Sheffield United grateful to Egan after Tarkowski puts Burnley in front

There are more glamorous role models than Burnley but Chris Wilder knows the value of an ability to chisel out points. The Sheffield United manager sees the Clarets as a great example of how to establish a club in the Premier League but his own resourcefulness may have halted Sean Dyche’s accidental European charge.

“It was never the aim of the season,” said the Burnley manager. “The aim was to stay in the Premier League.” But his side were heading for eighth place and set to leapfrog the Blades until Wilder shuffled his reduced pack to salvage a draw in this meeting of the depleted. “To get a result from a losing position is satisfying,” he said. “The spirit was there.”

Related: Sheffield United sweep Tottenham aside to revive hopes of Europe

It is a common denominator. Another is that adversity can provide an opportunity. Ben Osborn had to wait 11 months for his first league start for United but, with two-thirds of his usual midfield injured, Wilder belatedly turned to one of last summer’s signings against Spurs last week and here he helped fashion John Egan’s leveller. The other contributor was Billy Sharp, introduced as Wilder abandoned his 3-5-2 to adopt a midfield diamond. “Delighted for Ben,” said Wilder. “He drove the game forward for us.”

Like that triumph over Tottenham, this was further evidence of United’s powers of recovery after their difficult start to the summer. “Everybody has got about 35 players and we have got about 18 at the moment,” said Wilder. His squad was so stretched that he could not name a full complement of substitutes.

The surprise was that Burnley could, though Dyche has only brought on six replacements in four games, but a can-do mentality was reflected when the left-back, Erik Pieters, spent the second half masquerading as a right wing and almost delivered a late winner. “A fantastic professional,” said Dyche. Ultimately, however, perhaps the absences of Ben Mee and Jack Cork, whose ankle injury may require surgery, cost him a third successive win.

Mee’s run of 70 consecutive league starts was ended by a thigh problem. James Tarkowski assumed both his usual sidekick’s armband and last Monday’s mantle as a scorer, the stand-in captain sliding in to apply the finishing touch after Jay Rodriguez had flicked on Dwight McNeil’s free kick.

Burnley rued other missed chances: after a slick move, Matej Vydra sidefooted wide. Later, looking for a clinching second, McNeil was wasteful with the rebound after Dean Henderson parried Rodriguez’s dipping volley. “We had a couple of golden chances, particularly Dwight’s, which would have seen the game through,” said Dyche. “But they had a really good chance in the first minute.”

United had almost struck in the opening seconds, with Nick Pope denying Oli McBurnie. But though the striker and Sander Berge came close in the first half, Burnley’s obduracy meant they had few opportunities before Wilder changed his team’s shape, Osborn crossed, Sharp flicked the ball on and Egan thumped in a goal to mean he has now scored in each of the top four divisions. “Cracking finish,” said Wilder. “But that should have been his 10th goal of the season, not his first.”