Manchester United 3-2 Burnley: A 97th-minute winner, relief for Ruben Amorim

After Wednesday’s 12-11 defeat on penalties by League Two Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup, what Manchester United really needed was a straightforward victory against newly-promoted Burnley in the Premier League.

But this is Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United we’re talking about; a team that just oozes drama. And there was plenty more of that at Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon, culminating in a late, late, late winning penalty from the boot of Bruno Fernandes.

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United were awarded a penalty early on after Kyle Walker was judged to have fouled Mason Mount but it was ruled out after a VAR review. Then a bit of good fortune, with the ball sneaking over the line for a Josh Cullen own goal to put United ahead, before Matheus Cunha went off with an injury before the break.

Lyle Foster drew Burnley level in the second half — only for Bryan Mbeumo to put United ahead less than two minutes later. Then Foster had the ball in the back of the net again — but the would-be equaliser was ruled offside — and then Jaidon Anthony made it 2-2.

Finally, another lengthy VAR review and this one went in United’s favour, with Anthony deemed to have pulled Amad’s shirt in the area. Up stepped Fernandes from the spot, in the seventh minute of stoppage time, to give Amorim’s side a hugely important victory.

Charlotte Harpur analyses the big talking points…

What does this result mean for Ruben Amorim?

“The only way we fix this is by winning games,” said Amorim in his 96-word matchday programme notes.

Well, by the skin of their teeth, United secured their first win of the season but it was hardly convincing.

After the embarrassing defeat against Grimsby, Amorim needed a response but, most importantly, a win. Steady the ship, regain a sliver of confidence and breathe — just for a moment.

They started brightly in the first half and should have been more clinical with the chances created. Yet again they failed to put a game to bed against a side who exposed their vulnerabilities.

(Jan Kruger/Getty Images)

To their credit, United fought hard and did not let their heads drop. They got the job done but it was not pretty.

A convincing win with a controlled performance would have readjusted the descending-into-chaos narrative surrounding United. Instead, heading into the international break, there are still hefty questions regarding this team’s direction.

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Before Fernandes’ stoppage-time penalty, Amorim had his feet crossed, propped up on a little wall above his seat. He looked calm, relaxed even, but didn’t even watch the penalty, instead listening to the stadium’s reaction.

The 40-year-old is honest and rigid in his approach. He has built the team to play his way but the last two performances have been so shaky. It cannot go on like this.

What happened to Cunha?

(Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images)

Amorim stared almost in disbelief before putting his head in his hand. He could not believe his luck. Around the half-hour mark, Cunha, United’s £62.5million ($83.7m) summer signing, lay flat on his back in the penalty area.

After chasing a long ball, he pulled up with what looked like a muscle injury and signalled to the physios. The 26-year-old was unable to continue and walked straight down the tunnel before being replaced by Joshua Zirkzee.

With 15 Premier League goals last season, and significantly outperforming his expected goal rate, Cunha was supposed to be a player who could hit the ground running and add spark to United’s attacking threat. A versatile forward and clinical finisher, he can play anywhere across the front line. “We need that guy really bad to be competitive,” Amorim said after the game.

But life in Manchester has not got off to the start he wanted, hitting the post against Fulham, missing a penalty against Grimsby and now concerns over his fitness.

A picture tells 1,000 words…

(Jan Kruger/Getty Images)

Desperate times call for desperate celebrations.

Bruno Fernandes pointed to his wrist, pleading with referee Sam Barrott to check his watch. Fernandes’ corner delivery found Casemiro unmarked. His header rebounded off the bar onto the back of Josh Cullen. Burnley goalkeeper Martin Dubravka did well to claw the ball away but goal-line technology signalled the ball had gone over the line.

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The United captain swiped the air with his arm in joy, let out a roar and a double fist-pump, a cathartic release. You would have thought this was a final of some sort but no, United had simply gone 1-0 up against newly-promoted Burnley thanks to an own goal.

Such desperation in his celebration reflects the desperate situation surrounding United. Own goals against Fulham and Burnley in their opening three games of the Premier League season were all they had to celebrate until Mbeumo got his name on the scoresheet.

How influential was Mbeumo?

Finally, United scored a goal with one of their own players.

In the opening minutes, Mbeumo looked sharp. He cushioned the ball exquisitely with his left foot, controlling a beautiful ball from Fernandes but his curled shot was palmed away by Dubravka. Minutes later, he had another chance. Mason Mount hit a similarly directed ball towards the Frenchman but his right-footed shot was wide of the post.

In the 27th minute, it was Mbeumo’s ball from the right which squeezed through Burnley’s defence to Diogo Dalot on the left. The resulting free kick led to United’s opening goal. At times, he tried to be too cute with a flick, conceding possession, and his decision-making was questionable. He could have shot himself instead of squaring a bouncing ball to Amad, who could not keep his effort down and was bullied off the ball on occasions.

But the £65million signing was at the heart of United’s creative output. Finally, he got his reward, immediately responding to United being pegged back to 1-1 in the 55th minute. He was in the right place at the right time to slot home Dalot’s neat cut-back.

At least there was one positive takeaway from another unstable United performance.

(Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images)

What did the managers say?

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim on his side’s victory: “It ended well. I think we deserved to win the game, I think we created a lot of chances, we should go to the half time with a bigger advantage. And then, everything in this moment, every possession near our box, they can score, we are in that moment, so we start always chasing a lot of things. But we deserved and we tried until the last minute to score goals, we had our chances and in the end we deserved to win.”

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Burnley boss Scott Parker on the decision to award United’s late penalty after a VAR review: “My understanding is obviously an on-field decision, it needs to then be a clear and obvious (error). I think (Amad) Diallo’s played for it really well.

“Don’t get me wrong, the pull was there… I felt that Jaidon (Anthony) got a tug early from Diallo that then gives him a yard to get in front of him and Jaidon does really pull his shirt but then the referee doesn’t give it, the linesmen doesn’t give it who is 10 metres away. The guy 100 miles away in a van has decided that it’s a clear and obvious error from the referee and it’s a penalty.

“Linesmen and referees really are slowly becoming redundant. We live in a world of perfection. Everyone wants perfection and social media brings that. We want perfection in a game of football which I just don’t agree with. It is what it is.”

What next for United?

Sunday, September 14: Manchester City (away), Premier League, 4.30pm UK, 11.30am ET

(Top photo: Daniel Chesterton/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)

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