Manchester United vs Burnley, 5 Key Talking Points

Score: Manchester United 2-2 Burnley

Scorers: Jesse Lingard 54', 91'; Ashley Barnes 3', Steven Defour 35'

Manchester United overhauled a two-goal first-half deficit by throwing themselves forward and giving it their all against a typically stubborn Burnley side but have slipped further and further from their rampaging 'noisy neighbours'

Here are the five main talking points from a rather intriguing match:

---

#5 Manchester United's build-up play is too static, too often

Zlatan Ibrahimovic was a shadow of his old self against Burnley

When you look at the two Manchester sides, the difference when the ball moves forward could not be starker. While City are a constant whir of motion, midfielders milling about, forwards pulling defences hither and thither - United at times are almost statuesque.

In the first half against the Clarets, everyone in red seemed to just hold their position and wait for someone else to do something more ambitious... and there's only so much one Paul Pogba can do.

When United are playing well - like they were in the beginning of the season, and even against Arsenal - this isn't a problem, and they showed glimpses of their best when Jesse Lingard and Henrikh Mkhitaryan came onto the pitch but Mourinho - and United - need to start working on their attacking blue-print urgently if they are to hope to cling on to 2nd place this season.

At the moment, it's simply too static, too one-dimensional, and too easy to contain.

#4 Burnley's set-piece prowess to the fore as they respond to Spurs humiliation

Steven Defour stands and admires his excellent handiwork

After getting whipped by Tottenham Hotspur at home, many suspected Burnley's early season momentum had run out of fuel, but they couldn't have been more wrong.

While it was their set-piece expertise that gave them the lead in the first half - the first a tap-in for Ashley Barnes after Johann Berg Gudmundsson's delivery caused all sorts of hell to break out in United's six-yard box, the second a sublime Steven Defour freekick from twenty-five yards... the kind that David Beckham used to whip into the top-corner time and again on this ground - they also looked good off the ball and in possession of it, the latter especially true in the first half when they showed more attacking intent.

While they did concede two goals to Jesse Lingard's astute finishing, they weren't all that troubled by the wave after wave of United attacks that broke on them, with Ben Mee and Kevin Long especially showing what makes Burnley's defence so mean - and every one of their outfielders ran their socks off and made United's life as hard as possible.

#3 Romelu Lukaku should not be anywhere near set-pieces United defend

Romelu Lukaku isn't cutting a very happy figure these days

For a man the size of Gibraltar, Romelu Lukaku is unusually suspect at set-pieces he's defending. He was at fault for the two goals City scored in that vital derby, he almost gifted Arsenal a way back during that important win at the Emirates and his tentative prodding at the ball led to the ball bouncing to Ashley Barnes.

This is not to say Lukaku is not a wonderful player. He is, his movement off the ball at times is magnificent while his passing is a vastly underrated part of his game... and while he does not get enough chances he shouldn't be judged too harshly on not scoring on sporadic occasions.

But none of this means that he should escape criticism for his ridiculous defending of set-pieces. Lad's fast, Jose... keep him on the halfway line and let your defenders and midfielders sort out the balls into the box.

#2 Second place is anything but guaranteed for United; Europe still a hope for Burnley

Sean Dyche will have been the happier of the two managers despite his side throwing away a 2-goal lead

Forget chasing Manchester City and their now FIFTEEN point lead, Chelsea are a mere point behind United and everyone else behind will now smell blood. With competition so fierce for the Champions League spots, United need to string together a serious run of results if they are to relieve what might just be non-stop pressure on them in the second half of the season.

Burnley meanwhile, did ever so well to bounce back from the reverse against Tottenham and remain in contention for a Europa League spot... their propensity to go to top sides and get results - victory at Stamford Bridge, draws at Anfield and Old Trafford - is the biggest difference from the way they approached the league last season and this momentum should stand them in good stead as the second half of the season starts eating at every squad in the League

#1 Jesse Lingard is United's best forward at the moment

Jesse Lingard looks on as his hammer of shot arrows into the bottom corner

What are you going to read below is a ridiculous stat... ridiculous just because no one expected anything at all from Jesse "squad player in the team only because he is a local lad" Lingard.

He may have missed a gilt-edged opportunity tonight within moments of coming on, but he more than made up for it with two finishes of the highest class - an audacious flick behind his leg and the other a toe-punt that was simply too powerful to stop - and since cementing his place in the squad earlier last month, he has been United's best player moving forward (I'm of course not including Paul Pogba - United's best player by far - in this) and it appears highly unlikely that he will ever not start in that no.10 role in a match of any consequence for United.