Something had to give. Between them, Brentford and Sheffield United had played out a collective 16 winless matches. For Brentford, the drought did not extend to 10 games, and they ended the day seven points clear of relegation with five to play. For the Blades, Oliver Arblaster’s unfortunate deflection of Mikkel Damsgaard’s cross before Frank Onyeka’s injury-time strike made it eight without a victory. The relegation trapdoor and starting a Championship season on minus two points opens ever wider.

Where Sheffield United’s fate has looked sealed from early season, Brentford being among the strugglers has jarred when compared with their previous Premier League campaigns. A lack of victories has dragged them dangerously downwards. Quality performances against Manchester United, Brighton and Aston Villa yielded three draws. They have lacked the firepower to kill off opposition.