BURNLEY, England (AP) — Manchester United dropped out of the Premier League's top four as Jay Rodriguez’s 100th career league goal — and first in 50 games — earned last-place Burnley a 1-1 draw at Turf Moor on Tuesday.
United dominated the first half as Paul Pogba, making his first league start since his red card in the 5-0 loss to Liverpool in October, showed flashes of his brilliant best, including firing the visitors in front with 18 minutes gone.
United had the ball in the Burnley net three times in the first half but two of the goals were ruled out and the momentum shifted radically in the second half after Rodriguez equalized in the 47th minute.
Burnley even squandered chances to win the game, for what would have been just a second win all season, and manager Sean Dyche will see it as a hugely encouraging point, even if he knows his team must soon find a way to accumulate them in threes if they are to survive.
Newcastle’s win over Everton on Tuesday meant the gap to safety increased to four points.
United dropped to fifth and was overtaken by West Ham.
United manager Ralf Rangnick left Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench in favor of Edinson Cavani, and pointedly said the decision was made because of the need to chase down Burnley and battle for second balls.
Dyche had promised to make it awkward for the visitors but, on the night that Burnley celebrated its 5,000th professional league game, the hosts struggled to live up to it in the first half — allowing United too much time and space while gifting them possession.
The visitors had the ball in the net with 12 minutes gone, when Bruno Fernandes whipped in the ball for Raphael Varane to head in at the far post.
United celebrated what the players thought was a first goal from a set piece this season but referee Mike Dean was advised to check the pitch-side monitor. Though Varane was onside, the goal was eventually ruled out as a clearly offside Harry Maguire had barged into Rodriguez as the ball came in.
It was only a temporary reprieve for Burnley. Six minutes later, Pogba left no room for debate as he thumped the ball high into the net from Luke Shaw’s pull-back after Burnley had allowed Marcus Rashford far too much space down the left.
The ball was in Burnley’s net again moments later as Ashley Westwood inadvertently poked home Rashford’s low cross, but it was quickly ruled out for a foul by Pogba on Erik Pieters in the build-up.
Burnley was left exposed down the right time after time, but United could not capitalize as the best of the chances was headed straight at Nick Pope by Cavani.
Everything changed after the break. Burnley, whose last home league goal against United was in 2009, did not have a shot in the first half but needed only two minutes of the second to level.
New signing Wout Weghorst wriggled free of two defenders before turning and playing in Rodriguez, who held off Maguire before firing under David De Gea for his first league goal in 360 days.
The atmosphere changed and Weghorst brought a fine save out of De Gea with a powerful strike from 20 yards (meters) before Pieters flashed a volley narrowly wide from the resulting corner.
United’s problems continued as Rodriguez spun Maguire, who hauled him back and was grateful to see only a yellow card.
After seeing Connor Roberts blaze over another decent chance, Rangnick sent for Ronaldo in the 67th minute.
United slowly regained some initiative — Varane’s drag-back was blocked by Ben Mee in the 79th minute before Ronaldo headed over — but Burnley's players defended doggedly as they restored some faith after Saturday’s goalless draw with Watford.
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