Burnley won for the first time at home in the Premier League this season as they thrashed relegation rivals Sheffield United 5-0 at Turf Moor.
At risk of becoming the first side in English Football League history to lose their opening eight games at home, that prospect never looked likely when Jay Rodriguez’s header after just 15 seconds gave the Clarets the lead.
It was the start of a memorable afternoon for Vincent Kompany’s team, who doubled their advantage through Jacob Bruun Larsen (28) before Sheffield United were reduced to 10 players in first-half stoppage time when Oli McBurnie received a second yellow card for flinging an elbow at Dara O’Shea – an almost identical challenge to the one that saw him originally cautioned.
Two goals and a man down, the Blades never looked like finding a way back into the game and they collapsed after the break as Zeki Amdouni (73), Luca Koleosho (75) and Josh Brownhill (80) scored to inflict a damaging defeat on Paul Heckingbottom’s side.
The result lifts Burnley off the bottom of the table and up to 18th, two points above Sheffield United who drop two places to 19th and remain without an away win this term.
More to follow…
What’s next?
Burnley have back-to-back away games to negotiate over the next week. First, they travel to Wolves on Tuesday (kick-off 7.30pm) before heading to Brighton on Saturday (kick-off 3pm).
Sheffield United welcome Liverpool to Bramall Lane on Wednesday (kick-off 7.30pm). The Blades then host Brentford on Saturday (kick-off 3pm).