Burnley have claimed their first away point of the season as Tom Heaton's heroics in goal saw the Clarets hold Manchester United to a goalless draw in Saturday's Premier League clash at Old Trafford.
The Clarets stopper pulled off a string of superb saves to help his side to a clean sheet, while the hosts endured a frustrating day at the office as they went down to ten men following Ander Herrera's sending-off, saw Jose Mourinho sent to the stands, spurned a hatful of chances and ultimately fell further behind in the title race.
Sean Dyche's charges climb to 13th in the Premier League table following their point, while Man United slip to eighth.
Here is how Sports Mole covered the action at Old Trafford.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live match commentary of today's Premier League clash between Manchester United and Burnley!
As we all know, the Red Devils have endured a tough time of late in the league, having won just one of their last six league games, but their confidence will surely be high having claimed victory and bragging rights in the EFL Cup against bitter rivals Manchester City in midweek.
Now it's back to business in the league for Jose Mourinho and his charges, and the fixture is arguably one of the kindest that they could have hoped for given their need to get back to winning ways - the Clarets have not claimed a single point away from home this season.
This is not to say that Sean Dyche's side cannot spring a surprise - they have won three of their opening nine games this season, having won none of their first 10 in their last appearance in the top flight in 2014-15, and currently sit in a healthy 14th place in the table, so United would understimate them at their peril.
Without further ado, let's get the team news for today's game at Old Trafford...
MAN UTD STARTING XI: De Gea, Darmian, Rojo, Blind, Shaw, Herrera, Pogba, Lingard, Mata, Rashford, Ibrahimovic
BURNLEY STARTING XI: Heaton, Lowton, Keane, Mee, Ward, Arfield, Hendrick, Marney, Gudmundsson, Vokes, Gray
MAN UTD SUBS: Romero, Depay, Rooney, Carrick, Young, Fellaini, Schneiderlin
BURNLEY SUBS: Flanagan, Barnes, Kightly, Bamford, Robinson, Boyd, Tarkowski
So Jose Mourinho makes two changes from the side that claimed a one-goal victory over Man City in midweek, with Matteo Darmian and Jesse Lingard coming in for Antonio Valencia and Michael Carrick. Once again, Wayne Rooney is on the bench.
Just the one change for Burnley from last week's 2-1 win over Everton, meanwhile, as Andre Gray returns from a four-game ban issued to him for posting homophobic messages on his Twitter page. He replaces Michael Kightly, who drops to the bench.
The main question today ahead of the game is as follows: Will Man Utd use their EFL Cup derby win as a springboard to get their season back on track, or will they stumble once again?
The stakes are high, especially because if the Red Devils become the first team to concede points to a side that is currently on nil points away from home, the critics will be sure to congregate around Old Trafford once again in greater numbers - and more vocal than ever.
Of course, rewind to last weekend and United suffered arguably one of their most humbling defeats in recent years - a 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. The midweek derby win will have gone some way towards easing the pain of that result, but really it's about delivering in the league now for Mourinho and co.
The visitors today will certainly need to pull something out of the hat, given the desperate need for United to claim a win. On paper, people would notice the difference in quality between the two sides and dismiss it as a routine win for United, but if Burnley can frustrate their opponents and make them nervous from the off, they could very well get a result.
Let's not forget that the Clarets have recorded a couple of notable scalps, like Liverpool and Everton. They were both at Turf Moor, but with the season in full swing, surely it's only a matter of time before they click away from home as well? The question, I guess, is whether today will be that day.
Earlier on we noticed that Antonio Valencia was not in the United squad - here is the reason.
Antonio Valencia has a fracture in his arm and will have surgery today. #MUFC pic.twitter.com/tr5WSAoeIJ — Manchester United (@ManUtd) 29 October 2016
Mourinho is seen as a bit of a love-hate figure in football, and many United fans doubted his appointment in the summer, but the Portuguese boss has penned the kind of prose for the club faithful in the matchday programme that is more suited to Valentine's Day than Halloween.
