker named the same team that beat Sunderland 2-0 at Turf Moor last weekend - which included two familiar faces in Academy graduate Hannibal and former loanee Martin Dubravka.

FIRST HALF - REDS HAVE THE EDGE

The Clarets stopper was forced into an acrobatic save in the opening two minutes as defender Quilindschy Hartman, under pressure from Leny Yoro, inadvertently turned Mason Mount’s corner towards his own goal. Encouraged by the home crowd’s vocal support, the Reds’ high-intensity start continued amid the driving rain as Cunha drove inside and warmed Dubravka’s gloves with a low strike from 25 yards, before our no.10 headed the ball just wide of the post from an Amad cross moments later.

Fellow summer arrival Mbeumo almost added to his first United goal at Grimsby with two efforts in quick succession - the first brought a fine diving save from Dubravka before he pulled the second narrowly wide of the post from a similar position inside the box.

The Reds were awarded a penalty in the 16th minute when Mount charged down Kyle Walker’s clearance and appeared to be sent tumbling by the former Manchester City defender just inside the box. After a review by the Video Assistant Referee Stuart Attwell lasting around two minutes, referee Sam Barrott was sent to the pitchside monitor and - in an Old Trafford first - announced his decision to the crowd that he had overturned his decision.

The United faithful were incensed just two minutes later when the referee awarded a corner, rather than a penalty, as Amad went down in the box under a challenge from Hartman, who looked to have won the ball.

But the Reds got our rewards in the 27th minute, albeit in fortuitous circumstances. Casemiro’s unchallenged header six yards out from a Fernandes free-kick rebounded back off the crossbar, with the ball striking Burnley captain Josh Cullen and crossing the goalline before Dubravka clawed the ball out. United were dealt a blow soon after, though, when Cunha was forced off in some discomfort with an injury and replaced by Joshua Zirkzee, making his first league outing of the campaign.

Burnley worked their way into the contest but had to wait until the 37th minute for their first real sight of goal. Hannibal was picked out by Jacob Bruun Larsen around 10 yards out but the Tunisia international, leaning backwards, could only poke his shot over Altay Bayindir’s crossbar.

The Reds had a host of opportunities to go into the break further ahead in a dominant spell. Mount’s flicked header at the near post from Mbeumo’s corner clipped the top of the crossbar, after Amad’s shot from the edge of the area was deflected over. Dubravka was forced into a smart reaction stop to keep out Amad’s thunderous volley from 15 yards after our no.16 was picked out in space by Fernandes from a corner, before Zirkzee diverted a Fernandes shot wide of the post.

A quick breakaway from a Burnley attack saw Mbeumo eventually square the ball for Amad, who missed the target, and Zirkzee forced Dubravka into a save after Hjalmar Ekdal stumbled inside his own penalty area.

SECOND HALF - BRUNO TO THE RESCUE IN STOPPAGE TIME

Kobbie Mainoo received a warm reception from our fans as he entered the action at the start of the second half, in place of Mount, with his introduction allowing our captain Fernandes to move into a more advanced position. The substitute’s first involvement was to make a darting run and deliver a cross for Zirkzee, who stabbed his effort over under pressure from Maxime Esteve.

The visitors began to ask questions of the Reds defence and found an equaliser in the 56th minute when Foster steered Bruun Larsen’s right-wing cross past Bayindir. But straight from the kick-off, Mbeumo restored United’s lead. Diogo Dalot’s perseverance down the left saw him escape the attentions of the Burnley defence, get to the byline and give our no.19 the simple task of tapping home his first Old Trafford goal.

Burnley thought they had netted a similarly quickfire leveller when Foster rounded Bayindir and tapped home from Jaidon Anthony’s through-pass, but the Clarets’ no.9 was denied by the assistant referee’s flag for offside. After a VAR check, the semi automated offside technology confirmed the on-field decision. Fernandes went close with a right-footed volley which was agonisingly wide of the post when picked out from Mbeumo’s corner, before the Clarets levelled midway through the half through Anthony, who bundled home from close range after Bayindir parried Lesley Ugochukwu’s effort following a long throw into the box.

The boss turned to Benjamin Sesko in a bid to inject some fresh impetus in attack and Mazraoui got his first minutes of the campaign from the bench, as the game continued to ebb and flow. The Reds looked to the referee when Amad appeared to be shoved over inside the box by Hartman but only a goal-kick was given.

With United pushing hard for a winner in the closing stages, Zirkzee fired a shot over the crossbar and Sesko headed off target from two separate crosses. However in the first minute of stoppage time, Amad’s shirt was tugged back by Anthony as he looked to advance into the penalty area and, after initially pointing for a goal-kick, referee Barrott was sent to the pitchside monitor again following a VAR review and eventually awarded a penalty. 

Fernandes - who missed from the spot at Fulham last weekend - stepped up and kept his composure to find the bottom corner, sending the Theatre of Dreams into delirium with his 99th goal for the club and earning a vital victory for Ruben’s Reds.

WHAT’S NEXT?

The Reds return to action after the international break on Sunday 14 September with a short trip to the Etihad Stadium, to take on Manchester City in the first derby of the season (kick-off 16:30 BST).

MATCH DETAILS:

United: Bayindir; Yoro (Mazraoui 85), De Ligt, Shaw; Amad, Casemiro (Sesko 73), Fernandes (c), Dalot; Mount (Mainoo 46), Mbeumo; Cunha (Zirkzee 31).

Substitutes: Onana, Dorgu, Heaven, Maguire, Ugarte.

Goals: Cullen 27 og, Mbeumo 57, Fernandes 90+7 pen

Booked: Fernandes 76

Burnley: Dubravka; Walker, Ekdal (Worrall 83), Esteve, Hartman; Ugochukwu (Laurent 76), Cullen (c); Bruun Larsen (Sonne 82), Hannibal (Tchaouna 65), Anthony; Foster.

Substitutes: Hladky, Pires, Ramsey, Edwards, Flemming.

Goals: Foster 55, Anthony 66

Booked: Tchaouna 89, Anthony 90+4, Foster 90+6, Walker 90+7