With a combined seven victories between them in the PL this season, this clash was never likely to be billed as a thriller.
The fastest goal of the campaign so far arrived in the reverse fixture when Jay Rodriguez netted inside 16 seconds, and it was Sheffield United’s turn to go on the offensive from the offset today, but Arijanet Muric was equal to Oli McBurnie’s early strike.
Burnley’s Kosovan stopper was soon forced into action again shortly after, producing another impressive stop to deny former Blackburn Rovers man Ben Brereton Diaz at his near post.
The Blades were left to rue those missed opportunities shortly before the break when the Clarets made them pay twice in double-quick time.
Both were in rather fortuitous circumstances – not that Burnley cared – with the first coming after Wilson Odobert’s deflected effort fell fortuitously to Jacob Bruun Larsen, whose volley was also deflected and squirmed home at Ivo Grbic’s near post.
The Sheffield United stopper was far more culpable for the second when his weak toe on the ball only helped Lorenz Assignon’s tame effort into the corner of the net.
Considering Burnley had dropped 24 points from winning positions prior to today, they were never likely to sit easy, and Muric bailed them out within five minutes of the restart when he tipped James McAtee’s top corner-bound effort away.
That was only a temporary reprieve though, as a matter of minutes later Muric was picking the ball out the back of his net when Gustavo Hamer curled beyond his desperate dive.
It didn’t take too long for the visitors to restore their two-goal cushion though, with Assignon again involved, weaving into the area and laying the ball on a plate for Lyle Foster to sweep home his first goal of 2024.
Everything just seemed to be falling into place for Burnley today, and when Johann Berg Gudmundsson scored within 30 seconds of his introduction off the bench, Bramall Lane began to empty.
The Icelandic international could’ve doubled his tally moments later when his volley crashed back off the post, but that was immaterial to the result, as Kompany’s side secured three points on a weekend where Luton Town lost and Everton and Nottingham Forest play each other, placing Burnley eyes firmly on Goodison Park tomorrow.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Lorenz Assignon (Burnley)
