Premier League
MANCHESTER UTD SAVED BY INJURY TIME GOAL
An injury-time strike from Manchester United’s Jess Lingard ensured that the spoils were shared at Old Trafford as it had looked like a major upset was on as Burnley’s incredible season of results continued.
Both sides came into the fixture in decent, rather than spectacular, form. Jose Mourinho’s Reds had won four of their last six league games but were still a distant second behind runaway league leaders Manchester City.
Burnley, who have had a terrific season so far, were 7th and only two points outside the Champions League places. They had only lost two of their last six games, although their last match had seen Tottenham Hotspur dispose of the Clarets 3-0 at Turf Moor.
Mourinho made four changes to the United side that disappointingly drew against Leicester City with Marcos Rojo, Luke Shaw, Marcus Rashford and Zlatan Ibrahimovic all starting in a 4-4-2 formation.
For Sean Dyche he kept to his tried and tested personnel with one enforced change for Burnley being Ashley Barnes replacing the injured Chris Wood in attack in a slightly more defensive 4-5-1 formation.
To the surprise of the boisterous home crowd, Burnley started brightly and earned a free kick after a foul by Marcos Rojo on Jeff Hendrick within the first few minutes.
A terrifically flighted ball by Johann Brag Gudmundsson into the United penalty area was clinically fired home by the recalled Ashley Barnes after United were unable to clear the first header.
The early goal sparked United into life and they began to impose themselves, but Burnley remained undaunted.
Gudmundssson was causing the hosts problems and delivered yet another quality ball into the penalty area that Scott Arfield deftly volleyed on to United’s bar, which left David De Gea in United’s goal stranded, but it sympathetically bounced away for a goal kick.
United were picking up the pace and created a few opportunities in a short space of time; Juan Mata had a shot blocked, Romelu Lukaku almost got on the end of an Ashley Young cross and then Young himself brought a first save of the match from Nick Pope with a rasping shot from 25 yards out – but the Clarets remained unbreached.
Sustained pressure continued from United with Paul Pogba dictating in midfield, a couple of free-kicks punched clear by Nick Pope, followed by a flurry of corners. Burnley showed their dogged resistance which has served them so well this season, although they remained a threat on the counter-attack.
Burnley extended their lead in the 35th minute after earning a free kick on the edge of the Reds’ area, 25 yards from goal.
Belgium international Steven Defour stepped up and sublimely curled the ball over the wall and into the top corner, past De Gea’s despairing dive. Temporarily, Old Trafford descended into a deafening silence.
The half drew to a close with United pressing, but Dyche’s side worked tirelessly to maintain their priceless lead.
United tactically reshuffled for the start of the second half as Nemanja Matic started at centre back partnering Phil Jones as Rojo and Ibrahimovic were replaced by Jesse Lingard and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, but the Reds continued to press.
A wonderful Ashley Young cross along the six-yard line was guided purposefully towards goal by Jesse Lingard, which Pope did magnificently to deflect on to the crossbar and away to safety
Within minutes, United hauled themselves back into the match as Young crossed again and Lingard cleverly back-heeled into the corner of the net which sent the Theatre of Dreams into an eruption of noise.
United continued to work both flanks well with Shaw and Young looking threatening. The Reds were encamped in Burnley’s half, but the Clarets had numbers back to repel the waves of attack as they peppered Pope’s goal.
United had a free kick in a similar position to Defour’s in the first half after Bardsley had lunged at Mkhitaryan.
Pogba stepped up and went for the same corner of goal too, but his effort was slightly too high and flew disappointingly into the Stretford End rather than the net.
As the game wore on, United seemed to run out of ideas and their approach became more direct than using the subtle play they had adopted earlier to try to break down the resistance of the Burnley’s defensive rearguard. Ultimately, the pressure told as a late free-kick from Juan Mata in stoppage time was converted by Lingard on the half-volley for United’s equaliser and the England international’s second of the match.
For all United’s possession and continued pressing it is hard to begrudge Dyche’s men at least the draw as they tenaciously got through many challenging spells during an enthralling contest.
England and Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has been handed a 15-month suspended prison sentence by a Greek court over a 2020 incident in Mykonos, Sky Sports reported on Wednesday.
In 2020, Maguire was found guilty of repeated bodily harm, attempted bribery and violence against public employees after his arrest in a brawl in which two police officers were assaulted.
