Sheffield United keep it tight at the top after five-goal thriller at Brentford

Brentford 2-3 Sheffield United: Brentford plummeted to defeat for the sixth time since the departure of Dean Smith to Aston Villa just a month ago

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder (Action Images)

Chris Wilder gave a big sweeping punch to the air as he strolled victoriously past the travelling fans. Sheffield United were leaving London with three points, and remain just three points from the top spot they had once held.

The night had been dotted with flurries of action from beginning to end, an open game where momentum swung so many ways it was difficult to tell where things would finish. But Leon Clarke’s winner 18 minutes from time was eventually the last of five goals, the introduction of both the experienced striker and Billy Sharpe was enough fire power to ensure the win.

Brentford meanwhile, plummeted to defeat for the sixth time since the departure of Dean Smith to Aston Villa just a month ago. Replacement Thomas Frank will be sick of the repetition, losing all of them by a single goal. His side offered hopeful spells up front, once again, but not long enough to control the game.

Neal Maupay fires Brentford in front (Action Images)

It’s very much Championship style that Brentford striker Neal Maupay is comfortably the league’s top scorer, and yet the Bees are just a few points shy of fighting for their place in the division. It was his opener that got the game going just six minutes in, the ball sticking to his feet magnetically in the box before sneaking an effort into the bottom corner.

The slick link-up play between Sergi Canos, Romaine Sawyers and Maupay – part of which lead to the goal – were continuously threatening throughout the game. The issue was that it seemed their only threat at times, slipping the ball hopefully through to the striker, expecting him to work magic again.

Once Sheffield United had woken up, they began to pump the balls forward and two rapid goals completed the turnaround just 15 minutes after kick-off. Ezri Konsa headed into his own net, before Ollie Norwood’s looping shot from 25 yard out found the top corner to put Brentford on the back foot.

United then sat deeper, aiming to hit the hosts on the break, which almost gifted them a third moments later, if not for the quick thinking of Daniel Bentley to spread himself wide to stop David McGoldrick at the back post.

Bringing off Canos off seemed a bizarre move at first for the hosts, as he was offering the support Maupay needed, but replacing him with Emiliano Marcondes added a touch more pace to the midfield they needed to up the tempo going forward, which lead to the equaliser.

The visitors weren’t sturdy enough at the back to let the hosts hit them for the remainder of the game. Brentford kept pushing in the second half, passes sprayed from one edge of the box to the other, seven or even 10 fluorescent yellow shirts blocking their way each time. But Sawyers eventually found a way into the box, driving a ball back across goal that was deflected in by John Fleck to level the score – lifting the home fans into a short period of optimism again.

Sheffield United's Dean Henderson celebrates the Blades’ opener (Action Images)

As the pressure mounted on United, in came the cavalry. Although Clarke wasn't expected to even travel with the team on Tuesday, his half-hour stint from the bench provided the goods, popping up in the box to slot home.

Fickle boos had rung out at half-time, but you couldn’t even hear them come the final whistle over the roar of Sheffield United’s away fans packed tight into the Brook Road stand. They’re still among the top six, where Brentford were under Dean Smith, and there is far more optimism to be had on their long journey back to Yorkshire than the short trip home for those in West London.