Preview: Manchester United vs. Burnley
Manchester United will be looking to book their spot in the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup when they welcome Championship leaders Burnley to Old Trafford on Wednesday night.
The Red Devils recorded a 4-2 victory over Aston Villa to advance to this stage of the competition, while Burnley have beaten both Shrewsbury Town and Crawley Town in this season’s tournament.
Man United have not been in competitive action since November 13, when they recorded a 2-1 victory over Fulham in the Premier League, with Alejandro Garnacho scoring the winner in the 93rd minute.
The result left the Red Devils in fifth spot in the Premier League table, three points behind fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur, with a game in hand on the North London club; Erik ten Hag’s side will be back in league action against Nottingham Forest on December 27, but their immediate focus is on the EFL Cup.
Man United recorded a 4-2 victory over Aston Villa in the last round of the competition, and they are bidding to win the EFL Cup for the fifth time in their history this season.
The 20-time English champions last lifted the trophy in 2017 by beating Southampton, and there is no question that Ten Hag will be taking this competition seriously, as he bids to deliver silverware in his first season.
The Red Devils recorded a 3-1 victory over Burnley when the two teams locked horns in the Premier League at Old Trafford last season, but the points were shared in a 1-1 draw at Turf Moor back in February.
Burnley resumed their campaign on December 11 against Queens Park Rangers, recording a 3-0 victory over the capital outfit, before running out 3-1 winners over Middlesbrough on Saturday.
Vincent Kompany’s side are top of the Championship, boasting 47 points from their opening 23 matches, which has left them six points clear of second-placed Sheffield United.
Burnley have had to win two matches to reach this stage of the EFL Cup, recording a 1-0 victory over Shrewsbury Town on August 23 before beating Crawley Town 3-1 last time out.
The League Cup is not a priority competition for the Clarets this season, with the team’s main focus being the Championship, as they bid to secure a return to the Premier League for the 2023-24 campaign.
Burnley have actually never won the League Cup, but they lifted the FA Cup in 1913-14, and a victory over Man United on Wednesday would certainly leave them full of confidence heading into the final eight.
Manchester United EFL Cup form:
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Manchester United form (all competitions):
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Burnley EFL Cup form:
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Burnley form (all competitions):
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We say: Manchester United 2-1 Burnley
Burnley will fancy their chances of causing an upset here considering that Man United will be missing a number of important players, and we are expecting a very close match. Ten Hag will still be able to send a high-quality XI onto the field, though, and we are backing the home side to secure a narrow win.