Oli McBurnie sums up Sheffield United frustration as Blades take two steps back v Luton after Villa boost

After taking a tentative step forward at Aston Villa last Friday night, Sheffield United took several back on Boxing Day afternoon after a capitulation that put another serious dent in their hopes of surviving in the Premier League this season. At 2-1 up at home to Luton, they were cruising - from there, the Hatters didn't have another shot on target and somehow ended up winning 3-2.

Two own goals in the space of four minutes did the damage, with boss Chris Wilder rejecting any notion of "bad luck" and insisting that United were architects of their own downfall. All three of Luton's goals were avoidable - Wes Foderingham letting Alfie Doughty's shot squirm through his legs after the wing-back had breezed past Gus Hamer far too easily, before own goals from Jack Robinson and substitute Anis Slimane - and United can only really look at themselves for blame on another afternoon that will sap their levels of confidence and belief that were briefly topped up at Villa but have been running on fumes all season.

'Chucked it' - Wilder's honest verdict on Blades' Luton defeat

After a passive first half that saw United trailing in a game they really had to win, Wilder changed to a more familiar back three shape and it reaped rewards, with Max Lowe offering more width on a left flank that had been targeted by Luton and Anel Ahmedhodzic bombing forward on the opposite wing. A mix of industry and invention from James McAtee set up Oli McBurnie for the equaliser and when Ahmedhodzic finished for 2-1 with a real poacher's effort from close range, it looked like it would be United's day.

Then came the capitulation - five minutes of madness, as Wilder called it. He may have signed some of these players but it is not his team and he is trying to get a tune out of a broken instrument. That is now the conundrum that United face - the imminent transfer window offers an ideal opportunity for fresh faces, unaffected by what has happened so far this season, but will Prince Abdullah find the necessary funds or shut up shop, as he has before?

Two 4/10s in Sheffield United player ratings v Luton Town

That is the other potential casualty of the Luton debacle. It not only cost United three points against a direct rival but also may put extra doubt in the mind of the owner when it comes to loosening the transfer purse strings. Before the January sales begin United sign off a year of two halves away at the reigning champions Manchester City and may have to suffer further before any hope of some temporary pain relief.

"It was tough to take," said goalscorer Oli McBurnie after the Luton game. "We weren't at our best in the first half and the gaffer changed things at half time. We came came out in the second half and we had the game where we wanted it. So frustrating. At 2-1 up the momentum's all on our side and we conceded two sloppy goals. Obviously own goals happen but it's the build up before the goals which we're not happy about in there. It's about organization and concentration and yeah, it's tough one to take. We had them where we wanted them.

Police investigating alleged racist incident in Blades' Luton defeat

"We'd done all the hard work and had them where we wanted them and the game where we wanted it. That's the most frustrating thing. I don't know what it is, I can't put my finger on it but we've let them back into the game with poor goals from our point of view and it changes the result. It definitely wasn't a corner [ahead of the second goal].

"It was either a foul or a goal kick, so I don't know where the ref has got a corner from. Then Robbo [Jack Robinson] said he was getting grabbed around the neck [for the third goal]. I've not seen it but I think we should be higher as a defensive line. We're in our six-yard box defending crosses and not stopped the cross, so it's a frustrating one. Those things happen in football but there's only certain things we can control. We haven't done that today and we've paid the price."