MARTIAL SEIZES HIS BIG CHANCE
French striker and Rooney make up for loss of Ibrahimovic
FOR all the obvious benefits Zlatan ibrahimovic brings to Manchester united, there is a view that the side’s over-reliance on their Swedish talisman has not always helped younger team-mates to progress.
in the past week Marcus Rashford showed against Chelsea and Anderlecht what he can do in a more prominent central role.
At turf Moor, Anthony Martial provided a similar reminder of his quality, scoring a goal and helping create another as united closed up to one point behind fourthplaced Manchester City before thursday’s derby at the Etihad.
Wayne Rooney even weighed in with his first goal since breaking united’s scoring record at Stoke in January on what was a thoroughly good afternoon for Jose Mourinho in the lancashire sunshine.
Forced to replace ibrahimovic and Marcos Rojo, Mourinho made six other changes to a team that had played extra-time in Europe less than three days earlier. it paid off as united stretched their unbeaten Premier league run to 23 games.
it may seem churlish to find fault with a man who has scored 28 goals for united this season, but they are a more fluid, unpredictable team without ibrahimovic.
Would they rather have him available? Of course. But the Swede’s absence has presented united’s younger players with an opportunity and they are taking it.
Martial’s goal, his 25th for united, triggered an additional £8.5million instalment to his old club Monaco but they will not mind paying that.
At the other end, Rojo’s absence was offset by another immense performance from Eric Bailly, snuffing out a Burnley side whose outstanding home form this season has all but guaranteed their top-flight status.
For the second league game in a row, united did not allow a single shot on David de Gea’s goal.
Bailly will play again at City, you can count on that. Mourinho would like to have the option of playing Chris Smalling or Phil Jones alongside him, but neither England international has been available for more than a month and it is clearly becoming a source of frustration. united’s manager again questioned their commitment.
‘if i was Smalling or Jones, i would play thursday with anything,’ said Mourinho. ‘i wouldn’t accept one guy to play nine matches in a row because i’m injured. i would do a last push. if they have a crazy mentality like i have, they would. if it was me, nobody would stop me.’
Another concern for Mourinho is Paul Pogba. He limped off near the end, raising concerns over his fitness to face City.
Mourinho described the Frenchman as being ‘dead on his feet’, adding: ‘if he is injured or just super-accumulation of fatigue in the muscles, i don’t know. if he cannot play thursday, we play another one. We don’t cry.’ Despite the chance to go two points ahead of City, Mourinho was perhaps playing games when he suggested that he is still giving priority to the Europa league and may rest players ahead of next week’s semi-final against Celta Vigo.
‘yes, it is important for us to play Champions league but this club wants trophies,’ he said. ‘We have 25 per cent chance to win the Europa league and we have to put everything on it.
‘ i will rotate players again. in terms of expectation, it’s better for a derby with one point difference than with four. this was a good victory.’
A routine one as well. united were in control from the moment
they took the lead in the 20th minute when Joey Barton lost possession to Martial in his own half.
Burnley boss Sean Dyche was not alone in expressing surprise that his midfielder did not foul Martial and take a yellow card.
The breakaway was swift and clinical. Martial played the ball wide to Ander Herrera, galloping down the right, and got it back with a first-time pass from the Spaniard. Tom Heaton came out and managed to get his left leg to Martial’s low effort but could not keep it out of the net.
Another error from the home side contributed to United’s second goal in the 39th minute. Burnley looked to have cleared the danger but Robbie Brady gifted possession back to United with a poor header and Pogba slipped the ball to Martial.
Although Heaton saved this time, Rooney pounced to prod the loose ball over the line off the inside of Michael Keane’s ankle.
Mourinho would have wanted nothing more than for his players to see out the game comfortably after their recent exertions and that is exactly what happened.
They can now draw breath before what is now a monumental battle between Mourinho and Pep Guardiola in the race for Champions League places.
Game on.