Burnley thrash Man Utd in behind-closed-doors friendly | OneFootball

Manchester United suffered a 3-0 defeat against Burnley in a behind-closed-doors friendly at their training ground today, according to the Evening Standard.

United manager Erik ten Hag gave a chance to fringe players, with Anthony Martial, Scott McTominay and Donny van de Beek among the starters.

Veteran centre-back Jonny Evans featured against Vincent Kompany’s side. The match also included rising talents Hannibal Mejbri, Alvaro Fernandez and Facundo Pellistri.

The outcome of the friendly has further fuelled the growing apprehensions regarding United’s early-season performances.

This season started with a narrow 1-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers, which drew criticism due to United’s lacklustre display that saw them playing second fiddle throughout the match at Old Trafford.

If not for a poor call by the referee, Wolves could have taken a point from the game.

The concerns intensified five days later when Tottenham Hotspur produced a remarkable performance, securing a 2-0 win over the Red Devils in London over the weekend.

Man United were played off the park through the middle as Yves Bissouma, James Maddison and Pape Matar Sarr outplayed Bruno Fernandes, Mason Mount and Casemiro.

This behind-closed-doors fixture marked the second of its kind hosted by United at their Carrington training ground.

Their previous friendly ended in a win as they defeated Everton 2-0 courtesy of an own goal and a well-executed strike by McTominay.

The result against Burnley highlights the challenges United must address.

They showed promise last season as they won the League Cup, and many people expected them to kick on and challenge for the title this season.

It remains to be seen what United and Ten Hag can do to arrest their slump. They need to do something quickly or face suffering a disappointing campaign.