Burnley vs Man United | Predictions, Stats and Key Players | OneFootball

Burnley have yet to find the winning thread since their return to the Premier League. Vincent Kompany will be desperate to find it this weekend against Manchester United. They have a great chance, due to the current frailties of the visiting side. Erik ten Hag’s men are on the back of an energy-sapping 4-3 defeat to Bayern Munich on Wednesday night. Although the kick-off time this weekend was pushed back to 8pm, they should be a lot less prepared for this fixture than their opposition. Burnley have a live chance.

It has been a difficult start to life back in the top flight for Burnley. Last season, they were lauded for their playing style under Kompany. It was a huge change from what was regularly on show under Sean Dyche. However, it was always going to be difficult to transition to top-flight football with this more progressive style. A controversial handball decision denied them their first victory on Monday night, but the signs were promising. They were arguably the better side against Nottingham Forest. If they can show similar levels on Saturday, they could cause problems for Manchester United.

Manchester United have had a very tricky first few weeks of the season, on and off the pitch. Ten Hag’s abilities as a head coach will really be tested over the next month, as his team need to take advantage of some kinder fixtures in the league. There are issues on the right wing, due to the absences of Jadon Sancho and Antony. It may require some out of the box thinking from the Dutchman. The match against Bayern Munich showed some pleasing and some worrying signs. The club really need a win this weekend.

Interesting stats

Burnley have received three red cards in their last six Premier League matches.

Marcus Rashford has had the second most shots in the Premier League this season with 23, but only six have found the target.

Key men

Koleosho

It is too early to know which players will be key for Burnley this season. They have made a number of signings and Kompany is still experimenting to find his best eleven. Luca Koleosho looks to be a great signing, as he has shown flashes of ability since joining the club. Before signing for Burnley, he was relatively unknown and it should encourage supporters that their club is recruiting in a smart way. On Monday, he was the standout player at Forest, as he caused problems with his pace and direct running at opposition defenders. He could inject energy into the attacks and it was difficult to predict what he was going to do. Although it wasn’t his assist, Koleosho was the player that created the Burnley goal. He completed four dribbles on Monday. Manchester United will have Diogo Dalot on that side of the pitch. Koleosho can cause him a lot of problems.

Fernandes

The start to the season has been a slow one for Manchester United, with three out of five defeats. To lose to Tottenham, Arsenal and Brighton individually isn’t shameful, as all three are good teams. However, United would have expected to get some points out of the matches combined, but to lose all three has put them on the back foot. They now need their senior players to step up and the one wearing the armband will be central to their hopes this weekend. Bruno Fernandes was chosen as captain during the summer, but he has yet to show his best form this season. A goal and an assist from five matches is below par for him. The next few weeks offer an opportunity for him to stand up in the final third. That could start at Burnley.

Team news

Lyle Foster is out suspended after his red card. Vitinho is a doubt as he closes in on his return.

Antony is out of the squad for the foreseeable future. Jason Sancho won’t feature either. Aaron Wan Bissaka and Luke Shaw are on the sidelines. Mason Mount and Sofyan Amrabat could be close to a return to action.

Verdict

This is a difficult match to call. Manchester United were fortunate to beat Wolves and Nottingham Forest. It is by no means a certainty that they will return to winning ways away against Burnley. This is the first away match that they will be going into as favourites this season. Their form on the road was an issue last season and a lot will be learned by what they show on Saturday. Taking that into account, the home side should be confident of getting something from the game.

Burnley 1-1 Manchester United