Burnley vs Manchester United Tickets

Manchester United were made to work hard for their win by Burnley at Turf Moor, but a coolly taken second half finish by Anthony Martial was enough to secure all three points for the visitors. It was harsh on Burnley and their manager Sean Dyche who was in charge of his 100th Premier League game, but they will take some confidence out of pushing one of the league's major players all the way once again.

Burnley started the game on the front foot and it needed a timely tackle from United defender Phil Jones to deny Ashley Barnes, before Burnley's Berg Gudmundsson fired an effort straight at David de Gea. Yet for all the early promise the first half was one of very few chances at either end. Burnley looked dangerous at set pieces and both James Tarkowski and Ben Mee had headers which caused United moments of concern. At the other end Paul Pogba hooked his volley over Nick Pope's goal before a moment of skill saw United's Ashley Young burst beyond the attentions of Gudmundsson before seeing his curling shot across goal go narrowly wide.

The second half was a livelier affair and it took United less than 10 minutes to score what proved to be the winning goal. Romelu Lukaku received the ball just inside the Burnley half before driving on and picking out Martial with a smart pass. Martial advanced in to the penalty box and fired home via the underside of the bar with Burnley keeper Nick Pope well beaten. It was an excellently made and taken goal, but to their credit Burnley looked to respond immediately and began to exert some sustained pressure on the United goal.

The influential Gudmundsson was unlucky to watch his free-kick clear the wall but clip the top of de Gea's bar before his header was blocked by Chris Smalling. He was soon back causing United problems as he burst down the right hand side and pulled a tantalising ball back across the six yard box which cried out for one of the onrushing Burnley players to poke it home. However Smalling managed to get the faintest touch on the ball which was enough to put it just out of reach of Tarkowski as he slid in to apply the finishing touch. 

Ben Mee was to see his header tipped over by de Gea who was on course for his fifth successive clean sheet. Although United had been penned back somewhat they were still dangerous on the counter attack. On one of these breaks Martial was played in down the left and similar to his goal he drove in to the box before getting his shot way. This time Nick Pope was equal to it, beating the ball away with a strong right hand.

Burnley were putting everything in to trying to peg United back and had two large, but dubious penalty appeals waved away. Dyche introduced Sam Vokes as a further attacking option and very late on he headed a chance from a Gudmundsson free-kick over. Goalkeeper Nick pope was urged forward for the final corner of the game but to no avail as United hung on for three valuable points. Never an easy place to come, Jose Mourinho will have been pleased by his side's doggedness in defending their lead, but Burney will feel slightly hard done not to have gained a share of the spoils.