Manchester United defeated Burnley 2-0 at Turf Moor to keep their ambitions of a top-four finish very much alive.
Anthony Martial got the Red Devils off to a strong start with the opening goal after 21 minutes and Jose Mourinho's side doubled their lead before the break.
Veteran striker Wayne Rooney netted United's second moments before half time to create a deficit Burnley were unable to overturn.
Find out how all the action unfolded with our minute-by-minute text commentary below.
1.16pmGood afternoon and welcome to our live text coverage of the Premier League meeting between Burnley and Manchester United. We've plenty to discuss ahead of kickoff, but our first port of call is team news...
1.19pmBURNLEY XI: Heaton; Lowton, Keane, Mee, Ward; Boyd, Hendrick, Barton, Brady; Gray, Barnes
1.22pmUNITED XI: de Gea, Young, Bailly, Blind, Darmian; Fellaini, Herrera, Pogba, Lingard; Rooney, Martial
1.23pmThere are certainly a few surprises among that United lineup, not least the fact that Wayne Rooney has been handed his first start since 4 March. It's a 4-3-3 for Jose Mourinho's men, with Lingard and Martial partnering the veteran England international up top.
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1.27pmMourinho has made wholesale changes from his side's victory over Anderlecht in midweek, with only three players retaining their place in the team. The Red Devils are a little short of options at the back and have called upon Daley Blind to partner Eric Bailly in central defence.
1.30pmBENCH WATCH! In another suprise twist, Marcus Rashford is named among the substitutes today. He was widely expected to be given a chance to shine in the absence of the injured Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Joining him in the dugout is the promising young defender Axel Tuanzebe.
1.34pmOver to our hosts Burnley, and Sean Dyche has made just one change from last weekend's 3-1 defeat to Everton. It's an enforced one, with Andre Gray replacing hamstring-strain victim Sam Vokes in the attack.
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1.37pmBurnley line up in a 4-4-2 formation and will look to frustrate United today. Expect central midfield pair Barton and Hendrick to sit deep to help quell the triple-pronged threat posed by Rooney, Martial and Lingard.
1.40pmHere's a couple of stats to set the scene for today's encounter - Burnley are on course to retain their place in the Premier League thanks to an impressive record at Turf Moor this season. Their points haul of 32 after 16 home games is the best for a newly promoted side since Charlton Athletic in 2000-01. Meanwhile, United fans might be troubled by this piece of trivia...
1 - Manchester United have scored just once in their last four league games at Turf Moor (Lou Macari in April 1976). Restricted.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 23, 2017
1.43pmThe Red Devils are aiming to reverse their fortunes on this ground this afternoon and they have every reason to be upbeat about their prospects. Although Turf Moor has been a stronghold for the hosts, they head into the game off the back of just one win in 10 matches.
1.45pmAnd let's consider the unbeaten run United are on in the league - Mourinho's men haven't lost in 22 matches, which is just two shy of the Premier League record they set in the 2010-11 campaign.
1.49pmIt sounds like quite the feat on paper, doesn't it? But in reality United have been the division's draw specialists this term. One more stalemate for them would equal a club record set in 1998-99. Had they managed to turn a few of those draws into victories, the Red Devils would be well on course for a place in the Champions League. As it stands, they're four points away from the top four with a game in hand.
1.53pmPre-match comments from both camps coming up...
1.57pmSEAN DYCHE: "United's end of the market is different to ours, but they've been so dominant in so many games they probably should have won and haven't. They are a top side, you only have to look at the players they have, they are always going to be strong. On the day at Old Trafford in October, they were the best side we've played against this season."
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2.01pmMATTEO DARMIAN: "It's a good chance for us to put pressure on City. Burnley are a very tough team so we expect a difficult game."
2.02pmJOSE MOURINHO: "The key today is to score a goal. Playing at home we can create 20 chances, but we won't have that many here, so the key is to take them when they arise. We also have to defend really well against a team that doesn't care about style - they just want to put the ball in the box and do us damage in any way they can." (via MUTV)
2.06pmPREDICTION! I'm going with a Burnley shutout and another United draw today. Without Zlatan up front and the fact that fixture congestion is catching up with them, I think the Red Devils will struggle in front of goal and finish up on the end of a frustrating 0-0 scoreline.
2.10pmThere's less than five minutes to go until kickoff now and both sets of players have left to tunnel to be greeted by a packed-out Turf Moor. Stay tuned for minute-by-minute updates...
1 minKICKOFF! Burnley get the match underway, kicking from right to left in the first period.
2 minA long ball into the box from Ashley Young is easily claimed by Tom Heaton in the Burnley goal. It was a hopeful cross and never looked like it was going to find its way to a red shirt in the penalty area.
