Burnley succumbed to their first defeat in December at Bramall Lane, with second placed Sheffield United inflicting a 3-0 scoreline on the Clarets.
The Clarets haven't won at Bramall Lane since 1973 and the Blades' home ground has become something of a graveyard for the Clarets since then and that never really looked like changing after United scored two goals in five first half minutes to set them on their way.
Burnley had a mini-revival in the second half, but never really forced their way into the game with United looking strong defensively and on form in attack.
It could have all been so different though, as Blades keeper Paddy Kenny made two vital saves in the first half which denied the Clarets goals at an important stage of the game.
United were pushing forward in the early stages though as they looked to get off to a good start and Danny Webber forced Brian Jensen into two saves within the opening 10 minutes after working hard to make space just inside the area on both occasions.
At the other end, Nathan Dyer was close to reaching a Micah Hyde cross after the pair had earlier broke well from midfield.
The Blades continued their early pressure though and Hyde had to make a good block to deflect Alan Quinn's 18 yard shot over the bar. From the resulting corner, David Unsworth played a short pass to Quinn who crossed for Leigh Bromby, but his glancing header was well saved by Jensen before John McGreal and Frank Sinclair cleared the danger.
Burnley also came close to opening the scoring though, when Garreth O'Connor slid a fine pass through for Ade Akinbiyi. He held off Bromby's challenge before striking a low shot at goal with his left foot and Kenny did well to turn the ball around the post for a corner.
United were almost gifted the lead in the 25th minute, when Hyde's header back was picked up by Neil Shipperley but he stabbed his shot wide of the post when well placed.
The home side took the lead just before the 30 minute mark though, when Webber played a ball into Shipperley and he turned to smash home a powerful shot beyond Jensen and into the top corner.
Burnley almost got straight back into it by forcing a corner and when Garreth O'Connor swung the flag kick into the box, McGreal's header was turned away well by Kenny.
It wasn't to matter though and United had a second just five minutes later when Nick Montgomery's centre was headed back across goal by Craig Short and Webber was there to nod home from close range.
The Clarets emerged for the second half with a renewed vigour and Garreth O'Connor tried his luck with a 25 yard shot which bounced just wide before namesake James saw his low effort saved by Kenny after a darting run from midfield.
Garreth O'Connor then tried his luck with a long range free kick, which found the target only for Kenny to make a good save.
Burnley made two changes on the hour, with both Graham Branch and Gifton Noel Williams introduced in place of Garreth O'Connor and John Spicer.
It didn't take Branch long to announce his arrival and he saw a shot at goal saved by Kenny just four minutes after his introduction following a neat exchange with Akinbiyi.
The change had given Burnley more impetus and a run and pass down the left from Branch saw Noel Williams breach the offside trap to break into the box. He cut back beyond Phil Jagielka, but saw his eventual shot blocked and cleared.
Akinbiyi could have had a goal back in the 78th minute, when Bromby completely missed Michael Duff's cross from the right. It landed at the striker's feet but after swivelling, Akinbiyi's shot went just over the bar.
The three points were sealed with just 10 minutes remaining though, when Chris Armstrong's cross from the left picked out Shipperley at the far post. He was in enough space to control the ball before drilling a low shot past Jensen and into the bottom corner.
That strike killed the game off as far as the Clarets were concerned and a couple of substitutions from the home side saw their momentum lost as the points were safe.
Sheffield United: Kenny, Bromby, Short, Jagielka, Shipperley, Webber (Ifill, 88) Quinn (Morgan, 85) Kozluk, Montgomery, Armstrong (Tonge, 90) Unsworth. Subs not used: Pericard, Barnes.
Burnley: Jensen, McGreal, Sinclair, Duff, (Elliott, 79) James O'Connor, Hyde, Akinbiyi, Garreth O'Connor (Branch, 59) Dyer, Spicer (Noel Williams, 60) Lowe. Subs not used: Grant, Karbassiyoon.
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