Sheffield United captain Oli McBurnie told to keep his cool in face of Burnley 'provocation'

Oli McBurnie has been warned to keep his cool for Sheffield United against Burnley on Saturday - and manager Chris Wilder wants referee Andy Madley to play his part too.

The Leeds-born striker will captain the Blades against Burnley as bottom hosts second-bottom in the Premier League on Saturday.

Wilder is expecting the Clarets to test the temperament of the 27-year-old, as they did in his predecessor Paul Heckingbottom's final match in charge before being sacked.

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McBurnie was sent off by Chris Kavanagh shortly before half-time for throwing an elbow for a second time at Dara O'Shea – inexplicably he was only booked for the first – with his side 2-0 down at Turf Moor. They went on to lose 5-0.

It made McBurnie the first player to be sent off twice in this season's Premier League, having received two yellow cards at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Since then, only Spurs midfielder Yves Bissouma has received a second red card of the campaign.

So Wilder is extra conscious of the need for McBurnie to keep his cool at the weekend.

"It's obviously a big game on Saturday, I'm sure that there'll be certain situations on Saturday that people might be trying to get into Oli Mac on the pitch and off of it," he said.

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FLASHPOINT: Oli McBurnie is sent off in Sheffield United's last game against Burnley , in DecemberFLASHPOINT: Oli McBurnie is sent off in Sheffield United's last game against Burnley , in December
FLASHPOINT: Oli McBurnie is sent off in Sheffield United's last game against Burnley , in December

"I think that's important that gets refereed because I think there was an agenda towards him (in December's game).

"He fell for the old three-card trick, hook line and sinker, and he has to make sure that he's right for that challenge as well.

"There's a bit of history between Oli and Burnley as well, from the previous season, so he needs to get that right."

Huddersfield referee Madley has issued four red cards in 29 matches this season, but only one since early December.

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A win will take the Blades to within a point of Burnley. The hosts go into the game 10 points adrift of safety with a game in hand on Nottingham Forest, who are appealing a two-point deduction for a financial fair play breach.

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