Solskjaer optimistic as back-to-back wins give United a boost
It must be New Year with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at the wheel, Manchester United winning back-to-back games and a feeling of optimism.
Without Paul Pogba in the squad, Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford secured a victory here that meant consecutive wins in the Premier League for just the second time this season.
It was at this time in 2018 when Solskjaer was putting together a run of wins that secured him a long-term contract. The hopes of challenging for titles may have disappeared but the Champions League places are firmly in their sights, which did not seem possible at times this season.
“We’re getting better, we’re improving,” said Solskjaer. “We just had too many draws early on which is why we’re in this position. We’re learning and this was a big step forward.
“We want to keep the momentum going. We have not lost a game straight after we have lost another one so happy with that.” It was also United’s first clean sheet in 15 games. They won without Pogba, even though it seemed like the perfect game for him to make his first start after his long-term foot injury and a comeback that was delayed by illness.
The France midfielder was deemed not ready to play after completing half a game on Boxing Day. “He’s been out for a long while and he didn’t feel right, so we’ll have to take our time,” said Solskjaer. “He needed another day.”
Without him United looked good value for their win and could have scored more.
A bruising encounter at Turf Moor, with tackles flying in, was the perfect test for a United team on a high after putting four past Newcastle. Their only back-to-back wins this season were against Manchester City and Tottenham, suggesting Solskjaer’s team can rise to the big occasion as easily as letting standards slip.
The manager insisted before the game that wrapping up victory against Newcastle quickly was the best way to combat fatigue over the hectic Christmas schedule.
Another thing in their favour was youth, although this was the time to bring back Ashley Young and Nemanja Matic to add experience.
At the heart of United’s consistency problems was conceding goals. Going forward they have pace and fearlessness, with Rashford at the heart of their early attacks.
Rashford wobbled a free-kick from 35 yards that had Nick Pope diving sharply to parry away. He then hit a post at the end of a sweeping move that saw Andreas Pereira getting United forward swiftly.
Burnley tried to put aerial pressure on a United defence that had gone 14 matches in the Premier League without a clean sheet before this the game.
It was a proper test of Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof ’s battling qualities. United limited their early chances, though, which included a decent clearance from Brandon Williams when the teenager had danger lurking around him. Williams showed his attacking threat too when he raided down the left to create a chance. Dan James put Williams’s
cross back into the six-yard area and Martial’s finish was cleared off the line by Phil Bardsley.
But Martial made sure he got on the scoresheet just before the interval.
Charlie Taylor was at fault for the goal, dwelling on the ball and getting robbed by Pereira, who then found the perfect ball from the right flank between defence and goalkeeper. Martial stroked his finish home for his fourth goal in as many games. Martial also had a goal chalked off for a foul in the second half, which looked harsh on the France forward.
Dwight McNeil, who was on United’s books as a teenager, dragged an effort wide when he got sight of goal. Then Bardsley forced David De Gea into a fine save as Burnley hit back.
But Rashford wrapped up win in the dying seconds as Burnley poured forward. James raced upfield and passed for his team-mate, who went around Pope before sliding in.
Sean Dyche’s team have had problems scoring recently but felt it has been a good calendar year. “I think we got 52 points the last calendar year so overall we are progressing and we are moving forward but it doesn’t take away from the disappointment of because we made a couple of mistakes and got punished,” he said.
‘We are getting better... we just had too many drawn games early on’
Burnley (4-4-2) Pope 6; Bardsley 5, Mee 6, Tarkowski 6, Taylor 4; Hendrick 5 (Rodriguez 59), Cork 5 (Brady 86), Westwood 6, McNeil 6; Wood 5, Barnes 5 (Gudmundsson 68) Subs Hart (g), Lowton, Drinkwater, Long. Booked Bardsley, Mee. Manchester Utd (4-2-3-1) De Gea 6; Young 6, Maguire 7, Lindelof 6, Williams 7; Fred 6, Matic 6; James 7, Pereira 7 (Lingard 73), Rashford 8; Martial 8 (Shaw 89) Subs Romero (g), Jones, Mata, Greenwood, Wan-Bissaka. Booked Williams, Lingard, Fred. Referee Mike Dean (Wirral).