I just thought it was a fantastic game

It was a third home defeat on the trot for the Blades and that has posed some questions for Blackwell and his players. "We have now lost to the top four teams and three of them in a row at home," Blackwell said. "So we have to ask ourselves if fundamentally we are not good enough. We made plenty of chances, had plenty of the game so every one of us, including me, have to question ourselves.

"I am very frustrated because again we have not played badly but we have switched off at both ends of the pitch and we have got to be a bit smarter, more clinical.

"We have to ask ourselves if each and every one of us is doing everything that we can do, but this is an honest bunch of players and staff and we will tell each other some home truths and respond in the right way.

"Losing hurts like hell and Saturday night will be a long one. To put so much into the fixtures with Reading, Wolves and Burnley and get absolutely nothing is very harsh, and frustrating.

"We started well, had a debateable decision to disallow a goal and then went behind. We got back into it from the spot and then conceded a needless penalty to go behind again. For a player of Gary Naysmith's ability and experience it was poor.

"For effort and commitment the lads gave me everything but we have to be cleverer in our decision making. The players have to take responsibility for that because they are on the pitch, and one or two are not quite at it in that respect.

"I can understand the frustration of the fans and the players because no matter how much the team does right, you still need the breaks, a decision to go your way, a loose ball to bounce your way instead of to the opposition etc. and I don't think that is happening for us at the moment."

The last time I saw Owen Coyle was on the pitch at the end and he looked just as happy and delighted with the performance as I, and the rest of the Burnley fans there, did.

He said: "That's the most satisfying result of the season, given the exploits of the Carling Cup. Before the game, everything that could conspire against us did, with Clarke Carlisle suspended, Chris McCann falling ill and being left at home to stop the bug spreading and then Michael Duff getting injured in the warm up.

"In the end we had a right winger at right back, a right back at left back, and a left back at centre back. But each and every one of them showed they can play against a side that will be in there at the shake up at the end of the season.

"In the end, I felt we could have had more than three goals and I think anyone must have loved that as a spectacle. It's pleasing that we are winning games, but entertaining at the same time."

There were some contentious decisions in the game. "I thought ours was a penalty," Coyle added, "But Brian is adamant he never caught their man. They might have had a good goal chalked off for offside early on, but I do think it would have been harsh if we hadn't ended up with the three points.

"I just thought it was a fantastic game and to show that energy, given the exploits of the week, I really believe it's our best result of the season."

Everyone was talking about Chris Eagles after the game and the manager was no exception after seeing his £1 million plus player turn in a scintillating performance. "We know Chris can play and it was probably unheard of for Burnley to go to Manchester United and sign a first team squad player.

"I told him at the time that leaving Manchester United, wherever you go in world football, is a step down. But I said he could take one step back to take two forwards and aspire to try to play in the Premier League again. His performances have shown that and, at times today, some of his play was fantastic.

"For me, the best sight in football is the ball hitting the back of the net. The second best sight is wide players taking defenders on because it gets people off their seats."