Anthony Martial has scored three goals in his last two Premier League appearances after netting only twice in his previous 10 games
Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford were on target as Manchester United defeated Burnley at Turf Moor to move within a point of the Premier League's top four.
After his brace against Newcastle on Boxing Day, Martial tapped home his 10th of the season from close range a minute before the break after Andreas Pereira had robbed Charlie Taylor and crossed superbly from the right. Rashford then raced clear in stoppage time to seal a deserved win.
Rashford had earlier hit the post and Martial had a second-half effort ruled out.
Although Burnley sparked briefly after the interval and David de Gea needed to make a good save to deny Phil Bardsley, Burnley never threatened to prevent United ending their 14-game run in the league without keeping a clean sheet.
United have now taken 13 points from their last six games and are up to fifth in the table, although that could change on Sunday when Wolves play Sheffield United.
Defence beats attack
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer remains confident United can finish in the top four despite their dismal form away from Old Trafford that brought them to Turf Moor with nine points from nine games on their travels.
Apart from August, they have suffered one defeat a month, at West Ham, Newcastle, Bournemouth and most recently Watford, who at that point were bottom of the table.
Their problem is clear. United had gone 14 Premier League games without keeping a clean sheet, having kept just two all season, and played 14 away games across two seasons without keeping the opposition out.
Yet Burnley had a monkey of their own to get off their back.
Apart from Robbie Blake's match-winner in 2009, they had not scored a goal against United at Turf Moor since 1969.
It meant something had to give in a second half which was, thankfully, far more entertaining than the first.
Martial had a goal disallowed by referee Mike Dean rather than VAR after shoving James Tarkowski in the back. At the other end, Jeff Hendrick screwed a good shooting chance way wide to hoots of derision from the home support.
De Gea saved low to his right to deny Bardsley a goal against his former club but though they pressed, Burnley never truly looked like equalising and Rashford wrapped up the win with his 17th goal of the season and ninth in 11 games.
Inconsistent Martial
Manchester United sit just one point behind fourth-placed Chelsea in the Premier League table
It is maybe no surprise a Martial goal usually means a Manchester United win.
He has now scored in nine games across all competitions, and his side have been victorious on eight occasions, the odd one out a 1-1 draw at Wolves in August.
Solskjaer has been working on Martial's anticipation, believing it will net him an extra half a dozen 'simple' goals a season.
The United boss will have been delighted with this latest effort therefore, almost as much as he would with Pereira, who showed admirable awareness to produce a quick cross for his team-mate and resist the obvious temptation to run into the space he created by robbing Taylor.
Yet Martial remains an enigma. With victory still in the balance, he found himself running one-on-one with Burnley keeper Nick Pope. Jesse Lingard was lambasted against Everton this month when, in a very similar position, he chipped the opportunity way over the bar.
Martial did not even manage that. Instead he ran wide, stopped, then turned away from goal to try and set up a team-mate, which met with total failure.
Had Burnley found an equaliser in the final minutes, Martial's error would have been costly. As it was, United held on.
So near, yet so far for Hart
Nick Pope received treatment on the pitch as Joe Hart warmed up extensively on the touchline
Until Martial's goal, the first half was not the greatest Premier League advert.
Former United defender Bardsley cleared a close range shot by Martial off the line after the Frenchman had reacted to a blocked Daniel James effort but there was almost as much interest in the Burnley bench as their performance.
When goalkeeper Nick Pope turned his ankle six minutes before the break, the crowd were treated to the sight of Joe Hart warming up in anticipation of his first Premier League appearance since Boxing Day last year, a 5-1 home hammering by Everton.
It hardly seems believable Hart is only 32 and won the last of his 75 England caps in November 2017.
Hart returned to the bench alongside another forgotten man, Danny Drinkwater, but no sooner had the teams entered the tunnel than Hart reappeared for a warm-up.
It seemed his long wait for a top-flight return was at an end. But after a thorough 15-minute workout, Hart went back to the dugout as Pope unexpectedly returned.
More to follow.
