Two goals from Romelu Lukaku have fired Manchester United back to winning ways on Sunday courtesy of a 2-0 victory over Burnley at Turf Moor.
The Belgian registered his first Premier League brace since his United debut at the start of last season in the first half, opening the scoring shortly before the half-hour mark and adding a second right at the end of the half.
Burnley avoided further damage when Paul Pogba saw his penalty saved by Joe Hart, and they were handed a potential lifeline moments later as Marcus Rashford was shown a straight red card following a clash with Phil Bardsley.
However, the lacklustre Clarets could not build on their numerical advantage and remain winless this season, with United deservedly avoiding a third straight defeat.
Jesse Lingard was the main protagonist in the opening exchanges, though, and he saw one looping effort clawed away by Hart before getting a 25-yard effort all wrong in the 10th minute.
Burnley did eventually begin to settle into the game and stem the tide of United chances, but the opening goal arrived when the hosts were enjoying their best spell of the game in possession.
It was their uncharacteristic lack of intensity which was the main issue for Sean Dyche’s side, though, and that was typified by Lukaku’s first goal when Sanchez was allowed the space to pick out a pinpoint cross to the back post, where Lukaku powered his header past Hart having peeled away from his marker.
The Belgian should have had a second less than 10 minutes later when he played a one-two with Sanchez on his way into the box, but Hart was quickly out to thwart the striker as he tried to lift his finish over the onrushing keeper.
Lukaku would not have to wait too much longer to double his personal tally, though, putting his side in complete control right on the stroke of half time when he reacted quickest to a loose ball and swept his finish past Hart.
Dyche sent his players out early for the second half following a disappointing display in the opening 45 minutes, but little changed after the interval and some more lax defending almost gifted Sanchez a goal until James Tarkowski recovered to make an important challenge.
Sanchez had another sight of goal shortly before the hour mark when he slipped while making contact with the ball, and the sum of Burnley’s response was a wayward header from Chris Wood while under pressure from Chris Smalling.
