United win first game in four matches and move to eighth; Man City beat Forest and Everton thrash Brentford.
Erik ten Hag believes Manchester United’s 1-0 win at Burnley can prove to be a turning point in a troubled season as Bruno Fernandes’s stunning strike snapped a three-game losing streak for the English football club.
The United captain produced a match-winning moment of quality when he connected sweetly on the volley from Jonny Evans’s long lofted pass just before half-time at Turf Moor on Saturday.
Victory hauls the Red Devils up to eighth in the Premier League table and eases the mounting pressure on the manager.
“This is only one win but what we have seen is that there is togetherness and fight – a real good spirit in the dressing room,” said ten Hag.
United had lost three of their opening five games in the league and had just suffered a 4-3 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday. They were trying to avoid a fourth straight defeat for the first time since 2015.
“It was clear. Of course, we needed that win,” ten Hag said. “We had a tough run of games against good opponents. It wasn’t necessary to lose those games. Today was a must-win.”
Bruno 👏
— Rio Ferdinand (@rioferdy5) September 23, 2023
Elsewhere, it was another win for Manchester City and another goal for Erling Haaland.
However, a red card for Rodri in the reigning champions’ 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest has given Pep Guardiola another problem to solve.
The City manager is already having to contend with injuries to key players like Kevin de Bruyne, John Stones, Bernardo Silva and Mateo Kovacic. Now he must cope without Rodri, who will serve a suspension after being shown a red card for placing both of his hands around the neck of Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White.
Haaland’s goal in the 14th minute took him to eight in as many games for City this season. Phil Foden opened the scoring in the seventh.
Erling Haaland keeps on going 🤖
Since his @ManCity debut his record in all competitions is unmatched 🔵 pic.twitter.com/D3el1jncmY
— Premier League (@premierleague) September 23, 2023
It has taken six games but Everton picked up their first win of the season, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin sealing a 3-1 victory at Brentford.
After losing four of their opening five games this season, the Merseyside club moved out of the drop zone with Abdoulaye Doucoure, James Tarkowski and substitute Calvert-Lewin all on the scoresheet.
Newly promoted Luton bagged their first point in the Premier League after coming from behind to draw 1-1 with Wolverhampton. Carlton Morris’s 65th-minute penalty evened the score after Jean-Ricner Bellegarde opened the scoring five minutes after the break.
Crystal Palace and Fulham also shared the points in a 0-0 draw at Selhurst Park.
Saturday’s results
Burnley 0-1 Manchester United
Manchester City 2-0 Nottingham Forest
Crystal Palace 0-0 Fulham
Luton Town 1-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Brentford 1-3 Everton
What’s happening on Sunday?
Sunday’s lineup sees the North London derby between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur lead the 2pm kickoffs (13:00 GMT), along with Brighton vs Bournemouth, Chelsea vs Aston Villa and Liverpool vs West Ham United.
Sheffield United host Newcastle United in the last match of the weekend at 4.30pm (15:30 GMT).
