A glimmer of hope for Burnley in their unlikely bid to avoid the drop, but for Sheffield United the end to an utterly abject campaign cannot come quickly enough.
Vincent Kompany’s Clarets still appear likely to make an immediate return to the Championship, even if this cakewalk in the Bramall Lane sunshine had their fans dreaming of a great escape.
If they go down, though, at least they will go down fighting.
Which is more than can be said for Chris Wilder’s Blades, who were taken to the cleaners in front of their own supporters once again.
United conceded two awful first-half goals in three minutes from Jacob Bruun Larsen and Lorenz Assignon before two more killer blows from Lyle Foster and Johann Berg Gudmundsson after the break.
Burnley boosted their Premier League survival hopes after beating Sheffield United
The Clarets are now just three points adrift of safety after their win at Bramall Lane
Chris Wilder’s struggling hosts look all but set for an immediate return to the Championship
The Blades now look certain to have the indignity of finishing bottom heaped on their heads.
The goals they shipped as half-time approached served as a grim reminder of their successive home defeats to Aston Villa, Brighton and Arsenal respectively earlier this year.
The Blades lost those games 5-0, 5-0 and 6-0 respectively, a shocking sequence which magnified the task facing Wilder as he looks to rebuild the club this summer.
From the poor goalkeeping by Blades goalkeeper Ivo Grbic to let Bruun Larsen’s deflected shot creep past him at his near post here, to the shambolic defending which allowed Assignon to break into the box and fire home, it was simply awful stuff from the hosts.
Little wonder they were booed off at the break and again at the final whistle.
Jacob Bruun Larsen hit the opener after his first-time strike deflected awkwardly into the net
Gustavo Hamer halved the deficit for the Blades but Burnley took control after the interval
When Grbic, the Croatia international Wilder signed from Atletico Madrid in January, made a save at his near post early in the second half, it drew sarcastic cheers from the home fans.
Wilder’s team hit back soon after through an exquisite finish from Gus Hamer, but Foster’s clinically-executed strike gave Burnley a third and the result was put beyond doubt and Gudmundsson added gloss to victory with his first touch since coming on.
Twelve months ago, these Roses rivals were basking in the glory of winning automatic promotion to the Premier League.
Burnley went up as champions with the Blades finishing as runners-up, nine points ahead of third-placed Luton.
They had lost 43 Premier League matches between them heading into this meeting but the Clarets can at least now celebrate a league double over the Blades.
When they hammered them 5-0 at Turf Moor in early December, Paul Heckingbottom was sacked two days later.
Lyle Foster was teed up in the box and swept a superb finish beyond the helpless Ivo Grbic
Foster celebrated with his team-mates after his goal handed the visitors a two-goal cushion
That opened the door for Wilder to return to his boyhood club but points have proved hard to come by.
United have won just twice since he replaced Heckingbottom but Burnley goalkeeper Arijanet Muric was forced into some decent first-half saves from Oli McBurnie and Ben Brereton Diaz.
Norway midfielder Sander Berge – a close friend of Manchester City striker Erling Haaland – was making his first return to Bramall Lane and began to exert a telling influence on proceedings.
He was booed by Blades supporters for jumping ship last summer but his languid, classy style gave Burnley a platform on which to build and the visitors led in the in the 38th minute.
Wilson Odobert advanced goalwards and hit a shot which fell kindly to Bruun Larsen, whose low shot deflected off Jayden Bogle and past Grbic at his near post.
Two minutes later, right-back Assignon charged into United’s penalty box, evaded a couple of challenge and smashed in a right-foot shot which flew in off Grbic’s legs.
Johann Berg Gudmundsson scored the Clarets’ fourth just a minute after being brought on
Sheffield United missed a host of glorious chances and are teetering on the brink of relegation
That was the cue for more anger amongst the home faithful.
United hit back in the 52nd minute when Hamer collected James McAtee’s neat pass, cut inside Assignon and curled a superb right-foot shot into the corner past Muric.
Order was restored six minutes later, however, as Assignon’s low right-wing cross was superbly fired home right-footed by Foster, much to the delight of the travelling supporters behind Grbic’s goal.
In the 71st minute, Gudmundsson then latched onto Josh Cullen’s neat touch and curled a stunning left-foot shot into the far corner.
The Iceland midfielder almost had a second when his ferocious volley beat Grbic but rebounded off a post.
Once again, the home stands began emptying long before the final whistle and from those Blades fans who stayed to the bitter end came more boos and jeers. It said everything.
