Burnley v Manchester United – Line-ups, stats and preview

Match Preview for Burnley v Manchester United

Manchester United’s post-Ruben Amorim era officially begins on Wednesday evening, when the Red Devils travel to Turf Moor to face relegation-threatened Burnley.

Amorim was dismissed on Monday following a turbulent period at Old Trafford, with Darren Fletcher appointed interim head coach ahead of gameweek 21.

Burnley enter Wednesday’s contest off the back of a 2-0 defeat away to Brighton, a result that extended their winless Premier League run to 11 matches.

Scott Parker’s side last tasted victory in the top flight at the end of October, when they recorded back-to-back wins over Leeds and Wolves, but their form has since collapsed. The Clarets have lost nine of their last 11 league matches, a sequence that has left them deep inside the relegation zone.

With just 12 points collected from 20 matches, Burnley sit 19th in the Premier League table, six points adrift of safety. Their situation could worsen further depending on results elsewhere, with fellow strugglers also in action during the midweek round of fixtures.

Earlier this season, Burnley were narrowly beaten 3-2 at Old Trafford, where Bruno Fernandes struck a 97th-minute penalty to secure all three points for United, and the Portuguese midfielder could return to action here.

Manchester United arrive at Turf Moor amid managerial upheaval following Amorim’s dismissal, which came just a day after a 1-1 draw with Leeds United. Public criticism of the club’s hierarchy after that match appeared to hasten the end of the Portuguese coach’s tenure.

Despite the turmoil, United remain sixth in the Premier League table, level on points with Chelsea and only three points behind fourth-placed Liverpool, leaving Champions League qualification firmly within reach.

Fletcher will take charge of this match and is also expected to lead the team in the upcoming FA Cup tie against Brighton, although a caretaker appointment could still be made before a daunting Premier League double-header against Manchester City and Arsenal later in the month.

Team news for Burnley v Manchester United

Burnley remain severely depleted, with a lengthy injury and absence list continuing to disrupt Parker’s plans.

Josh Cullen, Zeki Amdouni, Connor Roberts, Joe Worrall, Zian Flemming and Jordan Beyer are all sidelined through injury, while Axel Tuanzebe, Hannibal Mejbri and Lyle Foster are unavailable due to AFCON commitments.

There is hope, however, that Maxime Esteve could return after missing the defeat at Brighton, and his availability would provide a timely boost to Burnley’s defensive options. Jaidon Anthony, who has scored four times this season, is again expected to be a key attacking outlet.

Manchester United could welcome back key personnel, with Amorim confirming after the Leeds draw that both Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount were close to returning from injury. Fernandes, in particular, could slot straight back into the starting lineup.

Bryan Mbeumo, Amad Diallo and Noussair Mazraoui remain unavailable due to AFCON, while Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt and Harry Maguire are expected to miss out through injury.

Fletcher is set to implement a 4-2-3-1 system, with Patrick Dorgu potentially deployed on the right flank. Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko are expected to start in attack, while Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte may continue as the midfield pairing due to limited alternatives.

Expected line-ups for Burnley v Manchester United

Burnley: Dubravka; Walker, Ekdal, Esteve, Pires; Ugochukwu, Florentino, Laurent; Edwards, Broja, Anthony

Manchester United: Lammens; Dalot, Heaven, Martinez, Shaw; Casemiro, Ugarte; Dorgu, Fernandes, Cunha; Sesko

How to watch Burnley v Manchester United: TV channel, online live stream

Kick-off on Wednesday is at 20:15 GMT (16:15 ET / 12:15 PT), with live coverage in the UK on Sky Sports Premier League.

Via Now TV, Sky Sports costs £14.99 for a day membership, £28 a month for a 12-month membership or £34.99 a month with no contract.

Sky Sports memberships include access to all 12 live Sky Sports channels and Sky Sports+, which offers live streams and a dedicated channel.

Streaming is available on a vast variety of devices via the Sky GO app.

The stats for Burnley v Manchester United

• Burnley are winless in their last 11 Premier League matches
• The Clarets have lost nine of their last 11 league games
• Burnley have scored just once in their last eight home league matches against Manchester United
• Manchester United have kept only two clean sheets in the Premier League this season
• United are unbeaten in their last four league matches
• Burnley have picked up just 12 points from 20 Premier League games

Prediction

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