Sheffield United 1 Burnley 4: Back to the bad old days as Blades crumble yet again

The Premier League's wooden spoon game was 38 minutes old and Sheffield United were playing well. Ben Brereton Diaz, playing on the left of a 4-4-1-1 out of possession and as a second centre-forward had got on the end of some good chances – Oli McBurnie too – and James McAtee was bright and creative.

Then Ivo Grbic let a weak, miskicked Jacob Bruun Larsen shot straight through him and in the space of two minutes, 1-0 became 2-0, Burnley right-back Lorenz Assignon waltzing through statuesque defending and hitting a shot over the goalkeeper's outstretched leg.

It was like Arsenal all over again. Or Brighton and Hove Albion. Or Aston Villa. Or Newcastle United. Or Burnley away.

The least said about the third goal – just after Gusavo Hamer had given his side some hope – the better.

The home fans did not take it well, booing hapless goalkeeper Grbic, and cheering ironically when he made a save just as they did when Vinicius Souza, the midfielder who thinks he should be playing for Brazil, was substituted in the second half.

It looked like the majority had left by the time the full-time whistle blew on a 4-1 defeat and those that stayed made their feelings known before heading home.

With five games to play the Blades are one behind Derby County's record of the most goals conceded in a 38-game season (89). Swindon Town conceded 100 in 42 games.

Blades supporters who thought manager Chris Wilder had put a stop to this nonsense after early March's humiliation at the hands of Arsenal, booed their disapproval as the team trudged off a matter of minutes later, their chances of moving to within a point of the second-worst team in the Premier League already up in smoke.

There were lots of dispiriting things about it, but perhaps the worst was that no one had seen it coming half an hour into the game.

Arijanet Muric, coming into the match with his confidence presumably on the floor, made a point-blank save when McAtee crossed for McBurnie in the eighth minute. Another delivery deflected to Brereton Diaz but, under pressure from Assignon, he could only head at the goalkeeper.

A give-and-go with Hamer, playing off McBurnie, released the Chilean again after 18 minutes but, opening up his body to shoot, he was unable to beat Muric.

It took 20 minutes for the Clarets to threaten, Lyle Foster redirecting a Vitinho shot at Grbic, and the goalkeeper doing well not to bring down Bruun Larsen, played through by Sander Berge, who could not find the net from the tight angle going around the goalkeeper left him.

Even then, the Blades came back at them, McBurnie shooting over from a tight angle and Hamer producing more of a pass than a shot when Brereton Diaz picked him out.

But then a Wilson Odobert shot bounced of a defender to Bruun Larsen, who scuffed his shot through the hapless goalkeeper and Assignon glided past Brereton Diaz, and shot through Auston Trusty's legs to make it 2-0.

The Blades came out swinging for the second half, Muric forced into a good save when McAtee tried to pick his spot and another which was all his own work, passing to Brereton Diaz in the most Burnley way, then redeeming himself.

In between time Hamer found the net, picked out by McAtee with Andy Madley playing a good advantage and watching the midfielder curl in.

The hope lasted all of six minutes before Assignon sprinted free down the line and picked out Foster, unmarked in goalscoring position A1. He did not miss.

Again, the hosts got off the canvas – Souza shooting at the goalkeeper, Brereton Diaz having a free-kick punched away and a scramble at a corner within minutes of the third goal – but it does not count for much when you keep punching yourself in the face.

Vinitho took mercy on the Blades when they left him alone at a corner but Johann Berg Gudmundsson did not, scoring seconds after coming on, then hitting a post minutes later.

Burnley have been donated six points and nine goals from their two games with Sheffield United this season. Without them, they would only be a point ahead of the Blades, not seven. It really has been a most miserable season.

Sheffield United: Grbic; Bogle, Ahmedhodzic, Trusty, Osborn; McAtee, Souza (Archer 68), Arblaster, Brereton; Hamer (Brooks 78); McBurnie (Norwood 78).

Unused substitutes: Foderingham, Slimane, Larouci, Curtis, Holgate, Osula.

Burnley: Muric; Assignon, O'Shea, Esteve, Taylor; Cullen, Berge; Vitinho (Gudmundsson 70), Odobert (Amdouni 84), Bruun Larsen (Brownhill 59); Foster (Fofana 84).

Unused substitutes: Trafford, Rodríguez, Manuel, Ekdal, Tresor.

Referee: A Madley (Huddersfield).