Sheffield United v Brentford: OFF

Sheffield United’s home game with League Two leaders Brentford tonight has been postponed.
Sheffield United v Brentford is off due to a waterlogged pitch.Sheffield United v Brentford is off due to a waterlogged pitch.
Sheffield United v Brentford is off due to a waterlogged pitch.

The Bramall Lane pitch failed a pitch inspection at 1pm.

It is the second game postponed at the Lane in two weeks.

Meanwhile, manager Nigel Clough is hoping memories of the nadir in Sheffield United’s season – a 3-0 loss at Crewe Alexandra earlier this month – can continue to push his side forward.

The Blades chief was fuming in the immediate aftermath of the February 1 defeat at Gresty Road.

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A team meeting was called for the Monday morning in which Clough asked searching questions of his squad.

Since then, United have knocked Premier League Fulham out of the FA Cup and beaten Shrewsbury Town in the league.

He said: “We have had a response to what happened at Crewe. But we want it every game between now and the end of the season.

“We have certain standards that we have to reach. If we fall below them – like we did at Crewe – then we see what happens.

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“The flipside is we exceeded them against Villa and Fulham, and look what happened in those games.

“We have to aim for the consistent seven or eight out of 10 performance every week, which is probably somewhere between Crewe and the two Cup wins.

“Against Premier League teams, you have to up your game considerably. But, in the league, we have a level that we have to get close to.”

United have put that Crewe defeat to bed with the wins over Fulham and Shrewsbury.

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Clough added: “It has gone now. But, at the time, Crewe did shock me. Maybe 3-0 flattered them and it wasn’t a mauling. Even so, the game seemed to pass us by. And that was strange because we have been in every game.”