Maguire, who was detained for two days following the incident and denied any wrongdoing, was handed a suspended prison sentence of 21 months and 10 days but was granted a full retrial after appealing against Greek court convictions on multiple charges.
In accordance with the Greek judicial process, the filing nullified Maguire’s conviction before a full retrial in a more senior court. His retrial was postponed many times.
Maguire faced allegations of non-serious assault, resisting arrest and attempted bribery. The 32-year-old was convicted on all three counts but will face no prison time. His legal team will appeal against the guilty verdict, Sky Sports reported.
Maguire’s brother Joe and friend Christopher Sharman were also found guilty of offences related to the incident and received suspended prison sentences in 2020. They also denied any wrongdoing.
-Reuters
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Arsenal maintained control of the Premier League title race as they chiselled out a nervy 2-1 win over London rivals Chelsea to open up a five-point lead at the top of the table on Sunday.
Jurrien Timber’s 66th-minute header from a Declan Rice corner ensured Arsenal took three precious points, but it was a nervy afternoon in north London.
Mikel Arteta’s side moved to 64 points from 29 games, with Manchester City, who have played a game fewer, on 59.
Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber celebrates scoring their second goal with Gabriel Magalhaes REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Defender William Saliba had given Arsenal the lead in the 21st minute from a trademark corner routine.
But it had looked as though an own goal by Piero Hincapie just before halftime would prove costly for the hosts until Timber came to their rescue.
Chelsea, whose six-match unbeaten league sequence under new manager Liam Rosenior was halted, ended the match with 10 men after Pedro Neto was sent off for a second yellow card.
-Reuters
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Premier League
Manchester United climb to third in Premier League table with come-from-behind win over Palace
Manchester United produced a stirring second-half comeback to defeat Crystal Palace 2–1 at Old Trafford on Sunday, with captain Bruno Fernandes inspiring the turnaround that lifted the hosts into third place in the Premier League standings.
Trailing inside four minutes after a dominant start by Palace, United responded through a Fernandes penalty before his pinpoint free-kick was headed home by Benjamin Sesko to seal victory against the 10-man visitors.
The win extended interim manager Michael Carrick’s unbeaten run to seven matches since taking charge in mid-January. United now have 51 points from 28 games and are unbeaten since the January 5 dismissal of Ruben Amorim, climbing into third for the first time since May 2023. Palace remain 14th on 35 points.
“It feels like a big result, we were behind and had to show some character,” Fernandes told Sky Sports. “There are a lot of games to go still, and it is important that we don’t feel that we are in the position that we need to be. We need to make as many points as we can.”
Palace, under Oliver Glasner, were electric in the opening half hour, capitalising on sluggish United play. Defender Maxence Lacroix powered home a header from a corner after muscling past Leny Yoro, scoring the earliest goal United have conceded this season.
The visitors nearly doubled their advantage when Daniel Munoz latched onto an Ismaila Sarr through ball, but goalkeeper Senne Lammens produced a crucial save.
United gradually found their rhythm before the break. Sesko forced Dean Henderson into action with a header from a Fernandes cross, and the Palace keeper also tipped a Fernandes free kick over the bar.
The turning point arrived in the 57th minute when Fernandes converted from the penalty spot after Matheus Cunha was dragged down by Lacroix. Following a lengthy VAR review, Lacroix was shown a red card, reducing Palace to 10 men.
Eight minutes later, Fernandes’ delivery again proved decisive as Sesko rose highest to nod home the winning goal.
United pushed for a third, with Casemiro’s volley drawing a diving save from Henderson and substitute Amad Diallo testing the keeper from distance in stoppage time. Joshua Zirkzee saw efforts blocked, while Kobbie Mainoo’s fierce strike drifted narrowly wide.
Carrick praised his team’s resilience. “The biggest thing for us to take from the game is really the first time that we have been in that situation going in at halftime,” he said. “Being in that position and how we react and showing that personality and belief… to then come back as we did in the second half is the biggest thing for me today.”
Palace pressed late but could not find an equaliser. Glasner admitted his side had let the game slip. “It feels like there was more possible today. A great first 30 minutes, but the red card changed it completely. The second goal just happened too quickly.”
For United, the victory reinforces growing belief under Carrick that a top-four finish—and a return to Europe’s elite competition—is firmly within reach.
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