Sesko scored twice, yet MU still dropped points against the 19th-placed team

(Football results) - Man United failed to secure victory against Burnley, drawing 2-2 with the team just above the bottom, missing the opportunity to break into the top 4 and showing ongoing defensive issues.

In the early hours of January 8 (Vietnam time), Manchester United let slip a valuable win as Burnley held them to a 2-2 draw at Turf Moor, during the 21st round of the 2025/26 Premier League season.The draw against the second-to-last team prevented the Red Devils from moving into the top 4 and exposed several defensive problems.

Man United started with proactive ball control, continuously executing short passes to find openings. However, while pressing forward, the visitors were caught off guard. In the 13th minute, from a Burnley attack, Bashir Humphreys’ shot inside the box was deflected, leaving goalkeeper Senne Lammens helpless and allowing the home side to take a 1-0 lead.

After conceding, Man United increased the tempo. Bruno Fernandes, Matheus Cunha, and Manuel Ugarte repeatedly tried their luck with long-range shots but couldn’t beat goalkeeper Martin Dubravka. The first half ended with Burnley holding the advantage, much to the visitors’ disappointment as Lisandro Martinez’s goal was disallowed after a VAR review.

At the start of the second half, Man United’s pressure quickly paid off. In the 50th minute, Benjamin Sesko controlled a pass inside the box and fired a precise shot to equalize 1-1 for the Red Devils. Ten minutes later, the Slovenian striker shone again, finishing accurately from a cross by Patrick Dorgu to put Man United ahead 2-1 for the first time.

Just when it seemed the game was under control, the visitors’ defensive vulnerabilities were exposed again. In the 66th minute, Jaidon Anthony broke free to receive a perfect pass and fired a powerful shot into the top corner, leveling the score at 2-2 for Burnley.

In the final minutes, Man United created several dangerous chances, notably Shea Lacey’s shot that hit the crossbar, but they couldn’t find the winning goal. The match ended 2-2. This result leaves Man United in 6th place with 32 points, two points behind the top 4, raising many questions for interim coach Darren Fletcher despite some improvement in their style of play.