Defender scores to spare striker's blushes as Sheffield United draw at Burnley

The lapse in concentration from Oli McBurnie which allowed James Tarkowski to score during the closing stages of the first-half appeared destined to cost Chris Wilder’s side dear following an otherwise impressive showing.

But their persistence paid dividends with only 10 minutes remaining when Egan, producing a powerful volley at the far post, denied the hosts a third clean sheet in as many games.

The result ensured United remain above Sean Dyche’s men in the Premier League table and saw them finish the contest in eighth - only four points behind sixth-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers with only five matches remaining,

Wilder, who made no secret of his respect for Dyche and his employers ahead of kick-off, will have been encouraged by his players’ performance throughout most of this contest. But the United manager’s face as he marched towards the changing area at the interval betrayed his frustration not only at their finishing but also the poor marking that presented Tarkowski with the opportunity to slide home from point blank range.

Dwight McNeil swept a free-kick into the United penalty area and, when Jay Rodriguez helped the ball on, Tarkowski stuck out a leg to divert it beyond Dean Henderson after finding himself unmarked.

United, who had earlier seen Oli McBurnie draw a smart save from Nick Pope as early as the second minute before the Burnley goalkeeper denied Enda Stevens at the near post, thought they had equalised when Sander Berge prodded home from a Jack Robinson throw-in but the effort was disallowed.

With Jack O’Connell making his return from injury during the second period and Billy Sharp and Lys Mousset also being introduced, United left it late to engineer what was a deserved breakthrough when Egan pounced on the captain’s flick-on following a short corner routine. Henderson made a fine block to deny Erik Pieters at the death.

Burnley: Pope, Taylor, Tarlowski, Brownhill, McNeil, Westwood, Rodriguez, Pieters, Bardsley, Vydra (Wood 65), Long. Not used: Peacock-Farrell, Gudmundsson, Brady, Thompson, Dunne, Thomas, Benson, Goodridge.

Sheffield United: Henderson, Baldock, Stevens, Basham (Rodwell 75), Egan, Robinson (O’Connell 54), Norwood (Sharp 54), Osborn, Berge, McGoldrick, McBurnie (Mousset 66). Not used: Moore, Jagielka, K Freeman, Zivkovic.

Referee: Peter Bankes (Merseyside).

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