Manchester United roll back the years to beat Burnley with throwback 4-4-2 formation

Scott McTominay inspired Manchester United to a 3-1 win over Burnley at home, with Ralf Rangnick remaining unbeaten since taking charge.

Rangnick made six changes to the side which laboured to a 1-1 draw with Newcastle on Monday - including dropping Marcus Rashford, Fred, Alex Telles and Diogo Dalot, and reverting to a 4-4-2 formation of the Sir Alex Ferguson era.

It was McTominay who thrived the most, playing further forward and he opened the scoring with a fine first-time finish from outside the box.

Sean Dyche's side spurned a couple of good opportunities to score and they were duly punished when Jadon Sancho ran into the box and his shot took a deflection off Ben Mee and nestled in the bottom corner.

And United looked to have the game wrapped up when McTominay's first-time strike was brilliantly saved onto the bar by the recalled Wayne Hennessey, with Cristiano Ronaldo knocking the rebound into an empty net, making up for his earlier missed chances.

But the visitors scored soon after, capitalising on an error from Eric Bailly with Aaron Lennon stroking the ball into the bottom corner.

Both sides created fewer chances in the second half with Mee sending a header over from a corner and Mason Greenwood having a shot in the area saved.

There was an injury blow for the home side, with Bailly picking up a knock and being replaced by Raphael Varane.

The result sees Rangnick's side go level on points with West Ham who are fifth, while the Clarets end 2021 in the relegation zone.

McTominay seemed to benefit the most in a more advanced role and took his goal brilliantly, offering more in attack than Bruno and Rashford have done in recent weeks.

Greenwood also performed well with his directness on the flank.

And Rangnick's decision to recall Luke Shaw and Aaron Wan-Bissaka looked a correct one with the former looking closer to his best in the final third.

It was a marked improvement from the tepid displays against Norwich and Newcastle but nothing to get too carried away about given the Clarets' form. There also remains a concern defensively with Harry Maguire still looking below par.

Since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's departure, the Scot's performances have improved. In a 4-4-2 system and without the suspended Bruno Fernandes, he was brilliant going forward, hovering on the edge of the box and always looked a threat from long range. And with Nemanja Matic, who is far more solid in possession than Fred, he was given the licence to burst forward and linked well with Ronaldo.

MAN UTD: De Gea 5, Wan-Bissaka 7, Bailly 5, Maguire 5, Shaw 8, Matic 6, McTominay 9*, Greenwood 7, Sancho 7, Cavani 7, Ronaldo 7. Subs: Varane 5, Dalot n/a.

BURNLEY: Hennessey 6, Lowton 6, Tarkowski 6, Mee 6, Taylor 5, Gudmundsson 5, Cork 5, Westwood 6, McNeil 6, Lennon 8, Wood 6. Subs: Stephens 5, Vydra n/a, Pieters n/a.

8'- GOAL FOR UNITED! McTominay's first-time shot from the edge of the box flies into the bottom corner, he nipped in just ahead of Ronaldo.

27' - OWN GOAL! Shaw finds Sancho who jinks and guides the ball into the bottom corner via a deflection off Mee.

35' - GOAL FOR UNITED! - McTominay's first-time strike is brilliantly saved onto the bar and Ronaldo taps in the rebound.

38' - GOAL FOR BURNLEY! Mistake from Bailly, Wood feeds Lennon who bursts towards the box and rolls it into the bottom corner.

With a goal and assist against Burnley, Cristiano Ronaldo has registered double figures for goal involvements in each of his last 17 league seasons, scoring eight goals and assisting three more so far this campaign.