BURNLEY ended 2019 with defeat at home to Manchester United.

The Clarets came away empty handed after Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford scored at the end of each half.

After a frustrating first half there were definite improvements in the second but it was a similar story to recent games for the Clarets, who mustered one shot on target having failed to register a single one in their 1-0 defeat at Everton on Boxing Day.

Their win by the same scoreline at Bournemouth prior to that had come through their only effort on target, Jay Rodriguez’s late header at the Vitality Stadium.

In all, the Clarets have scored three times in their last seven games, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side keeping their first clean sheet in 15 Premier League games at Turf Moor on Saturday night.

Sean Dyche’s side have not beaten United since 2009 and never looked likely to spring a surprise on Saturday, Martial scoring a minute before the interval after Charlie Taylor flapped under pressure, two days after Dwight McNeil’s error had proved costly at Goodison Park.

Phil Bardsley forced David De Gea into a fine save after the break, but the Clarets saw any hope of salvaging something from the game come to an end when Rashford turned home in the fifth minute of stoppage time.

Dyche had made two changes from the Toffees reverse, Jeff Hendrick, having served his one-game ban, and Ashley Barnes back place of Robbie Brady and Jay Rodriguez.

The returning Barnes' wayward effort late in the opening period was the best they could muster before the break, although Jack Cork nearly met a James Tarkowski header across goal midway through the first half.

United broke from that opportunity and Rashford hit the outside of a post, with the in-form forward continuing to look confident as he took free-kicks and played with directness.

Martial was not as sharp early on but grew into proceedings.

United youth graduate Bardsley cleared off the line as the Frenchman took aim from close range, with Brandon Williams nearly finding the striker as Burnley goalkeeper Nick Pope called for attention after turning an ankle. 

The England international was able to continue after several minutes of treatment, Joe Hart ready to come on at one point, but was soon picking the ball out of his net.

Martial was the scorer but Andreas Pereira's pressure on Taylor ultimately proved to be a turning point in the game.

The Brazil midfielder forced a mistake out of the full-back and played a fine ball in for the forward to tuck home with 44 minutes on the clock.

Martial found the net again within minutes of the second half starting, only for the goal to be ruled out by referee Mike Dean for his foul on Tarkowski.

Pope also denied the Frenchman with his feet, but Burnley were pushing higher up the field and had improved after their half-time pep talk.

The Clarets continued to battle, skipper Ben Mee and Taylor booked for fouls on Daniel James, but were showing few signs of life at the other end.

Bardsley went closest to an equaliser, with his fizzing strike bound for the bottom corner before De Gea's low save in the 69th minute.

Substitute Johann Berg Gudmundsson curled a free-kick over and Martial hesitated when it looked likely he would wrap up the game.

Burnley desperately pushed for a leveller and would be caught deep in stoppage time on the counter, with Rashford rounding Pope and prodding home from the floor in front of the travelling support.