Match ends, Sheffield United 1, Burnley 4.
Burnley gave their Premier League survival hopes a huge boost with a vital victory to push bottom side Sheffield United further towards relegation.
A must-win game for both sides went the way of Vincent Kompany's men as clinical finishing allowed them to move just three points off safety, while Chris Wilder's side are now 10 points adrift.
The Clarets were second best for much of the first half with Arijanet Muric making crucial saves to keep his side in the contest, before they scored twice in the space of three minutes.
On-loan Jacob Bruun Larsen broke the deadlock on 38 minutes when his scuffed volley took a deflection and wrong-footed goalkeeper Ivo Grbic to dribble in at the near post.
In the next attack Burnley doubled their advantage courtesy of full-back Lorenz Assignon weaving through and poking home via Grbic's outstretched leg and the crossbar.
Muric made an outstanding save to deny James McAtee's strike which was bound for the top corner, but he could do nothing about Gustavo Hamer cutting inside and curling in a sumptuous finish to give Sheffield United hope.
But the visitors restored their two-goal advantage following Lyle Foster's tidy, first-time finish from Assignon's cross and substitute Johann Berg Gudmundsson added a delightful fourth for a thumping triumph.
- 'I have to believe in my players' - Kompany on survival hopes
- How did you rate Sheff Utd's performance? Have your say here
- What did you make of Burnley's display? Send us your views here
A tale of two keepers
Burnley won the reverse fixture 5-0 in December, spelling the end of Paul Heckingbottom's tenure as Sheffield United manager, and this damaging defeat looks close to being their top-flight demise.
Both sides came up from the Championship last season and Kompany called the jump into the Premier League the "biggest in world football" but his team have given themselves a fighting chance to preserving their status with four games remaining.
This was just their second win in the past 16 league games and they will be watching Sunday's game at Goodison Park closely, as an Everton win will allow Burnley to remain in touch with 17th-placed Nottingham Forest.
But it could have been such a different story at Bramall Lane had the hosts not come up against an inspired Muric, who made amends after costly errors in the past two games against Brighton and the Toffees.
The Kosovo international stayed big to make a crucial stop to deny Oli McBurnie from close range early on and he made a fingertip stop from the home striker's thumping drive.
The Burnley stopper also denied Brereton Diaz on a number of occasions, a header, a one-on-one effort and a low drive towards the near post.
Sheffield United missed their chances and were made to pay - Grbic did not cover himself in glory as he was slow to react to Larsen's goal and Assignon's shot bobbled in but he could do nothing about cool finishes from Foster and Gudmundsson.
The away side should have made it an even more handsome scoreline but Josh Brownhill's lofted effort from long range sailed wide while Gudmundsson smacked the post with a well-struck volley.
Player of the match
CullenJosh Cullen
Sheffield United
Avg
- Squad number8Player nameHamerAverage rating
5.00
- Squad number11Player nameBreretonAverage rating
4.57
- Squad number24Player nameArblasterAverage rating
4.36
- Squad number9Player nameMcBurnieAverage rating
4.15
- Squad number28Player nameMcAteeAverage rating
4.11
- Squad number20Player nameBogleAverage rating
4.01
- Squad number23Player nameOsbornAverage rating
3.75
- Squad number15Player nameAhmedhodzicAverage rating
3.61
- Squad number13Player nameGrbicAverage rating
3.58
- Squad number10Player nameArcherAverage rating
3.54
- Squad number5Player nameTrustyAverage rating
3.52
- Squad number21Player nameVinicius SouzaAverage rating
3.34
- Squad number35Player nameBrooksAverage rating
3.28
- Squad number16Player nameNorwoodAverage rating
2.77
Burnley
Avg
- Squad number24Player nameCullenAverage rating
8.95
- Squad number7Player nameGudmundssonAverage rating
8.51
- Squad number8Player nameBrownhillAverage rating
7.96
- Squad number34Player nameBruun LarsenAverage rating
7.68
- Squad number17Player nameFosterAverage rating
7.60
- Squad number16Player nameBergeAverage rating
7.58
- Squad number23Player nameFofanaAverage rating
7.55
- Squad number2Player nameO'SheaAverage rating
7.48
- Squad number33Player nameEsteveAverage rating
7.46
- Squad number20Player nameAssignonAverage rating
7.43
- Squad number3Player nameTaylorAverage rating
7.37
- Squad number25Player nameAmdouniAverage rating
7.35
- Squad number47Player nameOdobertAverage rating
7.33
- Squad number49Player nameMuricAverage rating
7.28
- Squad number22Player nameVitinhoAverage rating
7.25
Line-ups
Sheff Utd
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 13Grbic
- 20Bogle
- 15Ahmedhodzic
- 5Trusty
- 23OsbornBooked at 76mins
- 21de Souza CostaSubstituted forArcherat 68'minutes
- 24Arblaster
- 28McAtee
- 8HamerSubstituted forNorwoodat 78'minutes
- 11Brereton
- 9McBurnieSubstituted forBrooksat 78'minutes
Substitutes
- 10Archer
- 16Norwood
- 18Foderingham
- 25Ben Slimane
- 27Larouci
- 29Curtis
- 30Holgate
- 32Osula
- 35Brooks
Burnley
Formation 4-4-2
- 49Muric
- 20Assignon
- 2O'Shea
- 33Esteve
- 3Taylor
- 22da SilvaSubstituted forGudmundssonat 70'minutes
- 24Cullen
- 16Berge
- 34Bruun LarsenSubstituted forBrownhillat 59'minutes
- 17FosterSubstituted forFofanaat 84'minutes
- 47OdobertSubstituted forAmdouniat 85'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Trafford
- 7Gudmundsson
- 8Brownhill
- 9Rodríguez
- 10Manuel
- 18Ekdal
- 23Fofana
- 25Amdouni
- 31Trésor
- Referee:
- Andy Madley
- Attendance:
- 28,964
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home49%
- Away51%
- Shots
- Home18
- Away16
- Shots on Target
- Home11
- Away9
- Corners
- Home11
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home10
- Away9
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Sheffield United 1, Burnley 4.
Post update
Foul by Jóhann Gudmundsson (Burnley).
Post update
Andre Brooks (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt missed. James McAtee (Sheffield United) left footed shot from outside the box is too high following a corner.
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Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Lorenz Assignon.
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Attempt saved. Jóhann Gudmundsson (Burnley) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
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Zeki Amdouni (Burnley) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Andre Brooks (Sheffield United).
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Offside, Sheffield United. Cameron Archer is caught offside.
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Attempt missed. Jayden Bogle (Sheffield United) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Oliver Norwood following a corner.
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Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Dara O'Shea.
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Attempt saved. Jayden Bogle (Sheffield United) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Anel Ahmedhodzic.
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Jóhann Gudmundsson (Burnley) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Andre Brooks (Sheffield United).
Substitution
Substitution, Burnley. Zeki Amdouni replaces Wilson Odobert.
Substitution
Substitution, Burnley. David Datro Fofana replaces Lyle Foster because of an injury.
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Post update
Delay in match because of an injury Lyle Foster (Burnley).
Post update
Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Charlie Taylor.
Comments
Join the conversation
From a Forest fan desperate for a win tomorrow.
No defence, no attack, only a little in midfield, no passion, no fight, no idea, disgraceful .
You won’t have another game anywhere near so easy this season.
We’re down and tbf, you’re probably joining us.