Sheffield United 5 Burnley 2: Jack Robinson’s remarkable redemption as Blades run riot over leaders

Robinson had earlier scored an own goal and been at fault for another as Vincent Kompany’s side went 1-0 and 2-1 up in the first half. But a remarkable second-half salvo from United turned the game on its head, with Robinson providing a crucial cross for Oli McBurnie’s equaliser before scoring to put his side 3-2 up and well on their way to victory.

United made three changes from the side that won at Bristol City on Tuesday night, with Anel Ahmedhodzic, Enda Stevens and Oli McBurnie replacing Chris Basham, Reda Khadra and Billy Sharp, and began brightly, with early set-pieces causing Arijanet Muric in the visiting goal some concern.

Robinson briefly got the crowd off their seats with a brilliant, typically-Robinson tackle which sent Manuel Benson to the turf and visiting boss Vincent Kompany halfway down the touchline, but then became the unfortunate fall-guy when he attempted to bravely block Benson’s shot with his head and succeeded only in deflecting it into the top corner of Wes Foderingham’s goal.

Robinson was unfortunate but big question marks remain over United’s defending prior to the goal, with Ian Maatsen given all the time in the world to cross under no pressure moments before Robinson’s untimely intervention.

Taylor Harwood-Bellis squandered a good chance for 2-0 as he rose unmarked from a corner but headed over, and United dragged themselves back on level terms through an unusual goal from a predictable source. Ollie Norwood’s corner was headed down by Oli McBurnie for Ndiaye to knock home for 1-1.

The goal sparked United’s players, and fans, into life for a time, but Burnley offered a reminder of the threat they still posed and Anass Zaroury should have put his side ahead again when left alone in the area, but his shot was tame.

United were close to going ahead when McBurnie got a toe on Enda Stevens’ shot but Harwood-Bellis blocked on the line, and then went behind on the stroke of half-time when Robinson’s nightmare first half continued. He tried to play and beat his man in a dangerous area, was robbed by Benson and the dangerous Burnley man applied a simple finish past Foderingham.

After no doubt demanding a reaction at half-time, boss Paul Heckingbottom saw his side go level again just minutes after the restart when McBurnie pounced in front of the Kop, after Ahmedhodzic had headed on Robinson’s right-footed cross as he began his quest for redemption.

Ndiaye thought he had put the Blades ahead, but he was correctly flagged offside, and an already topsy-turvy game threatened to take a more ridiculous turn when centre-half Ahmedhodzic attempted a radical overhead kick from Norwood’s cross and planted it not too far wide.

Then the madness really began. Robinson poked home from close range to spark jubilant celebrations, before Ahmedhodzic extended their lead further with a good finish. George Baldock threatened to get in on the act when a good ball from Norwood picked him out, but his shot was saved by Muric – only for McBurnie to be in the right place at the right time to tap home and send Bramall Lane wild.