How Manchester United needed this victory. It derived from one of their games in hand and moves them to 31 points, four behind Arsenal in the final Champions League berth, and was as emphatic as any display so far under Ralf Rangnick.
This does not mean, however, that all is tickety-boo with their play. The win came against a Burnley side who, due to four matches being postponed because of Covid, last played on 12 December and whose sole league victory, over Brentford, came on 30 October. Still absent is an overriding structure that can allow United to govern a game. Under Rangnick, they remain a side of moments: tonight it was enough to claim the three points but this lack of continuity should trouble their caretaker manager, who pointed afterwards to shakiness without the ball.