He wrote: "Never before in my life have I seen such wonderful fans with such unconditional love for their club. It is easy to support a club when it is winning as many trophies as Manchester United have in the last 25 years but it is something else to keep doing it after three bad seasons and such a bad defeat at Chelsea last weekend. The atmosphere here on Wednesday night against Manchester City was incredible. When you see such love and passion up in the stands it also drives the players on."
Just under 20 minutes to go until kickoff and the players are busy warming up ahead of the start of the action...
Look who's back! #ClaretsLIVE pic.twitter.com/Y2BHLreu7a — Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) 29 October 2016
HEAD TO HEAD & STATS: Let's take a look at the history between these two teams, and see how they square up ahead of 3pm.
United are unbeaten in their last 12 home league games against Burnley (eight wins, four draws) - their last defeat to them at Old Trafford was in September 1962.
Burnley beat United 1-0 in their first Premier League meeting in August 2009 thanks to Robbie Blake's winning goal at Turf Moor, but are winless in the three games since.
United have only won one of their last six league games and have a total of 14 points from nine games - the only time they have made a worse start to a Premier League campaign was in 2014-15.
We've mentioned their failure to claim a point on the road, but Burnley are also averaging just two shots on target per Premier League game, the lowest in the division. Away from home, they've had just three shots on target in three matches.
PREDICTION: Alright then, time for me to have a go at predicting the result. Given their form, their players, all the various stats and so on, I really cannot see anything but a United win. I reckon 2-0, Mata and Ibrahimovic with the goals.
The teams come out of the tunnel as Juan Mata leads United out onto the Old Trafford pitch, while Tom Heaton, a former Red Devil, is at the head of the Burnley line.
Here come the teams #ClaretsLIVE pic.twitter.com/hppFl16Nqk
— Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) 29 October 2016
KICKOFF! Mark Clattenburg blows his whistle and we are underway here at Old Trafford.
CHANCE! Ibrahimovic almost gets the hosts off to a flyer as he forces Heaton into a save with a shot from the edge of the area just 25 seconds in.
More pressure from United, with Lingard lofting a ball across goal to nobody in particular, but Pogba goes on to claim and fire from 22 yards, the ball being deflected wide.
CHANCE! Opening stages of the game have belonged to the Red Devils as Ibrahimovic slips in Rashford down the left. The teenager cuts it back for Mata, but the Spaniard's shot is too central and Heaton claims with ease.
CHANCE! Once again it's Man Utd doing all the asking. Mata sends a ball into the box but Keane clears - only as far as Ibrahimovic, though, who lets rip from 20 yards and shanks over the bar.
Now Burnley enjoy a little bit of a positive spell for the first time in the game as Keane tries to release Gray down the right channel, but Rojo gets across and snuffs out the danger.
Burnley are working hard to break through into United territory but they're struggling to fashion anything of note. Marney claims possession in midfield and tries to find Gray over the top but his ball is poor and rolls out for a goal kick.
Gudmundsson tries to scamper down the right wing but is brought down by Shaw, who is lucky to escape a booking.
CHANCE! United had taken their foot off the pedal but they carve out another good chance as Ibrahimovic runs into Mata's defence-splitting ball and finds himself one-on-one with Heaton, but the Clarets keeper springs from his line to deny the Swede.
Vokes and Darmian vie for the ball and the Burnley man appears to catch an accidental knee from his opponent, causing him to fall down holding his jaw. He's able to continue though.
CHANCE! The first real effort of note from the visitors, with Gray playing the ball over to Vokes, who in turn lets rip from 25 yards but skews the ball wide of the post.
CHANCE! But here come Man Utd again as Ibrahimovic combines with Mata to release the Spaniard 20 yards out. He fires powerfully from the edge of the box but Heaton is equal to it.
Gray is proving rather influential on his return to the Burnley XI - he charges down the left past Blind and tries to set up Vokes, but the ball is too heavy and it rolls behind for a goal kick.