5 minBurnley press on the counter-attack as Joey Barton picks out Andre Gray with a through ball. The striker uses his strength and pace to try and exploit a gap in the United defence, but Matteo Darmian sticks a foot in and does enough to put his opponent off.
8 minJoey Barton has been pulling a few strings in the centre of the park today and his ball over the top just gave United something to think about. The Englishman's pass was well measured but Gray's positioning was off, causing the chance to go begging.
9 minCHANCES! Burnley claim the first shot on goal as Robbie Brady slices a volley wide from Ashley Barnes's flick-on. United break quickly in response and almost find a way through, with Anthony Martial squaring a pass to Wayne Rooney in front of goal. The England international attempts to guide the ball home, but a combination of Ben Mee and Tom Heaton keeps him out!
12 minCHANCE! United threaten from a corner, swung into the six-yard box by Young. Fellaini gets a firm header to it, but his effort lacks power and is gathered relatively comfortably by Heaton.
15 minGood passing play from the hosts sends United onto the back foot. Jeff Hendrick proves a handful and his dangerous ball towards the near post almost picks out Grey for a tap-in, but Daley Blind peddles back and puts it behind for a corner. Both sides have asked questions of the opposition in the early stages of this contest!
18 minGOOD BREAK! Both teams are looking for something on the counter this afternoon and United have just come close following a pacey break. Lingard gains possession in the Burnley half and covers an impressive amount of ground before squaring a pass to Rooney in the final third. It's unclear whether Rooney's ball towards the top corner was intended as a pass or a cross, but if it had dipped any lower, it may have caught out Heaton!
21 minGOAL! Burnley 0-1 Manchester United (Anthony Martial)
21 minUnited take the lead and it's Anthony Martial who claims the opener. The Red Devils launch another swift counter which comes about after the Frenchman dispossesses Barton in midfield and leaves him for dead. Martial exchanges passes with Herrera before placing a shot beyond Heaton to break the deadlock!
24 minUnited look like a different proposition without Ibrahimovic up front. They're playing fast, counter-attacking football with Martial and Lingard leading the charge - and it's proven hugely effective against Burnley.
27 minThis is why that Martial strike will have been hugely satisfying for the United camp. They peppered the Burnley goal with chances during the reverse fixture at Old Trafford, only to be held to a goalless draw.
43 - Man Utd have scored their first PL goal of the season against Burnley, with what was their 43rd shot against the Clarets. Peppered.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 23, 2017
29 minThere's a real battle going on in the centre of the park. Barton is up for it and so is Fellaini, with the United man looking like a prime candidate to pick up a card or two this afternoon. Burnley have looked dangerous on occasion, but are yet to trouble David De Gea between the United sticks.
30 minPENALTY CLAIM! Rooney screams for a pen after being bundled over in the box by Barton, and he may have a point. The replay shows that there was contact and the challenge was clumsy. A let-off for the hosts!
33 minMourinho has certainly helped Ander Herrera reach his creative potential. His assist this afternoon was his six of the season - as many as he provided in the last two campaigns combined.
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36 minBurnley have the chance to put some pressure on the United goal with a free kick, which Brady takes from around 40 yards out. His ball towards the back posts causes momentary panic in the box, but there's too much on it for the encroaching Mee to reach.
38 minThe hosts venture into the final third again as Gray cuts inside and sends a cross into the centre of the penalty box. De Gea is quick off his line to punch the cross clear and out for a throw.
39 minGOAL! Burnley 0-2 Manchester United (Wayne Rooney)
39 minUnited double their lead through Wayne Rooney following visionary play from Paul Pogba. The Frenchman manages to squeeze a through-ball to Martial in the Burnley box, but the striker's initial effort is parried by Heaton. Rooney latches onto the rebound and toe-pokes it over the line, despite Ward's best attempt at a last-ditch clearance.
41 minCHANCE! Burnley search for way back into the game and almost find one as Gray turns quickly on the edge of the box and pulls the trigger, his effort sailing just wide of De Gea's post.
45 minTwo minutes of stoppage time will be played.
45+2 minHALF TIME: Burnley 0-2 Manchester United
3.03pmUnited head into the break with a two-goal lead at Burnley and Jose Mourinho has plenty of positives to draw. Martial and Rooney did the damage, stepping up in the wake top scorer Ibrahimovic's absence.
3.04pmWe've seen a different United at Turf Moor this afternoon, with swift counters replacing aerial bombardment. It's worked a treat against a Burnley side with much the same gameplan. Sean Dyche's side have attempted to break on a number of occasions, only to be caught out by their opponents.
