Manchester United vs Burnley

The stakes are high for Manchester United and Burnley as they meet at Old Trafford in a must-win Premier League showdown.

Manchester United fought back twice to beat basement boys Sheffield United 4-2 at home in midweek Premier League action, halting a four-game winless run (D3, L1). Erik ten Hag’s side responded well to their nerve-shredding win against Coventry City in the FA Cup semi-final but can’t afford to get complacent, with just three points separating them from seventh-placed Newcastle United. Europa League qualification is the best-case scenario for the Red Devils, and extending a 13-game winning streak against newly-promoted sides would bring them a step closer to achieving that goal. Despite only losing once in eight matches at Old Trafford since December (W5, D2), Man Utd’s notoriously slow starts have seen them concede the opening goal in ten of their 16 home league outings this season.

Taking advantage of United’s defensive woes would increase Burnley’s chances of ending a six-game winless run against the Red Devils (D1, L5) as they look to build on a 4-1 demolition of Sheffield United last time out. Survival is still on the cards for the Clarets after putting a four-game winless league streak to bed (D3, L1), but they still have plenty to do. Stranded three points adrift of safety, Vincent Kompany’s men must defy history to return home victorious, considering Old Trafford is the venue where they’ve only won once since 1962. Home and away, they’ve registered just two victories in their last 35 meetings with Man Utd (D12, L21), highlighting the size of the task at hand.