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Football Insider

Manchester United's Interim Coach Highlights Controversial Incident in Draw with Burnley

Darren Fletcher, in his first game as interim boss of Manchester United, expressed his surprise that Kyle Walker wasn't sent off for stamping on Patrick Dorgu during the 2-2 draw with Burnley. Read on to learn more about the controversial incident and Fletcher's take on VAR's role in the match.

Manchester United's Interim Coach Highlights Controversial Incident in Draw with Burnley

Darren Fletcher was left bemused that Kyle Walker wasn't sent off for stamping on Patrick Dorgu during Manchester United's 2-2 draw with Burnley in midweek. Fletcher oversaw his first game as interim boss following Ruben Amorim's sacking on Monday as United failed to come away from Turf Moor with all the spoils. And after the midweek stalemate, the Scot was surprised Walker didn't see red.United fell behind to an Ayden Heaven own goal at Turf Moor on Wednesday night as they went in at the break 1-0 down to the relegation-threatened Clarets. However, the Manchester powerhouse turned the game on its head after the break after Benjamin Sesko scored twice in the space of 10 minutes to put United in front.Their lead lasted just six minutes as Jaidon Anthony restored parity midway through the second half as the spoils were shared in an eventual 2-2 draw at Burnley. The result means United are unbeaten in four, though they are now winless in three and have won only three of their last 12 games.Fletcher, though, felt that Burnley right-back Walker should have received his marching orders for a first half stamp on Dorgu. The former Manchester City man trod on Dorgu's leg as he lay on the floor partially covering the ball, but referee Stuart Attwell took no action and VAR decided not to intervene.And the interim United boss took aim at VAR, having compared Walker's stamp for Lisandro Martinez's disallowed goal after the Argentine was adjudged to have fouled the English defender at a corner.When asked if Walker was fortunate that Dorgu didn't make more of the stamp, Fletcher said: "So like Kyle Walker did when Licha didn't touch him? Yeah. That's sort of the territory we're getting into, but Patrick's such an honest guy, he's never going to do that."It didn't look great from Kyle Walker's point of view, but I like Kyle and I know him as a person, so I hope the intent was to get the ball. Patrick thought the intention at the time was Kyle tried to get the ball and made contact with him, so that was his understanding of the incident in the moment."For me personally, I think VAR should have looked at it. They looked at the goal disallowed, which was ridiculous, so they should have been looking at that for me."And, as you say, if they don't, you're just going to encourage players making massive dramas out of things and being theatrical, which is what we don't want in the game."I don't want that from my players. I'd strive my players not to do it. But them two situations probably were massive influences on the game the other night, so it shows you how influential it can be."Looking for smarter football bets? Get expert previews, data-driven predictions & winning insights with GOAL Tips on Telegram. Join our growing community now!Sesko scored his third and fourth league goals of the season against Burnley in midweek, and Fletcher was full of praise for the Slovenian striker following his brace in the stalemate with the Clarets."I was so happy for him. I spoke to him yesterday and we presented a video showing his movement and showing his goals, just showing how it is coming and he needs to keep believing and the players need to get more service to him," Fletcher said of the former RB Leipzig striker."He did that tonight and scored two great goals. A real positive night for Ben. The team is disappointed with a point but in terms of a personal level hopefully he can kick on from that now."Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reportingFletcher will continue to take interim charge of United for Sunday's fourth round FA Cup tie with Brighton despite reports of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer returning to the Old Trafford helm.United's next league game, meanwhile, is the Manchester Derby as Fletcher's side look to throw a spanner in the works of their rivals' title pursuit.

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A Controversial Incident at Turf Moor

During Manchester United's recent 2-2 draw with Burnley, interim coach Darren Fletcher was left bewildered by an incident involving Kyle Walker and Patrick Dorgu. Walker's challenge on Dorgu went unpunished despite appearing to be a potential red card offense. Fletcher criticized the lack of intervention by VAR, citing the inconsistency in decision-making.

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Sparks Fly in Second Half

After falling behind to an own goal in the first half, Manchester United mounted a comeback with Benjamin Sesko scoring twice to put them in the lead. However, Burnley equalized through Jaidon Anthony, resulting in a share of the points. Fletcher commended Sesko's performance, highlighting his two crucial goals in the match.

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VAR Controversy in the Spotlight

Fletcher took a swipe at VAR for not reviewing Walker's challenge on Dorgu, drawing parallels with a previous decision that went against United. The manager emphasized the importance of consistent officiating and expressed concerns about players resorting to theatrics to influence decisions. The impact of VAR decisions on the outcome of matches was a key point of discussion post-game.

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Looking Ahead

Despite the uncertainty surrounding the managerial position at Manchester United, Fletcher is set to remain in charge for the upcoming FA Cup clash with Brighton. The team faces the Manchester Derby in their next league fixture, where they aim to disrupt their rival's title aspirations. Sesko's standout performance against Burnley provides a positive outlook for United as they navigate through a challenging period.

Published on Jan 9, 2026