Team News

Manchester United remain without Lisandro Martinez as he continues his recovery from a knee injury, while Noussair Mazraoui is edging closer to full fitness but is unlikely to feature this weekend. Ruben Amorim is expected to rotate again after making several changes in midweek, and Andre Onana could be dropped following another unconvincing display against Grimsby. Altay Bayindir may be handed an opportunity in goal despite his own unsteady start.

In defence, Matthijs de Ligt, Leny Yoro and Luke Shaw are all available to return, offering Amorim more stability at the back. Bruno Fernandes is set to operate in midfield once again and will partner either Casemiro or Manuel Ugarte. Fernandes has enjoyed a prolific record against newly promoted clubs, having been involved in ten goals in his last eight league matches of that kind. Further forward, Benjamin Sesko is likely to retain his place after starting in midweek, with Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha supporting him in attack.

For Burnley, injuries continue to limit options. Zeki Amdouni, Manuel Benson and Jordan Beyer remain out, while Connor Roberts is nearing a comeback but Saturday’s clash may come too soon. Armando Broja, Axel Tuanzebe and Bashir Humphreys, all signed on permanent deals this summer, featured during the week and are expected to be in contention again. Manager Scott Parker is likely to revert to the side that defeated Sunderland, which included former Manchester United pair Martin Dubravka and Hannibal Mejbri, as well as ex-Manchester City defender Kyle Walker. Josh Cullen and Jaidon Anthony, both scorers last weekend, are pushing to start.

Form Guide

Manchester United head into the weekend still reeling from their Carabao Cup exit at the hands of Grimsby Town, one of the most surprising results in recent memory. They were two goals down inside half an hour before Bryan Mbeumo and Harry Maguire rescued the tie. Yet the comeback was undone when Mbeumo missed the decisive penalty in a marathon 12-11 shootout, leaving United out of the competition and Amorim under further scrutiny.

United have no choice but to move on quickly, and they can take some encouragement from their strong Premier League record against promoted teams. They are unbeaten in their last 23 matches in such fixtures, winning 20 of them, with their last defeat coming at Watford in November 2021, which proved to be Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s final game in charge.

Burnley, meanwhile, have shown encouraging signs in recent weeks. Despite opening their campaign with a heavy defeat against Tottenham, they have since produced back-to-back home victories. A comfortable win over Sunderland gave them their first league points of the season, followed by a dramatic late triumph over Derby County in the EFL Cup, sealed by Oliver Sonne’s stoppage-time strike. With survival the main target, Parker’s side will look to build momentum and secure consecutive Premier League wins for the first time in over two years.

Predicted Outcome

Given the turbulence surrounding Manchester United, predicting a comfortable home victory is not straightforward. Burnley’s defensive organisation was key to their promotion push last season and they have already shown an ability to frustrate opponents in the top flight. The Clarets will aim to keep United quiet and strike when opportunities arise. Nevertheless, Amorim’s side will be regarded as favourites at Old Trafford. The expectation is that they will respond to their midweek embarrassment, and we predict Manchester United will record a 2-1 win.