PL PREVIEW: MAN UNITED V BURNLEY

Main Club Sponsor

TICKETS

SHOP

Clarets back in business to face Red Devils Thursday night

2021-12-30T10:13:19.074Z

PL PREVIEW: MAN UNITED V BURNLEY

Clarets back in business to face Red Devils Thursday night

2021-12-30T10:13:19.074Z

Clarets back in business to face Red Devils Thursday night

Burnley are set to return to action with a trip to Old Trafford to take on Ralf Rangnick’s Manchester United.

It will be their first game in 18 days after three successive games against Watford, Aston Villa and Everton were called off because of Covid issues.

It should have been a much busy schedule but Burnley now face two games in four days with the Clarets going to Elland Road on Sunday. Sean Dyche is accustomed to Christmas and New Year fixtures.

“I only know English football the Christmas period has always been busy. In fact, it has got less busy down the years. The Premier League have attempted to spread games out. We’ve got an extra day here and there for the first time this season we haven’t had previously.”

Ahead of the Manchester United game, Dyche knows it will be a tough game.

“They’ve had a couple of challenging games where they haven’t, maybe, looked what people would expect of a Manchester United side.”

“They have found ways of finding moments that count even if they are not purring.

"We are not naïve, we know it ‘s still tough to go to Old Trafford and take on Manchester United. They’ve got some really top players.”

PL PREVIEW: MAN UNITED V BURNLEY - Image 1

During this period of inactivity other sides around Burnley haven’t pulled away.

“It goes to show you how tough it is in the Premier League. There are teams around us who haven’t picked up points. We would have preferred the games to have been on. We will take on the games when they are slotted in”

The Burnley boss explained the squad have been working hard.

We’ve used the time wisely with our players with a bit of downtime, recovery, and fitness work. We’ve done what we can to be in good shape going into the next game."

Team news

Ahead of Burnley’s last game of 2021, Sean Dyche confirmed there have been a couple of Covid cases in the Burnley camp.

Ashley Barnes is making good progress from a thigh injury but will need some game time before making a first-team return.

Maxwel Cornet has recovered from Covid and is back training after a thigh injury.

Connor Roberts is recovering from a non-Covid related illness and will miss the game.

PL PREVIEW: MAN UNITED V BURNLEY - Image 2

Bruno Fernandes misses the game after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season against Newcastle United.

Victor Lindelof missed the trip to the north east after testing positive for Covid.

World Cup winner Paul Pogba remains out with a thigh injury.

Defender Eric Bailly has travelled back from the Ivory Coast and could be involved.

Former Burnley skipper Tom Heaton returned to Old Trafford from Aston Villa last summer. He recently made his United debut in the 1-1 Champions League draw with Young Boys.

Form guide

Last time Burnley were in action they drew 0-0 with West Ham United at Turf Moor. The Clarets have drawn four away games in the Premier League this season. Their last away win came in the 2-0 success at Craven Cottage back in May.

Prior to Tuesday’s game at St James’ Park, the Red Devils had won their last three Premier League games including home wins over Arsenal (3-2) and Crystal Palace (1-0).

Cristiano Ronaldo returned to the club in the summer. A five times Ballon D’or winner, it will be his first game against Burnley. He is United’s top scorer this season with 13 goals.

Opposition guide

Former RB Leipzig manager Ralf Rangnick has taken over from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and is United’s interim manager.

After having two games called off because of illness, Manchester United drew 1-1 at St James’ Park. Edinson Cavani came off the bench to grab the equaliser.

After that draw, Rangnick responded to criticism from ex-Red Gary Neville who was working as a pundit on Sky Sports.

"I don’t think today it was a problem of body language, it was more a question of physicality, of meeting the demands with speed, tempo, physicality, the side effect is the body language afterwards. I don’t think that was the major problem," said Rangnick.

The former Schalke manager was disappointed with the first-half performance but refused to criticise his team for their response to conceding an early goal

"The second half we showed a reaction. The way we prepared for the goal, the way Edi (Cavani) converted that chance was good," he said.

"We had another two where Edi could have scored. That could have been the winning goal. On the other hand, we won a point, we didn’t lose two."

United’s new boss talked about the Newcastle performance as a `negative surprise’ and admits they haven’t quite made the progress he had hoped.

PL PREVIEW: MAN UNITED V BURNLEY - Image 3

"Of course not. Every ambitious coach, and there is no difference between other coaches and myself in that area, wants to take faster steps and larger steps forward.

"But in order to do that, you need to be able to train and, as you know, we had to close Carrington for four days. Before that we had eight or nine field players in training directly after the Norwich game and they only came back in small bits and pieces.”

Match stats

Last season’s 3-1 reverse was Burnley’s first defeat in five at Old Trafford.

Chris Wood has scored three goals at Old Trafford. He scored for New Zealand against Egypt in the 2012 Olympics. He needs one goal for 50 Premier League goals for Burnley.

Matt Lowton is set to play his 150th Premier League game for Burnley.

Manchester United are unbeaten under Rangnick in his four matches in charge but they have only scored once in each game.

Match referee

Jon Moss

VAR

Darren England

Kick-off

Thursday, 30th December 2021, 8.15pm

Broadcast

Amazon Prime Video from 7.30pm.

There will be live audio commentary on Clarets+ from 8pm.