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| Manchester United's task is straightforward, they must beat Burnley to keep slim UCL hopes alive however, Burnley's topflight status need points to survive. (Photo credit: GOAL) |
It’s a good day for Burnley to dream, but a loss at Old Trafford takes them near the dreaded drop, which has been inevitable all season.
If Burnley finds a way to beat Manchester United and Luton doesn’t earn a point at the Molineux against Wolves, the Clarets will move up to 18th on the log, usurping the Hatters in the process. It is still possible for Burnley to survive, but they can’t afford to drop points here.
Manchester United can still mathematically qualify for the Champions League, but they must win their remaining five games and hope the teams in front of them don’t win any of their remaining games. There is a greater chance for Burnley to escape relegation than for the Red Devils to achieve UCL football.
The Europa League is in United’s hands; they just have to finish strongly to achieve that, but the likes of Newcastle and West Ham will have a say about that. A win here over Burnley puts United firmly in the driving seat in the race to finish sixth.
How will Burnley line up? You don’t fix something that isn’t broken; only one defeat in the last five—a narrow 1-0 loss at Everton—shows the team is moving in the right direction. They do have three more games after this one at Old Trafford.
The Clarets will travel to Tottenham after hosting Newcastle, and the final day could be the biggest deal for them: the visit of Nottingham Forest to Turf Moor. Burnley must be brave against Manchester United; they cannot afford to make silly mistakes, and they will be severely punished.
Bruno Fernandes is the main man for United in recent games; he scored twice in the midweek success over Sheffield United and could be immense in this fixture to see out the Clarets. While a loss won’t be the end of Burnley, United must not drop points in the race for fifth.
UEFA coefficients currently don’t favor England; a fifth-place finish could still make it to the Champions League, but Aston Villa must win the Conference League to give England a chance. While waiting for future possibilities, United must do their business here, while a point would be a dream result for Burnley.