Premier League - Blake screamer stuns United

Eurosport - Thu, 20 Aug 10:06:00 2009

Burnley scored their first points of the new Premier League season with a famous 1-0 victory over champions Manchester United at Turf Moor.

Robbie Blake, Burnley v Manchester United, FOOTBALL - 0

Robbie Blake's stunning first-half volley was enough to hand Burnley their first win in the top flight for 33 years.

United, missing a number of first-choice defenders including Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, were out of sorts but can have only themselves to blame for defeat after Michael Carrick squandered the chance to equalise with a missed penalty just before the break.

But for all United's shortcomings - nervy at the back, far from commanding in midfield and largely toothless up front - the result proved Burnley will be a force to be reckoned with on home turf.

That said, United enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges - although that was hardly a surprise given the different footballing worlds the two sides have occupied in recent times.

Michael Owen was handed his first start in a United shirt, Alex Ferguson asking the striker to play up front alongside Wayne Rooney in a traditional 4-4-2 with Dimitar Berbatov left on the bench.

And it was Owen who nearly broke the deadlock after just two minutes. But his stab at Patrice Evra's near post cross did little to add weight to the clammer for him to return to the England set-up.

Owen did have the ball in the back of the net two minutes later, but his effort at the second time of asking, was disallowed for off-side.

After weathering the early storm, Owen Coyle's side began to come into the game and Blake stunned the champions with a barn-storming 19th minute volley which arrowed into the top right hand corner, leaving Ben Foster no chance at all, after Evra had failed to get enough distance on a clearing header.

It could easily have been their second of the night, as Martin Paterson had gone close just moments earlier, rounding Foster only to see his effort blocked by Edwin van der Sar's stand-in.

United did fashion chances to draw level before the break.

Owen was again guilty of a bad miss, this time with a totally mistimed header from Wes Brown's well-delivered cross, before Carrick was given a great opportunity to draw level with a penalty kick after Evra was upended by Blake in the box.

But Brian Jensen saved Carrick's spot kick, a big hand reaching out to frustrate United, not for the last time on the night.

The Danish keeper, announced as man of the match by the stadium announcer as time ran out, came to Burnley's rescue on several more occasions after the break.

Park Ji-Sung saw a shot pawed away on 67 minutes before Ryan Giggs was denied by the big Dane three minutes later, following a neat one-two with Rooney.

Substitute Antonio Valencia had earlier made a mess of a far post header and the pressure on Burnley's goal increased as the full-time whistle approached, but United never really looked like getting a later leveller.

Instead, celebrations were left to the home faithful, who were able to enjoy a famous night.

Mike Hytner / Eurosport

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  1. rafaforpope # 490 - “ stevie o GAY
    I have never heard­ one person come out­ with the word patsy as much as­ you. Have you made it up­ yourself or are you cornish,­ illiterate and constantly­ hungry.
    No offense to any­ cornish people meant.
    o gay,­ You are a bindipping manc­ idiot “

    It’s just to remind you how I used my ‘patsy’­ mates to take the blame and then went back to my­ £100,000 a week job. Does anyone know when they’re­ going to jail?? Then the waiter, club and fans blindly­ backed me up thus becoming patsies themselves hence the­ new name of my club Patsypool FC.
    If you look into it­ you’ll find Manchester United don’t behave in the same­ way.

    As I’ve said to you a few times before if rafa­ was pope we’d all be gay.

    From Stevie O Jay, on Fri 21 Aug 12:11AM

  2. Ref. comment 312 (Blackburn Rovers fan) on behalf of­ many Burnley fans thanks for your kind words, lets hope­ both of us are able to renew our rivalry on the pitch­ for many years to come and hopefully not as bitterly as­ in the past.

    From Ross H, on Thu 20 Aug 7:21PM

  3. fair do's to burnley , but for utd things are now­ coming to a head , no money 80 mill for ronny paid to­ the banks , players not good enough PARK good god how­ much longer is he goin to wear the red shirt, OWEN­ never a utd player , anderson what a let down blows­ cold more than hot, berbatov 32 mill of lazyness never­ will that kind of money be spent by utd again

    From anthony h, on Thu 20 Aug 7:03PM

  4. Congrats to Burnley.....Hope you boys do well this­ year.
    Fergie will sort us out. No fear.
    Oooh, I´ve­ created a poem look albeit without the right no of­ syallables.

    From harveysfilm, on Thu 20 Aug 6:04PM

  5. What a strike! I have not seen a better goal, it flew­ past the keeper like a rocket!

    From Only Human After All, on Thu 20 Aug 5:22PM

  6. M D Thats the point I was making, alot of pool fans­ getting ahead of themselves once again. I fully accept­ the defeat to Burnley fair play to them.

    From jpodacc, on Thu 20 Aug 5:18PM

  7. hahahahahahahahaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha­ what a shame manures!!!!

