BURNLEY may have slipped to a third successive defeat but it was a cruel blow as they more than matched Manchester United.

Mason Greenwood's deflected effort - his second goal of the game - six minutes from time and a stoppage time strike from Edinson Cavani sealed victory for United after James Tarkowski had cancelled out Greenwood's opener.

It means the Clarets are six points above the drop zone with just six games remaining. Sean Dyche will be grateful that gap is not even smaller thanks to Arsenal's stoppage time equaliser against Fulham kept the Cottagers at arm's length.

Burnley almost made a dream start when Dean Henderson hared off his line to meet a floated ball forwards from Matt Lowton, only to be beaten in the air by Wood, who had strayed half a yard offside before heading into an empty net.

It was a huge let-off for United, who gradually gained the upper hand, with Paul Pogba, in the news this week for comments about former boss Jose Mourinho, having a header that seemed destined for the top corner but was finger tipped on to the outside of the post by Bailey Peacock-Farrell.

Wood continued to prove a thorn by forcing Henderson to save low after a quick Burnley counter-attack, while at the other end Bruno Fernandes curled wide and Peacock-Farrell palmed over Rashford’s strike from an acute angle.

Rashford went down in the area, seemingly anticipating contact from Peacock-Farrell that never came, as United’s appeals for a penalty were turned down while the England forward’s deft volley along the six-yard area just evaded a connection from the diving Greenwood.

United brought on Cavani at the start of the second half, necessitating a switch in flanks for Rashford, who had an immediate impact down United’s left with an assist for Greenwood’s third goal in three league games.

After collecting the ball from Luke Shaw, Rashford ghosted past Lowton and dribbled into the box before squaring for Fernandes, who allowed the ball to drift through his legs for an unmarked Greenwood to side foot first time beyond Peacock-Farrell.

Their lead lasted just 114 seconds, though, as Tarkowski shrugged off Aaron Wan-Bissaka before getting the better of United captain Harry Maguire in an aerial battle to head beyond Henderson from Ashley Westwood’s corner.

Henderson once again looked ill-at-ease from a long ball forward and clattered into Victor Lindelof after racing out of his area although United managed to clear their lines, while McNeil saw his effort bizarrely blocked by Burnley team-mate Brownhill.

Rashford seemed to get in a tangle and miscontrolled when he was put through but United hit the front again six minutes from time courtesy of Greenwood’s second goal.

There looked to be little impending danger when Greenwood had a speculative shot but the ball took a cruel deflection off Jack Cork, wrongfooting Peacock-Farrell, before sailing into the net.

Donny Van De Beek, who had replaced Rashford moments before Greenwood’s second of the afternoon, then unselfishly teed up Cavani in the third minute of added-on time for a tap in that ensured United would not be caught.