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History aside, the match will most certainly be a tough, with the 2002/03 play-off final runners-up sitting pretty in 3rd position, 2 points off the top of the table. United have a home record of 5-1-2 this year, conceding 7 goals and scoring 16. The Blades come off the back of a midweek victory over Crewe, with left sided player Chris Armstrong netting his first goal for United in the win, and Jack Lester continuing on his merry way with another goal from the penalty spot.
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Little is in doubt for today's match, after missing Thursday training with the flu bug which has gone through the Clarets camp for some weeks now. Having a wretched time of things at the moment, Mark McGregor has also succumb to the same illness - in the same week he finally found himself able to pull on a Claret shirt, since his knee 'tweak'. Chadwick will probably replace Little, and Stan is expected to name a similar line-up to last week, with David May still out.
The Blades are set to welcome back Michael Brown, available again after a back strain. According to sufc.co.uk, there is the possibility that Warnock will debut his Dutch signing, Dries Boussatta, however the manager pointed out that it will take 3-4 weeks for the former Utrecht and AZ Alkmaar midfielder to regain full fitness.
Thank you for joining me this afternoon, I hope you can enjoy the game through my commentary regurgitation! Line-ups are listed below, and at Half-Time check out the Latest Scores from Division One at the bottom of the page.
Pre-Match:
News is that Mark McGregor has made the bench.
Little absent (ill).
Blake drops to the bench for Chadwick.
For United Boussatta and Brown both fail to make the squad.
Match:
Burnley get us underway, left to right.
1' Appears Ian Moore and Delroy Facey starting up front, with Mooro the 'furthest up'.
1' Branch catches Lester. Free-kick played into the box and cleared easily.
2' Clarets coming down on the attack, Facet cut it back for Chaplow who had his shot very well saved from Gerrard, diving to his left. Nice move from Burnley instigated by Farrelly.
3' Corner to Sheffield United. Swung away, header won by Branch and away - Farrelly caught.
4' Ball forward, and a flick on by Facey a good one, but just cut out by Kozluk.
5' Corner to Sheffield United, headed away by Camara but it fell to Kozluk who, under pressure, shot wide. Goal-kick to Burnley. I don't know, I'm always finding myself biting my nails when these set-pieces are whipped in.
6' Branch down, seems to have a foot injury, and is down for some treatment. "Camara talking to referee George Cain about it, don't know how much the referee understands about it". Quote of the day so far by Phil Bird.
7' Camara moves to centre-back, and Farrelly to left back for the time being. McGregor could find himself on here.
8' Well it sounds as though he's struggling badly, but he's come back on has Graham Branch. McGregor has put his shirt on.
9' Free-kick to Burnley anyway at the other end. Ball in from Farrelly, knocked clear, back in there though with Grant but it comes to nothing.
10' Morgan sent the clearance away for Sheffield Utd, Lester nearly in and Branch not even able to run at half-pace.
11' Deflected away off Camara, another corner to the Blades. Header away from Facey.
12' West loses out to Ndlovu, Branch on hand to clear. Wright won the ball back again as the Clarets looked to come away, but cleared by Camara.
12' Handball from Dean West. Branch still in some clear discomfort, but looking as though he might be able to continue.
13' Grant cuts out a Blades attack well.
14' Chaplow's ball cut out looking for Ian Moore, by Kozluk.
15' Burnley coming forward through Chadwick, Farrelly takes a shot but it was a tame effort and comfortably dealt with by Gerrard.
16' Free-kick for Sheffield United, knocked in Camara let it go under his boot it fell for Ndlovu who sent it back into the middle but it was too high for Ward.
17' Armstrong got a ball in for the Blades, and Tonge from the D shoots straight at Jensen.
18' Branch, now looking quite mobile, sends a loose ball into the stands.
18' Shot from Ndlovu looked to be spilt by Jensen, and Lester following it up 'sort of knocked it' wide.
20' Branch puts in a great challenge of Ndlovu who looked to be lining up a shot.
21' Burnley on the counter, with men forward West sent it away for Farrelly, but he was well offside.
22' Ball in from Mo Camara, headed away with ease however.
22' Jensen comes for a cross and takes it with relative ease.
22' Facey caught offside.
23' Numbers forward, Camara knocks it Grant who in turn looks for Chaplow but it's poor and Wright on the counter attack for Sheffield United now.
24' For any Clarets with a fashion sense, you would realise that Brian Jensen's fluoro-green goalkeeping shirt is simply not on.
