After a shocking midweek exit from the EFL Cup, a bruised Manchester United squad is gearing up to host newly-promoted Burnley at Old Trafford this Saturday for their next Premier League clash.
The last time these two sides met was back in April 2024, when Burnley managed to hold the Red Devils to a gritty 1-1 draw in Manchester.
On Wednesday, Manchester United, expected to dominate, rolled into Blundell Park only to be stunned by fourth-tier Grimsby Town. In one of the biggest upsets in recent English football history, the League Two side outplayed United, racing to a 2-0 lead within the first half-hour. Despite late heroics from summer signing Bryan Mbeumo and Harry Maguire to force a penalty shootout, it was Mbeumo’s miss in the 26th spot kick that sealed an unforgettable 12-11 victory for Grimsby.
Something’s clearly off at Manchester United, who are still winless three games into the new season. After a 1-0 loss to Arsenal and a 1-1 draw with Fulham in the Premier League, manager Ruben Amorim’s seat is getting hotter. With a win rate of just 35.5%—the lowest of any permanent United manager since Sir Alex Ferguson—Amorim’s tenure, now nearing 10 months, is under scrutiny. Despite splashing nearly £200m on new attacking talent this summer, the Portuguese manager recently admitted that “something has to change.” Whether that means his own position is anyone’s guess.
United have little time to dwell on their midweek disaster and will look to lean on their impressive record against newly-promoted sides. They’ve gone unbeaten in 23 Premier League games against such teams (20 wins, 3 draws) since a 4-1 loss to Watford in November 2021, which was Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s final match in charge. But don’t expect an easy win—United have struggled at home, losing eight of their last 13 Premier League games at Old Trafford (3 wins, 2 draws) while conceding 21 goals. Plus, they’ve only failed to win their opening three Premier League matches three times before (1992-93, 2007-08, and 2014-15).
Meanwhile, Burnley are riding a wave of momentum. After a tough 3-0 loss to Tottenham in their Premier League return, the Clarets have thrilled their Turf Moor fans with back-to-back home wins. They grabbed their first league points of the season with a 2-0 victory over fellow newcomers Sunderland, then followed it up with a dramatic 2-1 win against Derby County in the EFL Cup second round, thanks to Oliver Sonne’s stoppage-time heroics.
Head coach Scott Parker was upbeat about the midweek result, noting how it gave key players—including new signings and those recovering from injuries—crucial game time. Now, with their sights set back on the Premier League, Burnley are laser-focused on survival after yo-yoing between promotion and relegation over the past four seasons. A win this weekend would mark their first back-to-back Premier League victories since April 2022.
Sure, Burnley will step onto the Old Trafford pitch as underdogs, but they’ve got a knack for surprising United. Among teams that have visited Manchester United at least eight times in the Premier League, Burnley are one of just three—alongside Chelsea and Manchester City—to avoid defeat in over half of those games (9 played, 1 win, 4 draws, 4 losses). So, don’t be shocked if the Clarets make things interesting this weekend.
