Lightning Rod!
FAST-STARTER JAY HAS BLADES GONE IN 15 SECONDS
VINNIE ON THE VINO
VINCENT KOMPANY celebrated Burnley’s biggest ever Premier League victory with a glass of red wine and said: “I had a feeling the lads were ready to go.”
It came on the back of a sickening defeat seven days earlier against West Ham.
Kompany added: “I have not seen any negativity. I have seen real anger and frustration for what happened against West Ham.
“They couldn’t wait to get back on the pitch.
“I will have a glass of red wine tonight and then it’s on to Wolves.”
Some of the travelling Blades fans turned on boss Paul Heckingbottom, who is fighting for his job.
He said: “I’ve had this speculation since the beginning of September.
“The fans can change the dynamic but I can walk out of here with my head held high.
“It doesn’t change how I will do my job.”
A CLARETS celebration at last for Vincent Kompany but his Blades counterpart Paul Heckingbottom appears to be nearing the axe.
It was party time at Turf Moor for Burnley who at last discovered some home comforts – the first Premier League points of the season in front of their own fans at the eighth attempt.
They swapped the possibility of becoming the first team in Football League history to lose their opening eight home games with scoring the quickest goal in the Premier League so far this season.
The abject Blades were effectively gone in 15 seconds while combative striker Oli Mcburnie didn’t even make it to half-time after being sent off for two assaults on Dara O’shea.
And the real loser of this basement battle could be Sheffield United’s already under pressure manager Heckingbottom, each defeat bringing the ghost of Chris Wilder nearer to Bramall Lane. Stunned at the climax of last weekend’s damaging defeat here against West Ham, Burnley were in raptures following a start Usain Bolt would have been proud of.
It had been an inspirational charge out of the blocks by Kompany’s side and before some fans had even reached their seats.
Zeki Amdouni fed the ball out to Charlie Taylor who swept in a wonderful cross for Jay Rodriguez to shrug off Auston Trusty and send a glancing header past a stunned Wes Foderingham.
Rodriguez, who struck his first Premier League goal of the season against the Hammers seven days ago, has previous for lightning starts having scored in similar circumstances for Southampton against Chelsea 10 years ago.
There were only muted celebrations from the Burnley bench but it was a different story in the 29th minute as a long punt upfield saw Jacob Bruun Larsen with a free run at goal and the Dane kept his cool.
The Blades found themselves with 10 men thanks to Mcburnie’s elbow and flailing fist.
The normally placid Kompany was fuming at the incidents.
But he needn’t have worried as Burnley ended with a flourish.
Amdouni capitalised on a Jordan Beyer headed pass, Luca Koleosho finished smartly after being set up by Amdouni and Josh Brownhill also got in on the act against the blunted Blades.
BURNLEY: Trafford 6; Vitinho 7, O’shea 7 (Ekdal (83) 6), Beyer 7, Taylor 7; Bruun Larsen 7 (Gudmundsson (64) 6), Berge 7, Brownhill 7, Amdouni 7 (Redmond (76) 6), Rodriguez 7 (Obafemi (76) 6), Koleosho 7 (Tresor (76) 6) SHEFFIELD UNITED: Foderingham 5; Ahmedhodzic 6, Robinson 6, Trusty 5; Baldock 5 (Bogle (24) 6), Hamer 6, Norwood 6, Fleck 5 (Osula (46) 6), Thomas 5 (Mcatee (46) 6); Mcburnie 4, Archer 5 (Traore (46) 6) STAR MAN: Zeki Amdouni – A constant threat in a game completely bossed by the home side. REF: Chris Kavanagh 7