Manchester United secured a hard-fought 1-0 win against Burnley in the Premier League on Saturday, thanks to a stunning volley from their captain, Bruno Fernandes.
The Portuguese midfielder latched on to a perfectly executed pass from Jonny Evans just before half-time and dispatched the ball into the back of the net with a sublime first-time finish, leaving Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford with no chance.
Despite Burnley having plenty of chances to score, United managed to hold on to their slender lead in the second half.
The visitors were more comfortable after the break, with Burnley’s patient football unable to create clear-cut chances.
The win was crucial for United, who had suffered three consecutive defeats in all competitions prior to this game.
The pressure had been mounting on manager Erik ten Hag, but he was able to breathe a sigh of relief after Fernandes’ moment of brilliance.
Evans, who returned to United on a one-year deal in the close season, was making his first start for the club since 2015.
He had already had a goal disallowed for offside after a VAR check, but he didn’t let that deter him.
The 35-year-old Northern Irishman showed great composure and calmness in defence, helping United keep their first clean sheet since the opening day of the season.
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Speaking after the game, Evans said, “This club, if you’re not winning games you’re going to be under fire. Some of the young players haven’t experienced that but I hope that I can come in and add some calmness. Hopefully, this can kickstart something for us.”
Manager Ten Hag praised Evans’ performance, saying, “He showed personality. He was calm, composed, and did everything right. Very good performance.”
The win lifted United into eighth place in the standings with nine points from six games.
Burnley, on the other hand, have one point from five games and are bottom on goal difference.
Despite the result, Burnley manager Vincent Kompany remained optimistic, saying, “The start is difficult in terms of results but I’m hopeful. I don’t see any reason to think this team lacks character or margin to grow. We’ve seen improvements today, and hopefully more in the weeks to come. Every game we’ve been dangerous.”
