NIK MICHOPOULOS Blameless for the winner he enjoyed a better afternoon in goal making a couple of good saves...7

DEAN WEST He produced a great cross for Gareth Taylor after the Clarets went behind and never stopped breaking forward...6

MARK McGREGOR Showed his versatility by slipping in well at the heart of the defence where he made some crucial challenges...8

IAN COX The unlucky man for the goal as he deflected the ball past Michopoulos. Produced one great turn and cross at the other end...7

LEE BRISCOE Reverted to left back in a rejigged side but hobbled off after failing to shake off an early injury...6

PAUL WELLER Still feeling his way back to full fitness but produced one bit of magic near half time that could have brought an equaliser...6

PAUL COOK Sharp as ever from free kicks but at times caught for pace by opponents breaking through the middle...6

ALAN MOORE One good run down the left but looks to be short of confidence and gave the ball away too cheaply too often...5

IAN MOORE Another player to have made a slow start to the campaign, struggled to make an impact down the right...5

GARETH TAYLOR Won his fair share of headers and was unlucky to see one effort hit the post in the second half...6

GLEN LITTLE Tried hard to get things going but he is not yet the influence of this time last season...6

SUBS: GRAHAM BRANCH (18 for Briscoe) Should use his pace more 6; LENNIE JOHNROSE (h-t for Weller) Headed against the bar 6; ANDY PAYTON (75 for A Moore) No sight of goal 5. Subs not used: Robbie Blake, Dimitri Papadopoulos

REFEREE...Roy Pearson (County Durham) 6

OPPOSITION CAMP

KENNY...Several good saves 7

KOZLUK...Worked hard 6

YATES...Experience showed 7

MURPHY...Strong under pressure 7

ULLATHORNE...Did well as not fit 6

McGOVERN...Promising young winger 6

JAGIELKA...Picked up booking 6

McCALL...Wise old head 6

TONGE...Forced to play left 6

ASABA...Real handful 7

ONUORA...Got lucky with goal 6

SUBS: DOANE (69 for Ullathorne), ALLISON (75 for Onuora), MONTGOMERY (82 for Tonge).

Not used: Ndlovu, Smith

TALKING TACTICS

WITH only 16 fit men at his disposal Stan Ternent opted to go for a 4-3-3 formation with Ian Moore down the right and Glen Little down the left in support of Gareth Taylor. That became more 4-4-2 after the break with Lennie Johnrose down the left. Mark McGregor and Ian Cox played together for the first time in the heart of the defence.

HERO

MARK McGregor, pictured right, was outstanding in the heart of the defence building on an impressive display at left back against Wolves. Used the ball well and even found time to test Paddy Kenny from long range.

THE KEY MOMENT

HAS to be the deflection past Nik Michopoulos that turned out to be the only goal of the game. That gave the Blades a lead to defend and they battled hard to keep it.

VILLAIN

LADY Luck gets the vote as the villain as she did everything she could to help the Blades. Everything that could go for the visitors did, nothing went Burnley's way.

TIME FOR ACTION

04 Nik Michopoulos saves with his legs at the near post from Jon Paul McGovern's shot

12 Paul Cook's quick free-kick finds Glen Little and his cross is just too high for Ian Cox

16 Carl Asaba's shot curled narrowly over the bar

17 Little breaks clear and sees his left foot shot well saved by Paddy Kenny

31 Ian Moore's shot is deflected but Kenny saves well

33 Mark McGregor breaks forward and his 35-yard shot is saved on the line

34 Iffy Onuora's speculative shot deflects off Cox and into the net

45 Michopoulos saves Michael Tonge's free kick after it creeps under the wall

62 Little's far post free kick is headed back by Alan Moore but Kenny clears

63 Moore supplies this time and Little's far post shot is held

67 Lennie Johnrose's cross is met by Taylor and his deflected header hits the post

73 Little's corner and this time Johnrose heads against the woodwork

81 A rare attack by the visitors ends with Michopoulos denying McGovern

89 Ian Moore is denied by sub Ben Doane who clears from the line

MATCH VERDICT

WHEN you are down the last thing you need is to be kicked. Burnley are still not firing on all cylinders but they deserved something from this game. At least the chances are starting to come and now they have to be taken.

TALE OF THE TAPE (Clarets first)

19 Shots 14

10 On target 8

13 Free kicks 16

4 Offsides 5

2 Woodwork 0

3 Corners 4

Yellow card

YELLOW CARD - Clarets: Taylor, 8 foul. Blades: Tonge, 20 foul; McCall, 31 handball, Jagielka, 62 foul.

RED CARDS - none

Burnley

Michopoulos

West Cox McGregor Briscoe

Weller Cook A Moore

I Moore Taylor Little

Sheffield United

Kenny

Kozluk Murphy Yates Ullathorne

McGovern McCall Jagielka Tonge

Asaba Onuora