Match ends, Brentford 2, Sheffield United 0.
Brentford beat Sheffield United to claim their first win in 10 Premier League games and ease their relegation fears.
An unfortunate own goal from Blades youngster Oliver Arblaster just past the hour mark put Thomas Frank's side ahead, as he inadvertently sent Mikkel Damsgaard's cross into the far corner.
Substitute Frank Onyeka sealed the win in stoppage time as the Bees move up to 14th, seven points clear of the bottom three.
Meanwhile, Sheffield United remain bottom and take another step towards an immediate return to the Championship.
Chris Wilder's side are 10 points from safety with six games to play.
- Fight for Premier League survival - who will go down?
- How did you rate Brentford's performance? Have your say here
- What did you make of Sheff Utd's display? Send us your views here
The visitors started brightly with Ben Brereton Diaz breaking free down the left but he scuffed the shot with just Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken to beat.
Brentford soon took charge but despite dominating possession, they struggled to create many chances with Neal Maupay stabbing wide their best opportunity of the first half after United defender Anel Ahmedhodzic gave the ball away inside his own half.
It was a similar story after the break with Mathias Jorgensen seeing a goal ruled out for offside minutes before Brentford's fortuitous opener.
Damsgaard thought he had doubled the lead soon after but the VAR intervened to rule out his crisp volley from Bryan Mbeumo's free-kick for a foul on Oli McBurnie in the build-up.
The Blades pushed for an equaliser but Cameron Archer's wayward shot from a tight angle was as close as they came before Onyeka latched on to the fit-again Kevin Schade's flick-on to fire in the clincher for Brentford.
Brentford close in on top-flight survival
Brentford's third season in the Premier League has surely been their toughest but with five games to go, they can begin to plan for a fourth year in the top flight with that bit more confidence.
The celebrations that followed a first home win since 20 January certainly suggested as much with Frank and his players soaking up the applause of a satisfied home support at the Gtech.
"This has definitely been the most challenging season," Frank told BBC Match of the Day. "Injuries, actually performing quite good, Ivan's been banned... all of that.
"It's been tough but it just reminds you why it is the best league in the world. It's so difficult."
This was not a game to elicit much excitement from the neutrals but it wasn't for them. With both sides battling to stay up, the result was all that mattered - and Brentford got it.
That it came after a match that could only generously be said to have provided sporadic glimpses of quality will not bother anyone of a Brentford persuasion.
"It was not a final but this is so important. Today was not through the roof but I think it was a good performance," Frank added.
As was the case for the entirety of the first half of the season, it was achieved without Ivan Toney as the England striker started on the bench again - and remained there - as he continues to manage a muscle injury.
While he has struggled for goals in recent games, Toney's ability to occupy defenders, hold up the ball and bring others into play would have been useful for Brentford as they tried to break Sheffield United down in the first hour.
But they got there eventually and one more win, possibly alongside another draw, should make absolutely sure of the Bees' safety.
Blades fight hard but relegation looms
Despite some encouraging signs for Wilder's team in recent weeks, it is now eight games without a win and just one win in 16 league matches.
"This was a tight, cagey affair. We just didn't find that quality when we needed to," Wilder told Match of the Day.
"I'm a little bit disappointed from a quality point of view. We didn't show enough quality and enough big moments that settle these type of games."
Relegation has felt like a matter of when rather than if and, should results go against them, confirmation could come as soon as next Wednesday (24 April) at Manchester United.
As in recent draws with Bournemouth, Fulham and Chelsea - and even defeat at Liverpool - the Blades did not lack for grit and determination, though defensively this was a much better showing as they restricted Brentford for long spells.
Although, ultimately, it was not enough, the fact the team is competing again - having failed to do so at times earlier in the campaign - is something for Wilder to cling to.
It may not be much and, barring a minor miracle, it will not be enough to keep them up, but the Blades do appear to have turned a corner.
