Burnley’s brave fightback undone by a crushing VAR twist at the death

Burnley left Old Trafford empty-handed but not diminished after pushing Manchester United to the final seconds in a 3-2 defeat decided by a stoppage-time penalty. Scott Parker’s side equalised twice, threatened a third, and looked set to claim a point until a late VAR intervention transformed a shrug from the referee into the game’s decisive call.

It was a performance to respect, if not to cherish. United’s opener came via misfortune for captain Josh Cullen, and yet Burnley steadied themselves, carried the greater threat around their goals, and saw Lyle Foster and Jaidon Anthony restore parity in a helter-skelter second half before fate turned against them.

Settling the storm and finding a foothold

United surged out with the crowd at their back, pinning Burnley in for long spells. The breakthrough came when Casemiro’s header clattered the bar and bounced in off Cullen, the kind of ricochet that compounds a defender’s thankless shifts. Lesser teams would have sagged; Burnley recalibrated and slowly began to play on their terms.

As the contest matured, Parker’s players found better angles and tempo. Hannibal Mejbri’s late run into the area yielded a presentable chance that he fired over against his former club, a moment that signalled Burnley’s growing belief. The seeds were sown for a second-half surge that rattled Old Trafford.

Foster’s craft and Anthony’s industry turn the tide—twice

The equaliser was crafted with precision. Jacob Bruun Larsen whipped a teasing cross to the near post and Foster arrived on cue to jab past the goalkeeper. United’s response was immediate, but Burnley’s poise held; Foster briefly thought he had a second before a tight offside call denied him.

Soon after, Burnley levelled again through Anthony. A routine in front of the Stretford End was not cleared, Loum Tchaouna’s effort was parried by Altay Bayindir, and Anthony forced the loose ball over the line. It was a reward for persistence, a poacher’s strike in a game that had descended into breakneck exchanges where Burnley often looked the calmer side.

The call that cut deepest

Deep into added time came the moment that defined everything. Amad Diallo burst for the penalty area with Anthony in chase; there was a shirt pull that began outside the box but continued as the United forward entered it. Referee Sam Barrott initially dismissed the appeals before VAR Stuart Attwell suggested a review.

After a four-minute delay, Barrott overturned himself and pointed to the spot. Fernandes converted to the bottom corner and Old Trafford erupted, while Burnley were left to swallow a reversal that felt even harsher for the wait. The sequence turned Anthony’s afternoon from acclaim to anguish in a heartbeat.

Positives to bank despite the sting

Beyond the final twist, there was much to admire in claret. Cullen’s leadership belied the own goal on his ledger. Foster’s movement and Bruun Larsen’s delivery repeatedly asked questions, and Hannibal took up dangerous positions. Around both goals, Burnley were the more composed side, forcing mistakes and pouncing on uncertainty.

Parker will be devastated by the result but encouraged by the response to early pressure and the team’s capacity to shake Old Trafford. If the conclusion was brutal, the performance level was one to carry forward—resilient, organised, and threatening. On another day, the late check goes the other way and Burnley travel home with the point they earned.