In contrast to the home team, Burnley are rated lower but have 3 points. The contrast in form makes the upcoming confrontation promising to be not only a test of the "Red Devils". It could also be an early turning point of the season with the coaching position at Old Trafford.
Ruben Amorim's Man United have picked up just one point from their opening two Premier League games, losing 1-0 at home to Arsenal and drawing 1-1 with Fulham at Craven Cottage. Then there was an 11-12 penalty shootout defeat to fourth-tier Grimsby Town in the second round of the League Cup.
In the last 2 matches, M.U showed instability in controlling the midfield when the two wing-backs advanced and confusion in arranging attacks. In addition, the way Man United deployed the 3-4-2-1 formation was very unrapatic in the final third of the field. In particular, the first half against Grimsby was perhaps United's worst performance in many years.
On the opposite side, Burnley returned to the Premier League with a good atmosphere. Despite losing 0-3 to Tottenham in the opening round, they immediately rose with a 2-0 victory over rookie Sunderland at Turf Moor a week later. This victory helped Scott Parker and his team get 3 points after 2 rounds and created a positive mentality before the away trip to Old Trafford. In addition, Burnley also had a favorable momentum when defeating Derby County in the second round of the League Cup.
Before entering the match this weekend, Man United are showing 3 key problems. First is scoring efficiency and the number 9 role. In the first two rounds, the "Red Devils" have not scored from the opening situation (goal against Fulham is an own goal). It was not until the match against Grimsby that M.U had 2 goals from Mbeumo and Maguire.
Also in the match against Grimsby, Sesko started for Man United for the first time but had a lackluster performance like the previous two Premier League matches.
The Slovene star is still trying to find a sense of the ball with the intensity of English football. Ruben Amorim prioritizes organization and control, but that is what makes Man United's attacks lack sharpness, especially when the striker has not "catched the air" with two "numbers 10" behind.
The 3-4-2-1 system helps Man United to be more stable when counter-attacking, but if a central defender does not proactively step up to cover half the space, the holding midfielder pair will have to carry a large amount of defense, easily being drilled into the central hallway right after the midfield line.
The central midfield duo who started in their first two Premier League games are Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes, one affected by age and the other playing in an uncated position. In particular, Bruno's role as a weak link in Amorim's squad when not good at supporting defense and weak one-on-one disputes.
M.U's next problem was the goalkeeper and the ball died. The goalkeeper position became a concern for the "Red Devils" when their ability to handle high balls and set pieces was not enough to bring absolute peace of mind.
Altay Bayindir was trusted in the first 2 matches but could not bring peace of mind. In particular, the corner kicks showed the Turkish goalkeeper's awkwardness. Meanwhile, Onana was no better with a fatal mistake that led to a second goal in the defeat to Grimsby Town. The question is who will Ruben Amorim choose in the goal in the match against Burnley?
For the away team, Burnley under Scott Parker is a tight, disciplined team and has changed to a compact state. They maintain a disciplined identity, pressing according to the region and prioritizing a tight formation. The win over Sunderland showed Parkers' favorite scenario of a deep defensive relegation formation and then waiting for counter-attacks with speedy strikers. The recent victory creates a feeling of Burnley being flexible enough when not necessarily holding the ball well but knowing how to hit at the right time.
Remember, Burnley's defensive foundation in the 2024-2025 promotion season is built very solidly. They set a series of records for clean sheets and goals conceded in the Championship last season with 2 defeats and only conceded 16 goals.
The pressure on Amorim is huge after a bad start. Scott Parker's Burnley will provide a test of discipline and practicality. However, with home advantage and a better squad of players, Man United are still in the upper hand.
