Burnley Vs Manchester United [2–2] – Premier League 2025/2026: The First Steps Of The Post-Rúben Amorim Era – Tactical Analysis

Burnley hosted Manchester United in Gameweek 21 of the 2025/2026 Premier League season, and the match ended with an entertaining 2-2 draw that does not serve the Red Devils that much.

Manchester United’s sudden change of head coach and appointment of Darren Fletcher as an interim coach suggests that a lot of things are changing or will be changed during the coming games from a tactical perspective.

One of the striking changes of Fletcher was getting back to a back-four formation following Rúben Amorim’s use of the 3-4-3 formation for a long period.

For now, Manchester United are moving away from where they want to be in the league, but at the same time, they are only three points behind fourth.

Therefore, the season is not yet a complete failure, and the club needs to make the right decisions to keep the team in the race for that space and avoid unnecessary confusion for the players, which could lead to further points lost.

In this tactical analysis, the aim will be to examine Fletcher’s tactical changes and choices, identify which changes should be adopted in the future, and explain how Manchester United can build on this new start to become a more powerful team than in the previous period.

Burnley Vs Manchester United Lineups & Formations

Scott Parker preferred to start the match in a 3-4-2-1 formation, with Martin Dúbravka as goalkeeper and a defensive line of Josh Laurent, Maxime Estève, and Bashir Humphreys as centre-backs.

The midfield was composed of Lesley Ugochukwu and Florentino Luís as central midfielders, with Kyle Walker and Lucas Pires as wing-backs.

In attack, Hannibal Mejbri and Marcus Edwards were the two wingers and sometimes advanced playmakers, with Armando Broja as the main striker.

On the other hand, Fletcher started the match in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Senne Lammens as the goalkeeper and a defensive line of Lisandro Martínez, Ayden Heaven as centre-backs, Luke Shaw as left-back, and Diogo Dalot as right-back.

The midfield featured Manuel Ugarte and Casemiro as central midfielders, with Patrick Dorgu and Matheus Cunha as wingers, Bruno Fernandes as the advanced playmaker, and Benjamin Šeško as the team’s striker.

Manchester United Potential Tactical Changes For A Better Future

Fletcher made the wise choice of putting players in their natural positions, such as using Dorgu on the left wing and Cunha on the right wing, with Fernandes being the advanced playmaker behind Šeško.

This clearly helped Manchester United attack with clearer ideas and smoother ball progression, as it has enabled them to find different solutions, whether from the wings or the middle.