Sheffield United 0-2 Burnley: Clarets land early promotion blow with near perfect away display

A ninth goal of the season from Josh Brownhill and a vicious Zian Flemming strike helped the Clarets on their way to a 2-0 Boxing Day win at Bramall Lane.

In doing so, Scott Parker’s side now sit just one point adrift of the Blades at the midway point in the season.

It was a thoroughly deserved three points from the visitors, who were once again superb defensively - keeping a 14th clean sheet of the season - while showing a clinical edge in front of goal at the other end of the pitch.

Burnley managed the occasion so well, especially in the second-half after doubling their lead shortly after half-time. The first-half, by comparison, was a tight, cagey affair, edged by Brownhill’s header just before the interval.

A nervy second-half looked to be in store but it was anything but after Flemming’s fierce volley into the top corner just eight minutes after the restart.

While some tricky fixtures lie in store, starting with a trip to Middlesbrough on Sunday, Parker’s men have shown they can manage these fixtures against the league’s best teams.

Despite naming an unchanged line-up from the Watford win, the Clarets were still handed a major fitness boost ahead of kick-off with the news that Lyle Foster was fit enough to make the bench.

It marked the striker’s first cameo in a Burnley squad in almost three months, having not featured since the start of October.

Foster has been unavailable for selection since suffering a knee injury while away on international duty with South Africa.

In naming an unchanged side, Parker was once again able to call upon Connor Roberts, who was a slight injury doubt after being brought off against Watford as a precaution.

While Foster was back involved among the substitutes, there was still no space in the side for Jeremy Sarmiento, who has now missed the last two games.

Jordan Beyer, Aaron Ramsey, Enock Agyei, Manuel Benson, Nathan Redmond and Mike Tresor all remain absent.

As for the Blades, they made two changes from their 2-0 victory away to Cardiff City at the weekend.

Bramall Lane was in fine voice prior to kick-off, as the Blades’ new American owners were paraded around the pitch - only to be given a not-so-friendly welcome from the travelling Clarets fans housed behind the goal.

It was the visitors who were the first to threaten as Hannibal curled in a cross from the left, only to overhit his delivery straight to goalkeeper Michael Cooper.

At the other end, CJ Egan-Riley made a rare mistake when he made a hash of an attempted clearance, but thankfully Maxime Esteve was there to hack clear.

It was otherwise a tentative, cagey opening to the game, although Burnley will have been pleased with the manner in which they quietened the home crowd, but lacked a threat going forwards.

The home side forced a bit of pressure from long throws and corners, but the Clarets also threatened when Hannibal was set free down the left by Josh Laurent only to see his pullback turned behind by a desperate last-ditch clearance.

Josh Brownhill then turned Jaidon Anthony’s short corner just wide of the upright, with his effort appearing to take a slight deflection off teammate Connor Roberts who had taken a tumble inside the box.

With 10 minutes left to go in the half, Josh Cullen - already on a booking - was a little fortunate to avoid a second yellow for a late foul on Sydie Peck. While the foul was given, thankfully the referee took no further punishment.

It looked for all the world this tight, cagey encounter would remain goalless at the break, but Burnley edged their noses in front right on the stroke of half-time with a superbly worked team goal.

It all started with Zian Flemming picking out the unmarked Bashir Humphreys with an excellent crossfield ball on the turn on the halfway line. That allowed the left-back to roam into space and deliver a pinpoint deep cross that was headed home at the back post by that man Brownhill, scoring for the NINTH time this season.

Limbs ensued in the packed out away end, as the jubilant Clarets celebrated what could prove to be a vital goal in the promotion shake-up.

Emerging unchanged for the second-half, the visitors knew they were in for a challenging second 45 minutes as the Blades chased a route back into the game.

Burnley had to weather the inevitable storm of Blades pressure, as Chris Wilder’s men repeatedly pumped the ball into the box. But other than a Harry Souttar header that was straight at James Trafford, the Clarets were dealing with it well.

What they could do with to give themselves a little bit of a breather was a second goal and, lo and behold, just eight minutes into the second half, one arrived.

Hannibal was fouled right on the edge of the Sheffield United box, giving Flemming the chance to shoot at goal. His initial effort was weak and was easily blocked by the wall, but the Dutchman’s fierce drive on the rebound, with the slight aid of a deflection, flew past Cooper and into the top corner. Que more limbs in the away end.

At this point the game began to open up as the home fans began to show their exasperation, but Burnley just needed to show their maturity and calm things down.

The away side managed the game superbly during the second period. While the Blades were playing on emotion, Burnley kept their cool heads and looked the more likely to get the game’s third goal were it to arrive.

It could easily have arrived with 16 minutes remaining when Brownhill surged into the Blades box following another well-worked move, only to shoot straight at Cooper.

While Burnley looked comfortable, all it took was one moment to turn the game on its head and ensure a nervy end to the game - just as we witnessed against Watford last week.

With just over 10 minutes remaining, James Trafford did his best to ensure that didn’t happen as he raced off his line to bravely punch clear from Hamer’s dangerous cross before substitute Anel Ahmedhodzic blazed wide on the follow up.

It could have got even better for Burnley in the final minute of normal time when Anthony forced his way towards goal, only to be denied by a smart reaction stop. Connor Roberts then came close from the resulting corner but couldn’t quite keep his volley on the turn down.

TEAMS

Sheff Utd: Cooper, Gilchrist (Ahmedhodzic), Souttar, Burrows (McCallum), Robinson, Souza (T. Davies), Peck, Hamer, O’Hare (One), Brewster (Brooks), Moore

Subs not used: A. Davies, Baptiste, Marsh, Blacker

Burnley: Trafford, Roberts, Egan-Riley, Esteve, Humphreys, Cullen, Laurent, Brownhill, Hannibal (Egan), Anthony, Flemming (Foster)

Subs not used: Hladky, Worrall, Pires, Koleosho, Hountondji, Rodriguez

Referee: Oliver Langford

Attendance: 30,680