Player of the match
OnyekaFrank Onyeka
Brentford
Avg
- Squad number15Player nameOnyekaAverage rating
7.37
- Squad number9Player nameSchadeAverage rating
7.33
- Squad number5Player namePinnockAverage rating
7.19
- Squad number24Player nameDamsgaardAverage rating
6.91
- Squad number23Player nameLewis-PotterAverage rating
6.79
- Squad number33Player nameYarmoliukAverage rating
6.67
- Squad number30Player nameRoerslevAverage rating
6.56
- Squad number12Player nameReguilónAverage rating
6.53
- Squad number8Player nameJensenAverage rating
6.45
- Squad number22Player nameCollinsAverage rating
6.41
- Squad number19Player nameMbeumoAverage rating
6.31
- Squad number13Player nameM JorgensenAverage rating
6.28
- Squad number27Player nameJaneltAverage rating
6.25
- Squad number11Player nameWissaAverage rating
6.16
- Squad number1Player nameFlekkenAverage rating
5.95
- Squad number7Player nameMaupayAverage rating
5.69
Sheffield United
Avg
- Squad number9Player nameMcBurnieAverage rating
6.58
- Squad number11Player nameBreretonAverage rating
6.33
- Squad number8Player nameHamerAverage rating
6.33
- Squad number27Player nameLarouciAverage rating
6.31
- Squad number24Player nameArblasterAverage rating
6.26
- Squad number13Player nameGrbicAverage rating
6.14
- Squad number20Player nameBogleAverage rating
6.13
- Squad number23Player nameOsbornAverage rating
6.10
- Squad number30Player nameHolgateAverage rating
6.09
- Squad number5Player nameTrustyAverage rating
6.06
- Squad number15Player nameAhmedhodzicAverage rating
5.99
- Squad number28Player nameMcAteeAverage rating
5.48
- Squad number10Player nameArcherAverage rating
5.34
- Squad number25Player nameBen SlimaneAverage rating
4.20
Line-ups
Brentford
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Flekken
- 30RoerslevBooked at 88mins
- 13M Jorgensen
- 22Collins
- 12Reguilón
- 24DamsgaardSubstituted forYarmoliukat 79'minutes
- 27JaneltBooked at 41mins
- 8JensenSubstituted forOnyekaat 90+1'minutes
- 19MbeumoSubstituted forSchadeat 90'minutes
- 7MaupayBooked at 7minsSubstituted forLewis-Potterat 79'minutes
- 11WissaSubstituted forPinnockat 90'minutes
Substitutes
- 5Pinnock
- 9Schade
- 14Ghoddos
- 15Onyeka
- 17Toney
- 21Strakosha
- 23Lewis-Potter
- 26Baptiste
- 33Yarmoliuk
Sheff Utd
Formation 3-5-2
- 13Grbic
- 30HolgateSubstituted forBen Slimaneat 90+1'minutes
- 15Ahmedhodzic
- 5Trusty
- 20BogleSubstituted forArcherat 76'minutes
- 8Hamer
- 24Arblaster
- 23Osborn
- 27LarouciSubstituted forMcAteeat 57'minutes
- 11BreretonBooked at 45mins
- 9McBurnie
Substitutes
- 10Archer
- 16Norwood
- 18Foderingham
- 21de Souza Costa
- 25Ben Slimane
- 28McAtee
- 29Curtis
- 32Osula
- 35Brooks
- Referee:
- Samuel Barrott
- Attendance:
- 17,115
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home53%
- Away47%
- Shots
- Home9
- Away8
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away2
- Corners
- Home3
- Away6
- Fouls
- Home8
- Away11
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Brentford 2, Sheffield United 0.
Post update
Attempt missed. Yehor Yarmoliuk (Brentford) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Sergio Reguilón.
Goal!
Goal! Brentford 2, Sheffield United 0. Frank Onyeka (Brentford) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Kevin Schade with a through ball.
Post update
Vitaly Janelt (Brentford) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Gustavo Hamer (Sheffield United).
Substitution
Substitution, Brentford. Frank Onyeka replaces Mathias Jensen.
Substitution
Substitution, Sheffield United. Anis Ben Slimane replaces Mason Holgate.
Substitution
Substitution, Brentford. Ethan Pinnock replaces Yoane Wissa.
Substitution
Substitution, Brentford. Kevin Schade replaces Bryan Mbeumo.
Booking
Mads Roerslev (Brentford) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Corner, Brentford. Conceded by Oliver McBurnie.
Post update
Corner, Brentford. Conceded by Ivo Grbic.
Post update
Attempt saved. Keane Lewis-Potter (Brentford) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Vitaly Janelt.
Post update
Foul by Yoane Wissa (Brentford).
Post update
Mason Holgate (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Attempt missed. Cameron Archer (Sheffield United) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the left misses to the right. Assisted by Ben Brereton.
Post update
Zanka (Brentford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Auston Trusty (Sheffield United).
Substitution
Substitution, Brentford. Keane Lewis-Potter replaces Neal Maupay.
Comments
Join the conversation
From a Bees perspective, sometimes we play brilliantly and bottle it, other times we’re a bit mediocre and get the result. Hopefully at some point we can marry the performance to the result.
Michael Richards needs to give Bees another public apology. Stop reading the script the Fulham editorial team give you and use your eyes. VAR decision farcical. Collins never grabs or even looks at the Utd player who bounces off him and just falls over.
COYB