25' Camara down the left, swung in a ball, Moore couldn't take it cleanly and Sheffield United clear.
26' Gerrard deals with the ball through with ease for United.
27' Jensen sends a massive clearance for Facey who can't win the header.
28' Ball in from the right from West but it was poor and actually went out for a goal-kick.
29' West gets the header away from a free-kick, good work from the right-back.
29' Morgan catches Grant, free-kick to Burnley.
30' Moore, to Chadwick to West, playing it around nicely but the ball is eventually cleared by McCall.
31' Ball needed to be knocked in for Burnley but it wasn't and Sheffield United looked to come away on the counter-attack, but it came to nothing.
32' Chadwick seems to have two men on him.
33' Farrelly back to Jensen, a long ball sent forward to Ian Moore who couldn't win it.
34' Chaplow getting down the right, tries to find Facey but Del can't win it.
35' Ball cleared from Jensen again.
36' Ndlovu with a long range effort, comfortably dealt with by Jensen.
38' Gnohere does well, barges Lester away and sends it clear.
38' Lester fouls Gnohere, Arthur was never going to let him get past.
40' Gnohere playing very well, cuts out another attack and previously wins another challenge against Lester.
40' Camara knocks a poor ball, and the Blades looking to counter attack, but Chaplow gets a boot in and sends it away.
42' Chadwick came away with it, he thought he was caught but it wasn't given. Ndlovu falls over, but it sounds as though it was a 'you had to see it' moment.
42' Armstrong hits a shot with his left peg and it screams over the bar. Very good shot indeed.
43' Chadwick's flick into the box sent clear.
44' West got a very good ball in but a bit high for Chaplow and he couldn't keep it down and sent his header well over the bar. He's had the best two chances for the Clarets now though.
45' Jack Lester caught offside.
45' Gnohere fouls Lester, a popular decision with the crowd.
45' Goal for Sheffield United, Jensen started to come and it somehow ran free for Tonge to slot it into an open net. Unfortunately 1-0 to the Blades, total disarray in the box.
46' Jensen comes to smother a ball through, luckily Lester's touch was poor.
47' Long ball for United again looking for Ward but Gnohere communicates well with his 'keeper.
Half time. Burnley very unlucky to concede, we didn't seem to deserve it but nevertheless the Clarets go into the half time break 1-0 down.
Second Half
Laugh's all round as the referee's come out looking like wasps, with a kit change.
20967 is todays attendance.
45' Sheff Utd kick-off.
46' Cross from Armstrong cut out by Gnohere.
47' Chadwick trying to run at Wright but Armstrong gets in and wins it.
47' Camara gets in and wins a header, sends it back to the 'keeper.
48' And in a special moment, it looks as though Mark McGregor will make his first appearance this season. He'll come on for Graham Branch, and is taking the captain's armband. Welcome back Mark McGregor, goes straight to centre-back.
49' McCall finds Armstrong, swings in a ball but it goes out despite the best efforts of Ward to keep it alive.
50' Camara and Jensen leave it for each other and it goes out for a goalkick.
51' Great chance for Burnley, Morgan made an error, Moore and Gerrard collided outside the area. Fell to Chadwick, who failed to put enough power on his shot and it was cleared off the line by Wright with the head.
52' Lester flicks on and Ndolvu surging through the centre of defence, comes to nothing.
53' Farrelly hits a tame effort and easily saved by Gerrard, never going to trouble the goalkeeper.
54' After some offensive pressure for Burnley, United manage to come away with it.
55' Moore tries to find Facey with a pass on the counter-attack, but it goes out of play.
56' McGregor finds Ian Moore, running at Kozluk, took a shot but it was soft and easily saved by Gerrard. Robbie Blake is going to come on.
57' McGregor gets in well and sends it well away.
57' In a career starting at Darlington, Robbie Blake makes his 300th league appearance, coming on for... oh it's Chadwick! Hope the gaff has actually planned this one.
59' Chaplow battling back and wins a throw in for Burnley.
59' Blake appears to be playing right wing.
60' Sheffield United win a free-kick as Ward flops to the ground.
60' Camara got caught out, nearly fell for Ndlovu, but Jensen was ever so alert to come and collect it.
61' Heart in mouth moment as McGregor gets caught on the knee. Just a bang though and he'll be alright fortunately.
62' Ward shimmies, turns and fires a shot past the left hand goal post, via deflection though.
62' Corner for United from the left, West heads out for another corner.
62' Lester fires a header over the bar from the corner.
