Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana cost his side victory as Zeki Amdouni converted a late penalty to grab a priceless point for relegation-threatened Burnley in the Premier League at Old Trafford.
Despite another unconvincing display from Erik ten Hag’s men, they did look set for victory thanks to Antony’s well-taken 79th-minute effort.
But, just as he did on the opening day against Wolves, Onana recklessly charged from his line in an attempt to punch the ball clear but hit an opposition player instead.
Although referee John Brooks missed the incident in real time, unlike against Wolves the video assistant referee, Peter Bankes, stepped in. Substitute Amdouni recovered from being on the wrong end of Onana’s fist to send the keeper the wrong way.
The result moved Burnley to within two points of fourth-bottom Nottingham Forest, whom they play at Turf Moor on the final day of the season.
It means United are still to win successive league games since February and, with new technical director Jason Wilcox watching on, boos from the home fans greeted the final whistle, although they were not as loud as the ones triggered by Ten Hag’s decision to take off teenage midfielder Kobbie Mainoo after 65 minutes.
This result – and the overall performance – was not a powerful argument in the debate raging outside Old Trafford about Ten Hag’s future.
That conversation includes the Dutchman’s transfer dealings.
It was the Ten Hag who pushed for Antony in the last days of the 2022 summer transfer window.
United eventually paid Ajax £82m for the 24-year-old, making him the second most expensive player in the club’s history behind Paul Pogba. The return of five league goals and three assists does not reflect well on anyone who sanctioned the move.
There was a feeling in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s time that the winger was worth pursuing but only if the transfer fee was around £30m.
Ten Hag defended Antony for his cupped-ears celebration in the FA Cup semi-final win against Coventry, claiming his player had been provoked. Nevertheless, given it was 3-0 when he made his introduction, Antony might have been wise to keep his counse.
An early shot from the edge of the area went straight to Arijanet Muric. Another beat the Burnley keeper and the far post. In between that and another long-range effort, Antony laid a pass of to Aaron Wan-Bissaka with his shoulder as he decided that was the most efficient way of dealing with a 70-yard pass dropping into his path.
After Alejandro Garnacho’s forceful run had taken him to the goal-line, from six yards, Antony should have done more than prod the ball to Muric.
His goal was worthy of positive assessment, though. He reacted fastest to Sander Berge’s errant pass and, although the Burnley man looked like he was shoving Antony over in his desperation to make amends, Anthony kept his balance long enough to find the net.
It was Onana’s attack on Wolves striker Sasa Kalajdzic that sparked the scores of controversial VAR incidents this season.
Referees’ chief Howard Webb can at least be thankful that, at the same end of the same ground, this time the technology worked as it should.
Burnley manager Vincent Kompany will also be happy about it.
His side have now lost only once in eight games. The galling thing for the Lancashire outfit must be that there have been far too many draws in that run and the one game they lost was their most important, at Everton.
Burnley could have got more from this one. Onana denied Lyle Foster with a brilliant reaction save in the first half and the Burnley striker was denied again by the United keeper when he ran past Harry Maguire and straight on the home goal.
Given they have not kept a clean sheet in 17 games now, Kompany’s side knew a goalless draw was unlikely. The fact they had the spirit to recover says a lot about the positivity within the Clarets camp.
Yet, however they manage it, they will need to rely on the failings of Forest and Luton over the next three weeks to get them to that final-day encounter with Nuno Espirito Santo’s men with a chance of staying up.
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