"Our performances in the last couple of weeks have improved, including the cup game," interim manager Ralf Rangnick has said with regards to his side. "There are points of criticism that the team has to face and we all have to face. Number one, we waste too many clear-cut chances."
Manchester United are on an upward trajectory performance-wise, starting to improve week-on-week under Rangnick's rule. The German's side were in cruise control for the majority of their FA Cup fourth round tie against Middlesbrough on Friday night, creating 20 chances and engineering 30 shots. However, the outcome was hardly telling.
Goals scored? One. Result? Defeat - albeit on penalties.
"The more we watched those opportunities, those chances, that we didn’t make use of, we wasted, the more incredible and cruel it became."
Cruel it was. And, against a Burnley side with the best defensive record in the bottom half of the Premier League table - also superior to that of Leicester, West Ham and United - creation will be more limited. United will have to be clinical in their second meeting against Sean Dyche’s side this season, bidding to at least match the three goal haul at Old Trafford at the end of December.
Having missed a first half penalty against Middlesbrough, Cristiano Ronaldo now hasn't scored in his last four games. If he fails to score against Burnley, it will be his longest goal drought at club level for over a decade. He will have to deliver come Tuesday night at Turf Moor if United are to achieve a result, especially if there is to be service as rife as that against Middlesbrough.
On paper, it should be routine for United under the lights against Burnley, with the Clarets bottom of the Premier League having one only once in the competition all season. However, they have only suffered eight defeats by contrast to a draw tally that moved into double figures with a draw to Watford at the weekend. Tuesday's hosts are now unbeaten in five league matches on home turf despite having only won once in 18 games).
Dyche's side only reached the halfway mark of the season with Saturday's stalemate due to a mass of Covid-related postponements, taking advantage of the two sides' lack of FA Cup involvement. As a result of the multitude of postponements, Burnley have three games in hand on 17th-place Norwich City whilst only a win adrift, with two games in hand on Watford and Newcastle United two points above. There is, hereby, a crum of comfort for Burnley, though the lack of a win since late October is of real concern, especially looking at Newcastle's January reinforcements.
Since beating Brentford, Burnley have only lost three times, but have picked up only six points from a possible 27 on offer. Meanwhile, since losing to United, they have lost a further two times (including an FA Cup third round exit to Huddersfield Town), though held Arsenal at the Emirates before drawing to Watford.
Over their past seven league matches, the league's second-lowest scorers have only found the net twice. Chris Wood was misfiring before switching to Newcastle, but their is hope that new signing Wout Weghorst, six foot six tall, and the return of top scorer Maxwel Cornet can bolster the goals output.
"We've had players down through Covid," Dyche confirmed, though "players are coming back fit," he said. "Johann [Berg Gudmundsson] had his appendix out, so he'll be out for a few weeks."
Charlie Taylor, Matej Vydra and Charlie Taylor are doubts.
Rangnick has confirmed that both Jesse Lingard and Edinson Cavani are available for selection for United after their non-injury absences against Middlesbrough sparked debate amongst the media and fans alike. "Both are top professionals, both have been training well," the manager insisted, even though the pair appeared to lack viable reasons for missing out on involvement on Friday.
"There are no problems whatsoever between myself and Jesse and vice versa. I'm happy to have him in the squad and, as I said, he will be a member of the squad for tomorrow's game."
In terms of absentees, "Alex Telles already missed the cup game because he tested Covid positive last week and the same thing happened with Fred," Rangnick confirmed. "He will be missing from the game and possibly even the game against Southampton."
Given Fred’s absence, there is scope for another start for Paul Pogba, who "did really well" on his return from a three month absence in the cup tie, according to his manager. "Originally, I didn’t intend to let him play 80 minutes but, due to the chronology of the game, we decided to have him on the pitch until 10 minutes from time."
Pogba left with the pitch with cramp but should be available, as should the fatigued Raphael Varane and Jadon Sancho.
Anthony Elanga‘s penalty miss ultimately decided the defeat against Middlesbrough, but Rangnick reinforced, "As far as I could see in training, he was okay."
"Of course, it was a difficult moment for him. In the last four weeks, he’s now experienced both sides of this beautiful game. He did extremely well in the past couple of weeks and scored a vital goal at Brentford. Now, in the cup, he’s also experienced negativity and how cruel football, at times, can be. It will definitely help him in his development in the next couple of months and years."
He later elaborated, "We now have two players to compete for each position. No matter if it’s right back, centre back, sixes, eights, two central strikers and the wingers. We currently play most of the game with a 4-3-3 with one holding six and two eights. In the wing positions, we also have, for each side now that Jesse is going to stay, two players and it’s up to them. It’s up to the players to decide who plays by the quality of their performances in training and in the games."
Burnley have lost their last five Premier League home matches against United without scoring, with United losing only once in 14 encounters home or away. However, United are aiming to win consecutive away matches in all competitions for the first time this campaign.
In action in the league for the first time since dramatically beating West Ham at the death almost three weeks ago, United sit fourth - though Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur behind have one and two games in hand respectively.
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