Manchester United maintained the pressure on Premier League leaders Manchester City through Anthony Martial’s winner at Turf Moor as they continued to wait for new signing Alexis Sanchez from Arsenal.
Martial scored with United’s first shot on target after 54 minutes as they stretched their unbeaten league run to eight matches and chalked up their fifth consecutive clean sheet in all competitions.
However, Burnley will feel hard done by after suffering their fifth defeat in a row. Johann Berg Gudmundsson hit the crossbar with a free-kick and also felt he deserved a penalty when his header struck Chris Smalling on the arm.
Anthony Martial cracked a shot in off the Burnley crossbar to give Manchester United the lead after 55 minutes
In a game that had been largely lacking in quality, Martial gave Nick Pope the eyes and beat the keeper at his near post
Martial celebrates his brilliantly taken strike as United aim to try and keep pace in the Premier League title race
MATCH FACTS, LEAGUE TABLE AND MATCH ZONE
Burnley (4-4-1-1): Pope 6; Bardsley 6, Tarkowski 6, Mee 6.5, Taylor 7; Gudmundsson 7.5, Cork 6.5, Defour 6, Arfield 6 (Nkoudou 81, 6); Hendrick 5.5 (Vokes 81, 6); Barnes 6.5 (Wells 89)
Unused subs: Lindegaard, Long, Lowton, Westwood
Bookings: Mee 30, Bardsley 67, Defour 70
Manchester United (4-1-4-1): de Gea 6; Valencia 6.5, Smalling 6, Jones 8, Young 7; Matic 6; Lingard 6.5 (Rashford 80, 6), Pogba 7, Mata 5.5 (Fellaini 72, 6), Martial 6.5 (Herrera 90); Lukaku 6.5
Unused subs: Romero, Marcos Rojo, Shaw, McTominay
Goal: Martial 54
Bookings: Pogba 70, Matic 77, Valencia 90
Referee: Mike Dean 6
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10 minutes after the break, Romelu Lukaku set up Antony Martial to slam in the United opener off the crossbar. For more stats and facts, visit our exclusive MATCH ZONE service by clicking here.
Jose Mourinho put Ashley Young straight back into his starting line-up with Luke Shaw demoted to the bench, But United lacked sparkle in the opening 45 minutes.
Burnley’s James Tarkowski would have been better heading for goal rather than trying to set up a team-mate when unmarked at the far post at a free-kick, And United’s Phil Jones, booed throughout by home fans because of his Blackburn connections, rescued his side with a saving tackle on Ashley Barnes after the rest of the defence had been caught snoozing.
It took 15 minutes for United to string together anything of note. Young clipped an intelligent ball into the penalty area and Paul Pogba stretched out a long leg to dink onto the roof of the net.
Ten of Burnley’s side had started in a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford on Boxing Day when United were saved only by an injury-time equaliser from Jesse Lingard.
There was no evidence of an inferiority complex and Barnes, who had scored in the away fixture, made de Gea work with a bobbling drive that the United ‘keeper watch carefully.
Without Henrikh Mkhitaryan, due to join Arsenal as part of the Alexis deal, United didn’t have anyone to unlock a pass, with Juan Mata disappointing. Their best attacking outlet was left-back Young who fizzed a shot just beyond the far post shortly before the interval.
For the first 55 minutes Romelu Lukaku had a quiet game, however his perfect pass provided the assist for Martial
Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba is felled by Burnley’s Scott Arfield during a goalless first half at Turf Moor
Ashley Young reacts after curling an effort just wide of the Burnley goal – United’s best chance of a disappointing first half
Mourinho’s men seemed to have more urgency attacking the end where their own supporters were gathered in the second half, and it paid off with the opening goal.
Romelu Lukaku slipped as he played a pass into Martial on the right-angle of the penalty area but it still turned out to be a fine delivery. The Frenchman looked up and picked his spot before firing right-footed past Pope off the underside of the crossbar. It was his 11th goal of the season and his third in four games, three in a row in the Premier League.
Burnley’s response was almost immediate. Mata gave away a free-kick on the edge of the box with a rash challenge and Icelander Johann Gudmundsson curled it over the wall and de Gea but hit the crossbar.
There was controversy shortly afterwards when Charlie Taylor’s cross was headed by Gudmundsson against Chris Smalling. There were loud Burnley appeals for a penalty but referee Michael Dean decided Smalling couldn’t have got out the way of the ball before it struck his left arm.
Juan Mata – fighting for his United future with Alexis Sanchez incoming – flicks the ball under pressure from Charlie Taylor
Martial, another with his place in doubt if Sanchez arrives, has a shot blocked by James Tarkowski
Jeff Hendrick has a shot for Burnley, who were mostly comfortable in the opening stages against their high-flying opponents
United centre back Chris Smalling beats Arfield to the ball in the early stages as United looked to keep tabs on leaders City
Phil Jones of Manchester United in action with Ashley Barnes of Burnley during a combative game lacking in quality
The incident sparked the game into life. Pogba wagged his finger with displeasure at Jack Cork as the tackles flew in and the Frenchman was eventually booked for bringing his nemesis down with a tackle from behind. Burnley defender Phil Bardsley, formerly of United, was also cautioned for leaving his foot in on Smalling.
Burnley had a great chance to level when Gudmundsson fired across goal from the left and Barnes threw his body to try and make contact only for the ball to fizz by his outstretched boot.
Mourinho sent on Marouane Fellaini to see the game out. It wasn’t pretty but United – who registered just two shot on targets all afternoon – moved to within nine points of City who face Newcastle on Saturday evening.
Both teams paused to silently remember Cyrille Regis, the former striker who died this week aged 59, before kick-off
The Manchester United bench, with manager Jose Mourinho second left, watch the game in the Lancashire rain
Mourinho and Pogba have a discussion by the touchline late in the first half as United struggled to impress
Pogba reacts after being booked by referee Mike Dean during the second half, however United were able to hold on
Burnley manager Sean Dyche gestures as his side frustrated their visitors during the opening 45 minutes on Saturday