Burnley 2-0 Sheffield United: Johann Gudmundsson brace seals victory for promoted Clarets
Burnley 2-0 Sheffield United: Super substitute Johann Gudmundsson seals victory for promoted Clarets, after Blades keeper Wes Foderingham was sent off for an out of bounds foul
- Burnley continued their stunning season with a 2-0 win over Sheffield United
- Johann Berg Gudmundsson scored both goals for the already promoted side
- Sheffield United were behind when Wes Foderingham was sent off
It took a while for the song to come, but when it did, it was definitely shouted out.
Burnley are going to win the league and they are doing it in record breaking fashion.
A 2-0 dismissal of 10-man Sheffield United took patience, but the professional manner in which Vincent Kompany’s men sacked the team closest to them in the Championship means they will get their hands on the trophy sooner or later. It’s nothing less than they deserve.
Burnley now have 90 points, after substitute Johann Berg Gudmundsson’s double, and five games to record the club’s best total of 93, achieved twice under Sean Dyche.
There’s absolutely no reason why they can’t go beyond a century and it’s hard to see who’s holding them back.
After events on what must have been a Good Friday in Middlesbrough, locals had turned up in anticipation of Carnival and the stadium’s announcer did nothing to curb their enthusiasm as he shrieked: ‘Welcome to the Premier League’s newest team!’ as the teams went out.
However, things often don’t go as you expect in football, and Burnley struggled early on to find their way through the team that have been diligently chasing them all season: Paul Heckingbottom’s side weren’t just here to get the numbers right they had their own purpose to fulfill.
Sheffield started well, but the game plan had to be torn up in the 16th minute when Nathan Tella created a panic between Foderingham and defender Jack Robinson and took the ball away from them as they collided. Foderingham shot at the winger in desperation and knocked him out.
The attack took place wide, on the edge of the area, but it was a clear professional and referee Michael Salisbury waved a red card after consulting his assistant Nick Hopton.
It was the right call – as was not awarding a penalty – but the dynamics had changed.
With the visitors content to sit back it was up to Burnley to come up with something good, but they were limited to shots from Jordan Beyer and Jack Cork; substitute keeper Adam Davies, standing in for Robinson, had little to do.
That was certainly not the case after the break. Burnley swarmed all over Sheffield and Gudmundsson, replacing Cork, broke their resistance just after the hour mark with a searing left foot drive.
He repeated the trick in the 72nd minute to get the party started.