Manchester United’s first outing after the dismissal of Ruben Amorim ended without the desired outcome, as a struggling Burnley side recovered to secure a share of the points. The contest finished level despite the visitors appearing set for success midway through the second half.
The hosts reached the interval in front after Ayden Heaven diverted Bashir Humphreys’ delivery into his own net. That advantage looked fragile, yet it stood until the restart, when the momentum swung sharply.
Benjamin Sesko struck twice within 10 minutes of the second period, applying crisp first-time finishes on both occasions. Each effort underlined the threat United carried once they found rhythm, but the lead proved temporary when Jaidon Anthony replied to restore parity.
Fletcher’s changes and familiar issues
Interim boss Darren Fletcher abandoned Amorim’s preferred structure, opting against a back three and wing-backs, and his side fashioned numerous opportunities as a result. Matheus Cunha and Patrick Dorgu both saw efforts cleared from the line, while Lisandro Martinez had a goal ruled out following a contentious shove on Kyle Walker.
Further openings followed, including two missed chances for Sesko to complete a treble. Teenage substitute Shea Lacey came closest to sealing the contest late on, bending a strike onto the crossbar before sending another attempt narrowly wide from a distance.
Despite the attacking promise, defensive frailties again proved costly. Casemiro lost his marker in the build-up to the opener, Heaven failed to close down the cross, and later Martinez and Luke Shaw allowed Anthony the space needed to level. United remain with only two shutouts all season, a statistic unchanged by the tactical shift.
Burnley’s resilience and belief
For Burnley, the evening offered encouragement during a difficult campaign following promotion. The opening goal marked the first time since early November that Scott Parker’s men had led a Premier League match, and their halftime advantage was also a rare occurrence.
Humphreys delivered a standout display, providing the cross that resulted in the opener and later producing a superb goal-line intervention to deny Cunha. Maxime Esteve matched that determination by racing back to repel Dorgu’s dinked effort, highlighting the collective resolve.
Anthony’s equaliser sparked celebrations among the home support at full-time. Although Burnley remain eight points adrift of safety, and survival hopes continue to fade, the response from players and supporters alike suggested belief has not yet disappeared.
