PREMIER LEAGUE
LUTON’S Premier League survival hopes were dealt an enormous blow after they suffered a 5-1 home defeat to Brentford, which virtually guaranteed the visitors of a fourth consecutive season in the top flight.
The 18th-placed Hatters could have moved out of the relegation zone with a win, but were undone by a slick attacking display from the Bees led by Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo.
With Ivan Toney not involved due to his ongoing hip issue, Thomas Frank watched his fluid front four run riot at Kenilworth Road with Wissa on target twice in the first half to reach 10 goals for the campaign. The first was rifled beyond Thomas Kaminski from 20 yards. His second was scuffed home after good work from strike partner Mbeumo.
Ethan Pinnock made the points safe with a third in the 62nd minute, a powerrful header from Sergio Reguilon’s corner before Keane Lewis-Potter claimed a deserved goal two minutes later, heading home at the back post.
The brilliant Mbeumo had a hand in Brentford’s fifth when Kevin Schade fired home after 86 minutes and despite a stoppagetime consolation for Luke Berry, the afternoon belonged to Brentford after they moved on to 35 points – 10 above Rob Edwards’ strugglers with four matches left.
The Hatters’ hopes of beating the drop look even slimmer now despite being applauded off by the home fans at full-time.
While Luton floundered, Burnley ran out 4-1 winners at Sheffield United in the battle of the bottom two to throw themselves a Premier League lifeline.
Vincent Kompany’s side have now taken 10 points from their last seven matches and climbed to within three points of 17th-placed Nottingham Forest, who play at relegation rivals Everton on Sunday.
Blades boss Chris Wilder said this week he wanted his side to extend their survival fight for as long as possible and they created the better first-half chances.
Oli McBurnie’s close-range effort was well saved by Burnley goalkeeper Arijanet Muric, who rescued his side again when parrying Ben Brereton Diaz’s shot.
McBurnie’s rising drive then drew another save from Muric, but against the run of play, the visitors struck twice in two minutes as the interval approached to stun Bramall Lane.
Wilson Odobert’s weaving run to the edge of the area had the Blades back-pedalling and when his blocked shot rebounded to Jacob Bruun Larsen, the latter’s low scuffed effort deflected off Jayden Bogle and span inside the near post.
Blades goalkeeper Ivo Grbic had been caught off balance by the ricochet and he was left flat-footed again two minutes later.
Lorenz Assignon darted in between Ben Osborn and Brereton Diaz on the right edge of the area and his toe-poked shot went through Auston Trusty’s legs and flew high into the net off Grbic’s out-stretched boot for his first Burnley goal.
The Blades went close to reducing their two-goal deficit at the start of the second period when James McAtee’s goalbound shot was brilliantly saved by Muric and the hosts were back in it in the 52nd minute.
Gus Hamer cut inside Assignon on the left edge of the area and curled a superb right-footed finish inside the far post.
Muric denied Brereton Diaz an equaliser with another top-class save before the home side’s fightback hopes were dealt a mighty blow.
Assignon marauded down the right and picked out Lyle Foster with a low ball into the box and the striker made no mistake from six yards.
McBurnie fired narrowly wide as the Blades continued to press, but they were stung again in the 71st minute when Johann Berg Gudmundsson curled home a fine finish less than a minute after stepping off the bench.