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Line-ups
Match Stats
Live Text
Line-ups
Burnley
1Pope
26BardsleyBooked at 23mins
5Tarkowski
6MeeBooked at 61mins
3TaylorBooked at 71mins
13HendrickSubstituted forRodriguezat 59'minutes
18Westwood
4CorkSubstituted forBradyat 87'minutes
11McNeilBooked at 89mins
9Wood
10BarnesSubstituted forBerg Gudmundssonat 68'minutes
Substitutes
2Lowton
7Berg Gudmundsson
8Drinkwater
12Brady
19Rodriguez
20Hart
28Long
Man Utd
1de Gea
18Young
2Lindelöf
5Maguire
53WilliamsBooked at 90mins
17FredBooked at 90mins
31Matic
21James
15PereiraSubstituted forLingardat 73'minutesBooked at 90mins
10Rashford
9MartialSubstituted forShawat 89'minutes
Substitutes
4Jones
8Mata
14Lingard
22Romero
23Shaw
26Greenwood
29Wan-Bissaka
Referee:
Mike Dean
Attendance:
21,924
Match Stats
Home TeamBurnleyAway TeamMan Utd
Possession
Home38%
Away62%
Shots
Home8
Away14
Shots on Target
Home1
Away5
Corners
Home5
Away4
Fouls
Home17
Away10
Live Text
Posted at
Match ends, Burnley 0, Manchester United 2.
Full TimePosted at 90'+6'
Second Half ends, Burnley 0, Manchester United 2.
Goal!Posted at 90'+5'
Goal! Burnley 0, Manchester United 2. Marcus Rashford (Manchester United) right footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Daniel James following a fast break.
BookingPosted at 90'+4'
Fred (Manchester United) is shown the yellow card.
BookingPosted at 90'+4'
Jesse Lingard (Manchester United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Posted at 90'+4'
Foul by Jesse Lingard (Manchester United).
Posted at 90'+4'
Nick Pope (Burnley) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Posted at 90'+4'
Attempt blocked. Robbie Brady (Burnley) header from very close range is blocked. Assisted by Ashley Westwood with a cross.
Posted at 90'+3'
Corner, Burnley. Conceded by Ashley Young.
BookingPosted at 90'+2'
Brandon Williams (Manchester United) is shown the yellow card.
Posted at 90'+2'
Brandon Williams (Manchester United) has gone down, but the referee deems it simulation.
Posted at 90'
Offside, Manchester United. Marcus Rashford tries a through ball, but Luke Shaw is caught offside.
SubstitutionPosted at 89'
Substitution, Manchester United. Luke Shaw replaces Anthony Martial.
BookingPosted at 89'
Dwight McNeil (Burnley) is shown the yellow card.
Posted at 88'
Brandon Williams (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 88'
Foul by Dwight McNeil (Burnley).
Posted at 87'
Offside, Manchester United. Brandon Williams tries a through ball, but Anthony Martial is caught offside.
SubstitutionPosted at 87'
Substitution, Burnley. Robbie Brady replaces Jack Cork.
Posted at 83'
Daniel James (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 83'
Foul by James Tarkowski (Burnley).
Posted at 83'
Attempt blocked. Fred (Manchester United) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Posted at 82'
Hand ball by Jesse Lingard (Manchester United).
Posted at 80'
Ashley Young (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 80'
Foul by Charlie Taylor (Burnley).
Posted at 80'
Attempt blocked. Jay Rodriguez (Burnley) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Johann Gudmundsson with a cross.
Posted at 76'
Attempt missed. Johann Gudmundsson (Burnley) left footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high from a direct free kick.
Posted at 75'
Foul by Harry Maguire (Manchester United).
Posted at 75'
Jack Cork (Burnley) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
SubstitutionPosted at 73'
Substitution, Manchester United. Jesse Lingard replaces Andreas Pereira.
BookingPosted at 71'
Charlie Taylor (Burnley) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Posted at 71'
Daniel James (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 71'
Foul by Charlie Taylor (Burnley).
Posted at 71'
Foul by Fred (Manchester United).
Posted at 71'
Jack Cork (Burnley) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 70'
Corner, Burnley. Conceded by Brandon Williams.
Posted at 69'
Corner, Burnley. Conceded by David de Gea.
Posted at 69'
Attempt saved. Phil Bardsley (Burnley) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Posted at 69'
Foul by Victor Lindelöf (Manchester United).
Posted at 69'
Chris Wood (Burnley) wins a free kick on the left wing.
SubstitutionPosted at 68'
Substitution, Burnley. Johann Gudmundsson replaces Ashley Barnes.
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Source: bbc.com