Safe pair of hands once again from Heaton, who is alert to save Ibrahimovic's header from Rashford's pinpoint cross. Frustrating times for the Swede, who isn't having the best time in front of goal in recent games.
BOOKING: Herrera sees yellow after a late challenge on Marney as the two were jostling for a loose ball.
CHANCES! Burnley are now threatening and come close twice in quick succession - Keane nods wide from a corner and, a minute later, Ward's ball is cleared by Rojo into the path of Gudmundsson, who fires straight at De Gea from 20 yards.
Rojo shoots from long range, and it's deflected behind for a corner - Vokes goes on to head clear at the near post.
CHANCE! Not a very good one, mind... Pogba gets past Marney and tries his luck from outside the box, but the ball soars high above the bar and into row Z.
Darmian very nearly picks up Herrera's ball but the defender makes a timely clearance to concede a corner - once again, it comes to nothing.
CHANCE! United will be aggrieved to see this game goalless at the break (unless they strike on the stroke of half time) - Mee deflects Ibrahimovic's shot up over the bar and, from the corner, Lingard thumps a header towards the top corner but Heaton, once again, saves the day by flinging himself across goal and palming the ball to safety.
SUBSTITUTION: Burnley left-back Stephen Ward is down injured, so Jon Flanagan takes his place on the pitch.
CHANCE! Better from Pogba as he forces a save from Heaton with a 30-yard strike and, moments later, Flanagan brings Darmian down in the box, but Clattenburg waves the penalty appeals away!
HALF TIME: MANCHESTER UNITED 0-0 BURNLEY
It's been quite an entertaining first half as both teams carved out a number of chances, but Jose Mourinho will be gutted not to be at least two or three goals up at half time.
Burnley stopper Tom Heaton has been in fine form so far, keeping out dangerous efforts from Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Jesse Lingard and overall being a steady presence in between the sticks, while the penalty shout in first-half injury time, from Jon Flanagan's foul on Matteo Darmian, could have easily gone the other way.
Sean Dyche will be delighted with his team's efforts so far. They're just 45 minutes away from claiming their first point away from home this season, which would be a significant coup against a team that was expected to be several strides ahead in the Premier League title race, even at this early stage in the campaign.
He's come close on a number of occasions today but can Zlatan break this uncharacteristic duck? He's got 45 minutes plus stoppage time to put things right...
5 - Zlatan Ibrahimovic has gone five league games without scoring for the first time since September 2010. Wait.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) 29 October 2016
With Arsenal having won 4-1 at Sunderland earlier today, Spurs one up against Leicester and Manchester City coasting at West Brom, there is some serious pressure on Mourinho to deliver in the second half, or he will have some serious catching up to do in the title race.
KICKOFF: No changes from either side as United get the second half underway.
Jose Mourinho is now sitting in the stands - reports suggest he's been banished from the dugout after remonstrating with the ref over the penalty appeal.
Rashford whips a ball into the Clarets box from the right, but Keane puts it behind for a corner which Blind takes and comes to nothing.
End-to-end stuff early in the second half as Gray breaks past the last man and is through on goal, but Shaw weighs in with a superb tackle to deny him. United then get the ball up the other end and Ibrahimovic jinks into danger but Mee thwarts him with a tackle on the edge of the box.
Mee once again in the thick of it, getting a vital touch to snuff out a one-two between Ibra and Mata.
CHANCE! Burnley with their best chance of the game thus far - a free kick 40 yards out pinballs out to Arfield who, from about 20 yards out, lashes an effort over the bar.
CHANCE! Heaton is sure to go down as man of the match if he continues to bail his team out - the Ibra-Mata combination throws up another sterling chance as the ball is pulled back to the Spaniard and, from 12 yards out, he rifles towards goal, but the Clarets stopper saves with his legs.
PENALTY APPEAL! My oh my. Jose will not be happy. The ball drops to Pogba about 15 yards out, he elects to fire towards goal, and the ball appears to strike Keane's elbow in the area. As with the first-half call, nothing given.