    From anfield_6061, on Thu 20 Aug 5:09PM

  8. OH MY GAWD....well ole coffee cake face SAF isnt­ worried yet lol wait until that ungrateful serb jumps­ ship to Barcelona....MANU are nothing more than paper­ tigers lol enjoy fourth place this year you douche bags­ ROFLMAO

    GUNNERS

    (((((((((((GUNNERS)))))))))))))
    ­ ­ ((((((((((((((((((((GUNNERS)))))))))))))))))))))

    From VictorS, on Thu 20 Aug 4:13PM

  9. jpodacc 'United generally start­ slow where as­ Pool generally start well and United then­ hit form­ after Xmas as pool falter. One home win­ against Stoke­ ha ha. You all know your talkin s.hite.­ Put your money­ on Spurs so ha ha' -- Come on..just admit the­ defeated..We do not know what going to happen this­ season..

    From M D, on Thu 20 Aug 3:36PM

  10. Adding to my comment (#339) SAF should've been more­ aggressive at getting the players he needed this year.­ If I were a player on an opposing team, I can't­ really say there's anyone I'm afraid of when it­ comes to them being on a break. Tevez and Ronaldo were­ serious attackers. Even if Tevez didn't score much­ (Mr. Benchwarmer), when he did hit the pitch he was­ always a big threat. CR7, no need to tell u about him.­ Point is there's no one on United like that right­ now. Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, hell even Tottenham­ to name a few just have a great balance of players.­ United has too many la-dee-da players who make me want­ to fall asleep. Defense is weak due to injuries.­ Rooney's played in Ronaldo's shadow so long and­ he needs to step up soon. Berbatov deserves a paycut.­ The midfield is good for getting carded. Were it not­ for the younger players in the wings - Macheda,­ Anderson, Welbeck and the twins, I'd be totally­ hopeless for United this year. Fingers crossed. *sigh*

    From the_rogue_unknown, on Thu 20 Aug 2:03PM

  11. coyle hadya in his wellies frergs 'n' popped ya­ star!!!!

    From nlwarburton, on Thu 20 Aug 1:54PM

  12. As a Clarets fan last nights result was beyond my­ dreams, One Swallow does not make a summer as the­ saying goes but what a giant springboard for the club.­ Andre Bikey p
    layed as if he had been with us for ages­ not 24 hours talk about a baptism of fire. Every player­ played his part to perfection and the fans were worth­ having an extra man. Finally and not least­ congratulations to a great manager in the making namely­ Owen Coyle.

    From Ross H, on Thu 20 Aug 1:10PM

  13. The bubble has burst get used to it you bitters.No­ money an aging squad and a drunken thug for a manager.

    From mark, on Thu 20 Aug 12:54PM

  14. HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA­ HA HA HA HA HA HA HA; hope there is more defeats to­ follow for the arrogant Manure. Almost as good as­ winning the lottery.

    From bobby, on Thu 20 Aug 12:53PM

  15. There is a big problem at Manhester United. Two­ players­ left who scored two much, and took their piece­ of the­ game very much. Owen was a good signing because­ he was­ free,he should definiately be given the­ chance,but only­ from the BENCH! Berba is a good­ striker,but I don't­ believe that Fergie­ couldn't realize that he simply­ not fit into the­ Utd squad,maybe also from the bench or­ some less­ important games. Wayne is a world class­ player, but it­ all rests on him and this situation is­ too much­ pressure for him. At least one world class­ forward­ must be signed!!!
    And as for the midfield, just­­ believe it, Nani will definiately step up and will­­ become a world class player in two or three years. But­­ till that, it's a shame that Ferguson deplores­ some­ money to bring in a world class winger who could­­ replace a bit of Ronny. It's hard to see­ what's­ going on at Manchester United nowdays. City­ almost has­ a better squad...What a shame. PLEASE­­ MR.FERGUSON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!WAKE­­ UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    From keleti_karoly, on Thu 20 Aug 12:24PM

  16. Hahahahahahahahahahhaha!!!!!!!!!!!!MU losed.

    From Tham, on Thu 20 Aug 12:20PM

  17. Hi ChrisF

    Your TEAM are average at best. Struggle at­ home to Birmingham then looooooose to­ Burnley!!!!!!!!!

    What a wonderful day today­ is!!!!

    There are 2 scousers up front for United thay­ should be signing on after the first 2­ games!!!!!

    Teeeeee Heeeeeeee

    YNWA

    From cgrundy61, on Thu 20 Aug 12:10PM

  18. Some of the Pool fans on here really dont have a clue­ about football asanshe, alfred, bryan etc. Have ye not­ seen how the premier league normally pans out?­ Obviously not! United are going for 4 in a row and have­ never finished out of the top 3! Ronaldo is a huge loss­ but we'll get over it like we always do. Pool's­ best is two second places ha ha. United generally start­ slow where as Pool generally start well and United then­ hit form after Xmas as pool falter. One home win­ against Stoke ha ha. You all know your talkin s.hite.­ Put your money on Spurs so ha ha

    From jpodacc, on Thu 20 Aug 11:49AM

  19. george best,bobby charlton,eric cantona,bryan­ robson,matt busby,gary bailey-your boys took a helluva­ beating!!!

    From Frank N, on Thu 20 Aug 11:35AM

  20. Struggle to a jammy home win against B'ham then­ lose away to Burnley!! Ha ha!! Old whiskey breath­ must've fixed the opening fixtures as he­ couldn't have had an easier couple of games to­ start the new season with. But happily, the scum have­ looked very very ordinary now their one man team is­ playing in Spain! They think it's all­ over......Manure's streaky run certainly is now!

    From Bryan, on Thu 20 Aug 11:34AM
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