Source: SKY_Sports
Jensen save 'pure instinct'
Burnley goalkeeper Brian Jensen has revealed he was going on pure instinct when facing Michael Carrick's penalty on Wednesday night.
The hosts were holding on to a one-goal lead when Patrice Evra was brought down in the box and the referee pointed to the spot.
Summer departure Cristiano Ronaldo has been the primary spot-kick taker for Manchester United in recent years and it was Carrick who stepped up against the Clarets in his absence.
Jensen admitted that he did not have a particular plan in mind when the United midfielder tried to level the scores from 12 yards out.
"I was completely in the dark," he said. "Cristiano Ronaldo has taken penalties for Manchester United so often that I didn't have a clue what Carrick was going to do.
"You can talk about mind games as much as you like but in the end it came down to pure instinct. There was no key to it, that's for sure."
Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney may have seemed more likely candidates to take the penalty but Carrick was ultimately given the responsibility.
The Danish keeper admitted that he was slightly surprised not to be facing one of the strikers, but insisted the Red Devils' depth of quality meant they had many potential takers.
"Rooney and Owen both could have taken it I suppose. Mind you, when I looked in the programme and saw Rooney was the star man, I thought it should be the star men really," Jensen added.
"They are a quality side. One result does not change that."
Despite the penalty save being a purely instinctive stop, Jensen believes that sticking to a pre-determined gameplan was crucial to securing victory over the champions.
United predictably piled on the pressure after going a goal down, but their opponents flooded the middle of the park, forcing the visitors to shoot from wide angles.
"Was I surprised they tried to put us under pressure? Not at all. They are the best team in the world. I expected it," Jensen said.
"But what we tried to do was squeeze them down the middle which meant they had to go wide to shoot.
"That gave me more chance to make the saves, so I have to praise the whole back four for standing up to the best team in the world."