63' Chaplow seemed to catch Wright late, but he got away with it. Ward wins a header, Jensen makes a simple catch.
64' Facey fouls his man, so it'll be a free-kick to the Blades.
66' Stan with a tactical change, going to move it around a bit. Roche is coming on for Delroy Facey. Ian Moore and Blake up.
GK: Jensen
R-L Roche, McGregor, Gnohere, Camara
R-L West, Chaplow, Grant, Farrelly
R-L Blake, I Moore.
67' Ndlovu appeared to handball. Got away with it though.
68' Great chance for United, good cross from Ndlovu and Lester fluffled his shot. Good cover from McGregor though.
69' Morgan panics and Burnley win a corner, pressure by Moore.
70' Short corner, doesn't work. Out for a corner again. Blake's shot, deflected out for another corner.
71' Corner comes to nothing.
73' Peschisolido coming on for Lester.
75' Comes to Chaplow, good work from Farrelly and Blake and his shot is deflected away for a corner. Corner is headed away by Tonge. Throw-in. Farrelly for Grant, for McGregor sent forward, Burnley still in posession. Farrelly knocked it inside and Gerrard nervously sends it into the stand.
76' Ian Moore offside.
77' Have to mention: West Brom have come form 3-0 down and lead 4-3 courtesy of a Hughes 77th minute strike.
78' Peschisolido challenged strongly by Gnohere, won the ball well despite the irate crowd.
79' Ndlovu coming off for Parkinson.
79' Corner for Sheffield United off Roche. Jensen collects it, sends it away for Blake. Had a good chance did Blake, got the wrong side of Kozluk but his cross is chested to Gerrard.
81' Parkinson coming forward, Gnohere gets in and knocks it out.
82' BRILLIANT save from Jensen scooping it away to his right, the header came from Peschisolido and was arrowed downwards from the Kozluk cross and it was a brilliant save.
83' Throw-in from the Blades, still deep in attacking half. Ward lays it to Kozluk, blocked by Gnohere and out for another throw.
84' Blake finds West who knocks for Farrelly, comes to Moore who goes back inside to Roche. Camara on a run, lovely turn and cross comes IN! Nearly for Chaplow, he was just INCHES away.
85' Chaplow still working hard, his ball in just eludes Moore.
87' Gnohere knocks it back to Jensen and deals with the danger.
87' Parkinson sends in a ball but Gnohere does well to win it.
88' Tonge, for Peschisolido puts a ball in to the box but it harmlessly fizzes through.
89' Allison coming on for Ashley Ward.
90' McGregor coming forward, swings in a ball for Moore but he couldn't direct his header to a Clarets shirt.
90' 4 minutes of time added on.
92' United thumping the ball clear at every oppurtunity.
93' Peschisolido runs into McGregor, the latter sends it to Blake. Camara, Moore desperate stuff. Farrelly swings it in, comes to nothing. Blake trying to turn, fouled maybe...referee says no.
Full time, Sheffield United 1-0 Burnley. I'll see you next time.
Teams:
Sheffield United:
25 Paul Gerrard
2 Robert Kozluk
22 Alan Wright
17 Phil Jagielka [c]
5 Chris Morgan
8 Stuart McCall
16 Peter Ndlovu -> ('79)
18 Michael Tonge '45
3 Chris Armstrong
9 Ashley Ward -> ('89)
11 Jack Lester -> ('73)
Subs:
12 Andy Parkinson <- ('79)
10 Paul Peschisolido <- ('73)
4 Nick Montgomery
14 Wayne Allison <- ('89)
24 Mike Whitlow
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Burnley
1 Brian Jensen
15 Dean West
17 Arthur Gnohere
6 Graham Branch [c] -> ('49)
3 Mo Camara
18 Luke Chadwick -> ('57)
12 Tony Grant
20 Richard Chaplow
16 Gareth Farrelly
10 Ian Moore
19 Delroy Facey -> ('66)
Subs:
2 Lee Roche <- ('66)
8 Robbie Blake <- ('57)
14 Mark McGregor <- ('49)
21 Matty O'Neill
22 Joel Pilkington
Division One Around The Grounds:
Bradford 1-1 Walsall
Cardiff 3-1 Stoke
Crystal Palace 0-1 Preston
Derby 2-2 Ipswich
Gillingham 2-0 Crewe
Norwich 3-0 Millwall
Nottingham Forest 1-1 Watford
Reading 1-0 Wigan
Rotherham 3-1 Franchise MK
Sunderland 0-0 Coventry
West Ham 3-3 West Brom