CHANCE! Surely it's only a matter of time before the Red Devils draw first blood! Mata nearly goes through but, with the Spaniard just 10 yards out, Keane comes across, makes the block, and then the ricochet goes his way to win the visitors the goal kick.
SUBSTITUTION: Second change of the day for the Clarets following their enforced switch earlier on, with Andre Gray making way for Ashley Barnes.
CHANCE! No prizes for guessing which team registered this - Ibrahimovic picks up a lofted cross inside the box and releases a quick scissor kick towards goal with ferocious power but Heaton spreads himself to block the ball away with one arm!
Little bit of a lull now following the mayhem of the last 10-odd minutes...
Spot Jose @jasonmohammad #bbcfootball pic.twitter.com/5FBgKzFnnH
— Will Perry (@willperryTV) 29 October 2016
CHANCES! It's just not going United's way, is it? They strike the woodwork twice in quick succession - first through Mata, whose 20-yard effort rebounds off the outside of the post, then through Ibrahimovic, whose header loops onto the crossbar and to safety. This is madness!
RED CARD! Ander Herrera gets his marching orders and United, who have dominated for most of this game, are down to ten men!
The Spaniard was already on a booking for a late challenge on Marney and he clatters into the same player again - he looked as though he slipped as he went in, but the ref opts to show him a second yellow and he's off!
PENALTY APPEALS! And in true style for this crazy game, one update will cover two appeals - one for each side! First Barnes tumbles in the United box under pressure from Rojo, then Darmian is brought down by Barnes at the other end. Nothing given by Clattenburg!
SUBSTITUTIONS: Marouane Fellaini comes on for Juan Mata, and Wayne Rooney replaces Jesse Lingard. Both newcomers line up in midfield.
CHANCE! A rare foray from Burnley, who will surely be smelling blood now against the ten men of United, as Arfield swings a ball into the area from deep and Barnes gets a head on it - De Gea scrambles back to try and get fingertips on the ball but it goes wide after nicking the post.
Substitute Barnes is stamping his authority on the game and making his presence felt - he gets the better of Rojo down the right flank but is unable to find Vokes with his cross, sending the ball out of play.
United are still coming forward but they have lost a fair bit of incisiveness after Herrera's dismissal - Mee heads Pogba's cross out of play for a corner, which Keane subsequently clears, Rashford reclaims and tries to combine with Ibrahimovic but it comes to nothing.
SUBSTITUTION: Final change of the afternoon for the hosts as Memphis Depay replaces Marcus Rashford.
SUBSTITUTION: George Boyd on for Johann Berg Gudmundsson in Burnley's final change. Moments earlier, Pogba received a yellow for a lunge on Lowton.
CHANCES! The last throw of the dice for United and they step it up in a bid to try and get that all-important goal, but Blind's left-footed effort is snuffed out by Mee and, from the corner, Shaw fires wide!
CHANCE! Well, if anything was to sum up Man Utd's day, it would be this. Pogba's ball to the back post falls invitingly for Ibra, but he skews it over the bar from about five yards out. Cue groans from the Old Trafford faithful.
Five minutes of stoppage time as Marney is booked for a late tackle on Fellaini by the corner flag.
CHANCE! Oh dear. Another chance goes begging for the Red Devils, and this time the culprit is Rooney, who was in the right place to convert Blind's low setup from 12 yards out, but he woefully spoons the ball over the bar. Moments later, Heaton is booked for time-wasting.
FULL TIME: MANCHESTER UNITED 0-0 BURNLEY
Probably one of the most exciting goalless draws you are likely to see in football, United threw everything including the kitchen sink at Burnley, but Tom Heaton's heroics in goal helped the Clarets claim their first away point of the season, in a game with chances aplenty, crunching tackles, controversial refereeing decisions, a red card and a manager being sent to the stands!
That's all we have time for here at Old Trafford but stay with Sports Mole as we bring you match reports, manager reactions and much more. Thanks for following and enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Written by
Giuseppe Labellarte
Giuseppe Labellarte
