Burnley, 19th, moved to 23 points from 34 matches, three below 17th-placed Nottingham Forest who have a match in hand and visit 16th-placed Everton on Sunday. United, winless since February, have 16 points after 33 matches.

“It sums up our season…we should have been two or three up. Then all of a sudden in a heartbeat we are two down,” United manager Chris Wilder told Sky Sports. “The league is too powerful. Unfortunately you get exposed.”

Jacob Bruun Larsen put the visitors ahead in the 38th minute when Wilson Odobert’s attempt hit a defender and fell to him on the edge of the box. His shot took a deflection from Jayden Bogle before rolling past goalkeeper Ivo Grbic.

Poor defending cost United again as Burnley immediately doubled their lead, with Lorenz Assignon dribbling past Ben Brereton Diaz to score his first goal for the club from 10m out.

Burnley keeper Arijanet Muric, who had denied the hosts an early lead with back-to-back saves, was finally beaten in the 52nd minute when Gustavo Hamer shook off Assignon to make space inside the box and sent a curling shot into the net.

But Assignon helped restore Burnley’s two-goal cushion just five minutes later when his cross from the edge of the box found Lyle Foster near the penalty spot who made no mistake with his swift right footed finish.

Substitute Johann Berg Gudmundsson made it 4-1 just 22s after coming on, finding the target off Josh Cullen’s cross with a left-footed finish from the edge of the box in the 71st minute to seal Burnley’s first away win since December.

“That is the urgency we have to bring to every game. We can look forward that every game, we should not have any fear and to go for it,” Burnley manager Vincent Kompany told the BBC.

“This league is filled with difficult games. It will always be the toughest challenge.”

Both teams will visit Manchester United next; Sheffield United on Wednesday and Burnley next Saturday.