Manchester United 2-2 Burnley: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer maintains unbeaten start thanks to stoppage time equaliser from Victor Lindelof
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s winning start may have come to an end but Manchester United’s storming two-goal comeback at the death against Burnley meant all was not lost.Most onlookers expected the Norwegian to comfortably seal a ninth straight win in all competitions – and a record-breaking seventh at the start of a Premier League reign – but Sean Dyche’s men had other ideas.
6Solskjaer celebrates United’s equaliser in injury timeSolskjaer’s United had not so much as gone behind before Ashley Barnes and Chris Wood scored for Burnley, who were dreaming of a first win at Old Trafford since 1962 until Paul Pogba and Victor Lindelof sealed a dramatic 2-2 draw.The overriding feeling was frustration for both managers at full-time, but this could prove a valuable point for a United side who were for so long frustrated by an organised team backed up by in-form goalkeeper Tom Heaton.An Andreas Pereira mistake allowed Barnes to smash the visitors ahead in the 51st minute and, after dealing with a deluge of attacks, Wood appeared to put the game out of reach.But that 81st-minute goal was far from the last act.Pogba fired home a spot-kick with three minutes remaining and Lindelof struck in stoppage time in a comeback the watching Sir Alex Ferguson would have been proud of.It was a frantic end to a night that began with silent reflection ahead of the 61st anniversary of the Munich air disaster and with the disappearance of the plane carrying Cardiff striker Emiliano Sala fresh in people’s minds. That poignant pre-match period was followed by a bright start by Solskjaer’s Reds, who should have gone ahead in the ninth minute as in-form Marcus Rashford uncharacteristically sent a shot bobbling wide after Romelu Lukaku’s fine work.Burnley held firm and began to commit men forwards themselves, while retaining their defensive shape.Phil Jones, jeered relentlessly for his Blackburn connections, had to make a timely intervention to deny Barnes, while the offside flag was up long before Wood lifted the ball into David De Gea’s net.The hosts pushed the strongest but could not find a killer touch, with former United goalkeeper Heaton producing fine stops to deny Juan Mata and Lukaku – attempts that would not have counted anyway due to the officials.Pogba would find the net only for offside to be cut celebrations short, while Phil Bardsley, another Old Trafford youth product, did well to intercept as Mata threatened.Mata and Pogba saw efforts denied by Heaton when play resumed in a promising start abruptly halted in the 51st minute.Pereira collected a pass from Jones and was caught in possession by Jack Cork, who put through Barnes to smash past De Gea and celebrate wildly in front of the Stretford End.
6Ashley Barnes celebrates his goal for Burnley at Old TraffordIt was the first setback of the Solskjaer era and Rashford attempted to restore parity, being denied by Heaton before striking wide.Pogba flicked wide and Heaton produced an excellent stop to prevent Lukaku turning in an Ashley Young cross, with last-gasp challenges and poor decision-making proving the scourge of United on other occasions.De Gea had to be alert to parry a long-range Dwight McNeil strike but that was the only real threat to is goal until Wood was afforded space to send a fine cross by Ashley Westwood past De Gea.But the match was far over. Referee Jon Moss came in for criticism after changing a penalty decision to a free-kick on the edge of the box after Ben Mee unceremoniously took Rashford down, but there would soon be a United spot-kick.Jeff Hendrick hauled back Jesse Lingard and Pogba fired home the spot-kick after a truncated version of his stuttered run up.United had three minutes to preserve their unbeaten run and managed it in stoppage time.Heaton denied Pogba and then Sanchez in stoppage time, but Lindelof reacted quickest to the latter and directed home to the relief of the majority inside Old Trafford.
6Victor Lindelof turns home Man Uniteds equaliser
6Victor Lindelof celebrates with Phil Jones after rescuing a point for Man UnitedAs for Burnley, it was the second successive season that United had sealed a 2-2 draw against them at Old Trafford in stoppage time.
Premier League Table
6Here’s how the top half of the table looks after Tuesday nightMatch Stats
6United had 75% possession at Old Trafford
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