3.07pmThis could be a key result in the race for the top four and it puts pressure on United's fellow Champions League chasers Liverpool, who are in action against Crystal Palace later this afternoon. You can read our preview of that game here.
46 minRESTART! We're back underway at Turf Moor where Burnley have a mountain to climb against United.
47 minMartial is really laying down the law at the moment!
2 – Anthony Martial has both scored and assisted in a Premier League away game for the first time in his career. Reaction.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 23, 2017
50 minBurnley made a change at the break with James Tarkowski replacing Ben Mee. That's a like-for-like switch at the back and may have been enforced, rather than tactical.
52 minUnited have set out a tight stall in the second half. They're keeping their shape well and forcing Burnley to play sideways passes. The Clarets will need to get up in their faces if they want to get back into this one.
54 minSHOT! Good link-up play between Martial and Pogba helps the latter find space to shoot from the edge of the box. His effort takes a deflection on its way towards the bottom corner but Heaton is equal to it, diving low to punch clear.
55 minUnited keep Burnley under the cosh as a Rooney corner gives them more pressure to soak up. The ball eventually finds its way to Herrera out wide, but his cross is headed clear by Keane and the danger is averted.
59 minUnable to find a way through the middle, Burnley are attempting to exploit the flanks now but United aren't giving them an inch. Sean Dyche looks like he's about to make a change...
62 minSUBSTITUTION: Burnley's second change of the afternoon sees George Boyd make way for Johann Berg Gudmundsson. Dyche has reshuffled the pack, moving Brady over to the left wing.
64 minThey haven't had a great deal to cheer about this afternoon, but their team's home performances this term means Premier League football is more than likely to be played at Turf Moor in 2017-18.
Today's attendance at Turf Moor is a season-high 21,870 (2,438).
— Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) April 23, 2017
Thank you for your support.#ClaretsLIVE
65 minBOOKING! The game's first yellow card goes to Matthew Lowton for a clumsy challenge on Wayne Rooney. He bundled the veteran striker over and can have no complaints about the referee's decision.
69 minIt's surprising how deep United have sat in the second period. They've allowed Burnley to play football and dared them to venture into the final third, soaking up everything the Clarets have thrown at them. No doubt the Red Devils are waiting for the opportunity to hit their hosts with another deadly counter.
71 minSUBSTITUTION: United made their first change a moment ago, throwing on Marcus Rashford for Jesse Lingard. This could be his chance to shine in the absence of Zlatan, although Mourinho's decision to start him on the bench raised a few eyebrows.
75 minSUBSTITUTION: Burnley's final roll of the dice results in youngester Dan Agyei replacing Ashley Barnes. He has 15 minutes plus stoppage time to make his mark on the game, with his side trailing 2-0, no less.
79 minBOOKING! Wayne Rooney is booked for dissent and Burnley win a free kick near the United area. The resulting cross is headed narrowly wide my Michael Keane, looping just shy of the top corner. Meanwhile, United throw on Mkhitaryan for Martial.
81 minBurnley need a goal, and they need it now in order to have anything to play for in the dying stages of this contest. As things stand at 2-0, United have maximum points all but wrapped up.
82 minIn all fairness to the hosts, they've attempted to take the game to United in the second period, but their lack of qualify up front has been all too apparent.
85 minIt's turning scrappy now and the Burnley fans make their frustration known as the referee blows for a foul on Paul Pogba. Play restarts but the ball ends up out for a Burnley throw.
89 minCHANCE! Pogba tanks his way through the Burnley defence and lets fly from the edge of the box, his effort sailing wide and hitting the advertising hoarding with a thump. Burnley midfielder Jeff Hendrick is booked for a foul during the build-up.
90 minThere will be four minutes of stoppage time to play at Turf Moor.
90+1 minAgyei unleashes a strike which fizzes wide of De Gea's post, and that's as close as Burnley have come in the closing stages.
90+4 minFULL TIME: Burnley 0-2 Manchester United
4.08pmAnd there we have it. Manchester United have won at Turf Moor for the first time since 1976 thanks to goals from Martial and Rooney, and it was comfortable in the end. That win moves them within a point of fourth-placed Manchester City, and guess who they play next?
4.10pmIt was an efficient performance that puts United in good stead for the Manchester derby - a must-win game for them given that City have a match in hand. As for Burnley, their haul of 36 points doesn't make them mathematically safe with four games left, but their home form throughout the campaign should ultimately keep them in the division.
4.13pmThat's all we have time for at Turf Moor but stick with Sports Mole for our continued coverage of the weekend's biggest football fixtures. Many thanks for reading!
