Manchester United begin life without Ruben Amorim against Burnley, with a midweek trip to Turf Moor representing an opportunity to lay the foundations for new beginnings.
One-time midfielder Darren Fletcher assumes interim control of the first team, looking to build upon a stellar reputation during his time spent within the academy.
Having enjoyed a relatively positive run of form since the turn of October (W6, D6, L2), another three points could propel United into the Champions League places ahead of an FA Cup weekend.
Although many supporters remain frustrated by the decision to part company with Amorim so early in his tenure, the players must remain focused on European qualification.
The Clarets are winless in their previous 11 outings and sit six points from Premier League safety. Still, the fickle nature of this division must never be taken for granted, regardless of form.
Manchester United Team News for Burnley trip
Injuries and international absences have presented problems in recent weeks, with a host of first-team names routinely unavailable for selection.
Amad, Noussair Mazraoui, and Bryan Mbeumo are embracing the knockout stages of the Africa Cup of Nations and are set to feature throughout the week in Morocco.
However, ahead of his debut bow in the hotseat, Fletcher provided a promising update regarding Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount.
“They [Bruno and Mount] should be back in the squad, but they’ll be on managed minutes as well, restricted minutes because obviously they’ve just returned to training,” the 41-year-old stated.
“That’s good news, especially the fact that they’ve been in good form. Mason Mount’s form has been fantastic, and we don’t have to speak about Bruno.
“He’s the captain, he’s the leader of the team, so to have them available for selection is great news for me and for the players and for the club and for the fans.”
Matthijs de Ligt, Harry Maguire, and Kobbie Mainoo remain sidelined due to separate setbacks, but the trio are continuing on their roads to recovery.
United have dictated a dominant domestic record against Burnley, last losing a league outing in January 2020.
Building on this, you must travel back 20 fixtures and nearly as many years for the last time the Reds endured defeat at Turf Moor, a 1-0 loss in 2009.
Still, as previously mentioned, Premier League results are difficult to predict these days, and United required a 97th-minute penalty to seal three points at Old Trafford in August.
We often see the benefits of a managerial departure in the immediate aftermath, with one-time superstars finding their feet with ease.
The travelling contingent will hope Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha can spearhead a memorable season-ending run and begin converting some of the many chances created.
Predicted Manchester United starting XI: (4-2-3-1): Lammens; Dalot, Heaven, Martinez, Shaw; Casemiro, Ugarte; Fletcher, Zirkzee, Cunha; Sesko.
What Manchester United do you expect to see against Burnley? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or across our socials.
Photo by operations@newsimages.co.uk via depositphotos.com.
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