Burnley ran out 4-1 winners at Sheffield United in the battle of the bottom two to throw themselves a Premier League lifeline.
Jacob Bruun Larsen and Lorenz Assignon struck in the space of two minutes and against the run of play at the end of the first half, before the Blades threatened a comeback when Gus Hamer pulled one back early in the second.
But further goals from Lyle Foster and substitute Johann Berg Gudmundsson crushed the Blades’ hopes as Burnley maintained their late bid for survival.
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 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.
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.
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 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 forward, but they were stung again in the 71st minute when Gudmundsson curled home a fine finish less than a minute after stepping off the bench to replace Vitinho.
Gudmundsson then rattled a post and with Blades fans leaving in their hordes, the Clarets comfortably saw out just their second win of the year.
Chelsea players must set ego aside or 'situation will hardly change', Silva warns
The departing Thiago Silva warned Chelsea's players to set their egos aside, or their "situation will hardly change" next season.
Silva, who will return to hometown club Fluminense in the close season, is gearing up for his final appearance for the Blues after four years at Stamford Bridge, where they host Bournemouth on the final day of the 2023-24 campaign.
A draw would be enough for sixth-place Chelsea to secure a return to European football next season, while they could still overtake Tottenham in fifth with a win and Spurs losing to bottom side Sheffield United.
But despite a positive end to the campaign, during which they have won four successive games and lost just one of their last 14, Mauricio Pochettino's side are a whopping 28 points adrift of leaders Manchester City.
Silva believes the club deserves better, having spent over £400 million on no fewer than 13 players over the past year, and has urged the squad to prioritise teamwork over their personal ambitions next term.
"I hope [the players] understand that everything they did to get to Chelsea has to be worth it," he told Sky Sports. "Because the season we're having is not worthy of Chelsea. I think they need to do more next year.
"These boys need to be aware that Chelsea has to fight for [for trophies] in the top positions. If we take a little of our ego and put it in favour of the team, I think it will work. If we don't do that, the situation will hardly change, unfortunately."
'Age is not an issue', insists energised Casemiro
Casemiro insists "age is not an issue" and the midfielder is feeling optimistic about the future at Manchester United.
The Brazil international and his team-mates have endured a frustrating season at Old Trafford, with the club in danger of suffering their lowest Premier League finish in eighth place.
Casemiro enjoyed a successful first campaign with the Red Devils, who he helped to a third-place finish and victory in the Carabao Cup.
However, injuries have prevented the 32-year-old from building on that momentum this term, with critics suggesting his age is preventing him from coping with the physical demands of the English top flight.
But the former Real Madrid midfielder rubbished those suggestions, highlighting notable examples of players shining in their mid to late 30s.
"I feel very well, very well," he told Sky Sports. "I feel healthy, with energy and the same mentality I always had.
"I guess people end up talking about the age factor, but it's been proven. Recently, our friend Thiago Silva - at the age of 39, came here and showed that, yes, you can play. The previous Ballon d'Or winners were over 34.
"At Manchester City, there's Kevin De Bruyne. (Mo) Salah at Liverpool. I think age is not an issue, it is not a factor in this, but analysing one's game and knowing about everything that is happening around the game.
"These are people who analyse football well, who see what's happening, who know what's happening, and not analyse the age.
"But I'm well, I'm happy. As I usually say, Manchester United gave me what I wanted - this joy of being able to enjoy the game, enjoy the Premier League. So, I'm happy to be here."
United conclude their Premier League season away to Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday, before facing rivals Manchester City in the FA Cup final on May 25.
Casemiro believes the vast number of injuries have played a crucial factor in the Red Devils' struggles this term.
"It's been a season of a lot of sacrifices for all of us, with the injuries and players adapting," he added. "So, it's been very hard for us.
"The manager came to ask me [to play at centre-half], and I told him I'm always available. That's the way I am; trying to help, committing to the team and to the coaching staff. So, when he asked me, I didn’t even hesitate.
"I think we had over 60 or 70 injuries. I've never seen this in my life.
"It is hard to think about winning a Premier League when you have so many injuries to important players, players that you think will be able to play throughout the season, and you can't count on them."
Arsenal 'can't get too emotional' ahead of final day, Odegaard insists
Martin Odegaard has urged Arsenal not to become "too emotional" ahead of their showdown with Everton on the final day of the Premier League season.
The title race is going right down to the wire with the second-place Gunners, who are two points behind leaders Manchester City but boast a superior goal difference, needing a victory, while hoping Pep Guardiola's side fail to beat West Ham at the Etihad Stadium.
Arsenal had hoped for a helping hand from rivals Tottenham when they welcomed City on Tuesday, but Erling Haaland's brace put the Citizens on the brink of a record-breaking fourth straight Premier League crown.
Nevertheless, Mikel Arteta's side are still in with a chance of claiming their first title in 20 years, and Odegaard insists he and his team-mates are focused on taking care of their own result at the Emirates.
"Obviously, you look at the results, and we were hoping," he told TNT Sports when asked about Tottenham's clash with City. "We spoke about it the day after, and we have to focus on ourselves, we can't get too emotional about it.
"We have one more game, at home. It's the last game of the season and our goal and our task is clear, we have to win that.
"We'll see what happens. That's our mindset now; win that last game, give the fans a good last game and we'll see. It's out of our control and, as I said, we just focus on our game."
It is the second season running that Arsenal are running City close; the Gunners eventually falling away having led the Premier League table for the majority of the campaign.
However, they have managed to stay with their title rivals this time around, and Odegaard is delighted by the strides the squad has made in the space of 12 months.
"I would say amazing," the skipper said when assessing the Gunners' season. "We've taken good steps and I feel like we're a much better team compared to last season.
"We've had some really good games, some good results, and we are now there until the last day, to push for it."
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