Burnley 5-0 Sheffield United: Clarets claim their first home win of the season in emphatic style to heap misery on 10-man Blades and embattled coach Paul Heckingbottom
- Vincent Kompany’s side won their first home match against 10-man Blades
- Five different scorers compounded Sheffield United’s misery at Turf Moor
- Rock bottom of the league… why is nobody talking about the sack for Vincent Kompany? It’s All Kicking Off
Jay Rodriguez scored the quickest goal of the season to spark a Burnley romp that saw them claim their first points at Turf Moor and climb off the bottom of the table.
The striker headed in Charie Taylor’s cross after 15 seconds before further strikes from Jacob Bruun Larsen, Zeki Amdouni, Luca Koleosho and Josh Brownhill. eased the pressure on manager Vincent Kompany.
That is now transferred to Sheffield United boss Paul Heckingbottom who is in danger of becoming the first Premier League manager to be sacked this season. His team were dreadful and had striker Oli McBurnie sent off for two elbows when the score was 2-0.
After losing their first seven home matches – an unwanted top-flight-record – Burnley got the quick start they wanted.
Rodriguez stooped to beat Auston Trusty and head in before any Blades player had taken a meaningful touch from kick off. The goal was officially timed at 15.80 seconds, making it the 15th quickest in Premier League history and the fastest since Philip Billing scored for Bournemouth v Arsenal in March.
Burnley won their first home tie of the season after beating fellow promoted side Sheffield Utd
Pressure now shifts to Paul Heckingbottom as his side settles second-to-last in the table
10-man Sheffield United’s capitulation on the road gives the Blades a mountain to climb
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The 34-year-old forward also has another early-bird strike in the list – for Southampton against Chelsea a decade ago.
BURNLEY 5-0 SHEFFIELD UNITED: Match facts
Burnley (4-4-2): Trafford 6.5, Vitinha 6, O’Shea 7.5 (Ekdal 83), Beyer 7.5, Taylor 7, Larsen 7 (Gudmundsson 65 6), Berge 6.5, Brownhill 7.5, Koleosho 8.5 (Tresor 77), Rodriguez 8 (Obafemi 77), Amdouni 7 (Redmond 77)
Subs unused: Vigouroux (GK), Ekdal, Ramsey, Massengo, Odobert
Goal: Rodriguez (1′), Larsen (29′), Amdouni (73′), Koleosho (75′), Brownhill (80′)
Booked: O’Shea, Beyer
Sheff Utd (3-5-2): Fotheringham 6, Ahmedhodzic 5.5, Robinson 5, Trusty 5.5, Baldock 6 (Bogle 25 5), Hamer 6, Fleck 5 (Osula 45 6), Norwood 6.5, Thomas 4.5 (McAtee 45 5.5), Archer 5 (Traore 45 5.5), McBurnie 4
Subs unused: Davies (GK), Lowe, Souza, Slimane, Larouci
Booked: Fleck, McBurnie, Thomas, Osula, Ahmedhodzic
Sent off: McBurnie
Referee: Chris Kavanagh 6
Rodriguez had grabbed the opener against West Ham the previous weekend only for the Clarets to throw away the points in the closing stages.
Kompany knew he needed a second goal and his nerves were jangling when United’s Oliver Norwood hit a cracking half-volley that forced James Trafford to dive right and parry away.
The Blades had to make a change when George Baldock was replaced by Jayden Bogle after 25 minutes and Burnley scored the important second just before the half-hour.
Dara O’Shea pinged a 50-yard pass towards Larsen whose exquisite first touch took him clear of Luke Thomas and then finished low past Wes Foderingham for his second.
It was the Dane’s first home goal for the club he joined last summer and United lost their heads as a result.
John Fleck went into the book for clattering into Josh Brownhill and McBurnie joined him for catching him in the face as he tried to lever him out of the way as they challenged in the air.
That offence alone could have been red on its own. But after O’Shea had himself been booked for a revenge foul, McBurnie stupidly used his arm again in the air and caught the Irish defender on the cheek.
Though not as bad as his first misdemeanour, there was little sympathy for the Blades striker who nonetheless protested vehemently before taking the walk of shame towards the tunnel.
Heckingbottom made three changes at half-time as he recognised the gravity of the situation.
However, Burnley remained likeliest to score again. Koleosho went close with a shot from the edge of the box and Vitinha broke into the box from right-back and had an effort blocked.
At least Blades sub Osula tried to make runs behind the Burnley defence and was foiled by Trafford after 68 minutes.
Jay Rodriguez opened the scoring after an astonishing 15 seconds in fastest goal of the season
The Clarets were staring down the barrell of an English top-flight record of eight home losses
Vincent Kompany at times looked agitated on the sidelines, and picked up an early yellow card
But it was the sending off of Oli McBurnie before half-time that set up the Turf Moor rout
Burnley then finished as strongly as they’d started.
Amdouni showed quick feet to get away from Jack Robinson and fire into the corner for a third. And the forward then turned provider for Koleosho to bag a fourth to leave United bedraggled and beaten.
The coup de gras was applied by skipper Brownhill from 18 yards leaving Burnley to celebrate their biggest Premier League win.
Though still in the relegation places, Burnley’s victory coupled with defeat for Luton means Kompany’s side are now only two points from safety.
The cards flew with the game heated from the off in the high-stakes bottom-of-the table clash
Captain Josh Brownhill netted Burnley’s last on a jubilant day for the beleagured club
Five differnt scorers rained hammer blows on Sheffield United and potentially forced Heckingbottom into the firing line
IT’S ALL KICKING OFF!
It’s All Kicking Off is an exciting new podcast from Mail Sport that promises a different take on Premier League football, launching with a preview show today and every week this season.
It is available on MailOnline, Mail+, YouTube , Apple Music and Spotify
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