Manchester United in 2023-24 before their trip to Burnley on Saturday:
- Wins: Two
- Clean sheets: One
- Club statements: Four
Erik ten Hag’s side left Turf Moor having added a much-needed three points, a game the manager described as a “must-win” at full-time and a step in the right direction following a torrid few weeks for the club.
For now, however, the entertainment will have to wait.
Three defeats in a row had the club bouncing from one crisis to the next and, while they were far from perfect at Burnley, it was a performance built on stability. And given this was the latest patchwork XI to be fielded by Ten Hag, finding solidity in defence was the minimum requirement.
“Last year we had the most clean sheets in the Premier League,” Ten Hag said after the 1-0 win. “We were disciplined and followed the rules. When we do that, it’s difficult to play against Manchester United.”
It helped that they were playing Burnley — a side yet to win since returning to the Premier League — and not Bayern Munich. Yet, when the team arrived at Turf Moor on Saturday evening and two more centre-backs, Lisandro Martinez and Harry Maguire, were not on the bus, you would have been forgiven for thinking it could be a long night.
Eyebrows were raised further when it emerged that Jonny Evans would be partnering Victor Lindelof in central defence. After all, this is a United team that had not kept a clean sheet since the opening game of the season against Wolves (and even then they were lucky to do so, conceding 23 shots in that match and surviving a controversial late penalty appeal that refereeing chief Howard Webb later conceded should have been awarded) and one that had conceded at least three goals in their previous three fixtures.
But, oddly, the partnership worked. Evans would not have expected to be starting Premier League games when Ten Hag sent Darren Fletcher, United’s technical director, to fetch the 35-year-old from the under-21s.
Having trained with the first team, it was announced on September 1 that Evans had signed a one-year contract on the basis he could provide defensive cover if called upon.
On Saturday, starting his first United game since March 2015, he had a goal ruled out because Rasmus Hojlund was stood in an offside position, then created Bruno Fernandes’ exquisite volley with a perfect left-footed diagonal ball into the penalty area.
WHAT A FINISH FROM BRUNO FERNANDES! 🤩
Manchester United take the lead against Burnley thanks to a brilliant assist from Jonny Evans and an even better finish from Bruno! pic.twitter.com/qMdAxzZGwO
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 23, 2023
It was his first assist in a United shirt since he created Wayne Rooney’s goal against Fulham in February 2013.
“In the time I’ve been here, I’ve just been observant and seeing how they play, it’s a little different to how it’s been at previous clubs,” Evans told TNT Sport after the match. “I felt like tonight I was able to slot in well and add my experience and value to the defence. I had to fill the gap.”
He made eight clearances in total, four more than anyone else on the pitch, won all three of his aerial duals (no player won more) and had more touches, passes and accurate passes than any of his team-mates.
As Evans walked off the pitch at Turf Moor, where he was named man of the match, he did so to a rendition of ‘Jonny Evans is a Red’ from the away supporters. The Northern Ireland international looked back, applauded the travelling United fans and headed down the tunnel.
Jonny Evans walks off the pitch & applauds the #MUFC supporters who are singing his name. @TheAthleticFC pic.twitter.com/GtpEfzrxl3
— Dan Sheldon (@dansheldonsport) September 23, 2023
But while Evans will undoubtedly be the main talking point, the defence was, on the whole, resolute and organised. They had to be as Burnley had 62 per cent possession, making 633 passes (558 of them successful) – both were the highest they’ve ever recorded in a Premier League match.
In the opening exchanges, it was evident Evans had been tasked with marking Zeki Amdouni out of the game. At times, he was in a more advanced position than midfielder Casemiro when tracking the Burnley forward.
When it became apparent Burnley were going to mount an attack, Evans would quickly drop back and slot himself next to Lindelof.
“We are very happy to have a player like Jonny Evans in the squad,” Ten Hag said. “He comes in and he is calm, composed, has character, a good skill set. When you have things against you, you can bounce back when you have the character in the squad to do that.”
In a similar fashion to Evans marking Amdouni, either Scott McTominay or Casemiro would be tracking Aaron Ramsey. United clearly felt Ramsey and Amdouni were the biggest threats and attempted to nullify them.
Burnley did come close on several occasions, but they were met either by a United defender or Andre Onana. Casemiro chipped in with a crucial tackle to halt Luca Koleosho in the first half.
In that regard, this was their most solid performance of the season and it came at a time when Ten Hag needed it most.
It still left a lot to be desired, but with an army of players on the treatment table and goals not flowing through the team, Saturday night was more about the destination of winning than the 90-minute journey to get there.
(Top photo: Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
