Rhian Brewster scored his first goal since October 2022
Rhian Brewster's first goal in more than two years sent Sheffield United back to the top of the Championship as the Blades beat Millwall in Neil Harris' final game in charge at The Den.
Japhet Tanganga and George Saville both hit the post for the hosts before Brewster's tap-in gave the Blades the lead soon before half-time.
Mihailo Ivanovic blazed over from inside the box before Tanganga also volleyed over the bar late in the game as the Lions pushed until the end for the equaliser.
The hosts had a late penalty appeal waved away when Aidomo Emakhu went down as he was swarmed out by Alfie Gilchrist and Tom Davies, with the former Everton midfielder appearing to just get a touch on the ball.
The three points send the Blades back above Leeds at the top of the Championship, while the Lions dropped to 13th without a win in their last five matches.
Harris will take charge of his last game as Millwall boss at Middlesbrough on Saturday, following the surprise announcement of his impending departure from the club on Tuesday.
Brewster relief as striker takes chance
Rhian Brewster's goal secured a 1-0 win that sends the Blades back to the top of the Championship
With Tyrese Campbell ruled out with a hamstring injury, Brewster was chosen to lead the line for the title-chasing Blades.
The former Swansea loanee has been through a torrid time with injuries and you could see the relief as he scored his first goal since October 2022.
Despite having lots of possession in the first half, Sheffield United side struggled to break down a stubborn Lions defence which was bolstered by the return from suspension of Tanganga.
The visitors somehow failed to score from Harrison Burrows' delightful cross, which was knocked back across the box and evaded Callum O'Hare and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, before Gustavo Hamer drilled back across and Gilchrist diverted the ball over.
Their goal came from a pinpoint long ball from back to front from Jack Robinson to put Hamer in behind Joe Bryan, with the Brazilian-born Dutchman rolling it across for Brewster to tap into an empty net.
Ex-Liverpool youth player Brewster fired over from close range in the second half as the Blades failed to add to their goal tally, but the 24-year-old soaked in the applause from the travelling support at full-time after making the defining contribution to the game.
No perfect end for Harris at The Den
Neil Harris will take charge of his final match in charge of Millwall against Middlesbrough at the Riverside on Saturday
Tuesday's announcement that Harris would leave his role as head coach at Millwall after Saturday's game at the Riverside came as a huge surprise.
The club's all-time leading scorer returned to the club in February to steer the Lions clear of relegation and to a 13th-placed finish.
And his side have picked up where they left off, securing 25 points from their opening 19 Championship matches this season, which included a run of nine games unbeaten that ended in defeat to Coventry at the weekend.
His side has been built on a dogged defence and a threat from set-pieces and fast transitions and the hosts had their chances to score against the league leaders.
Tanganga struck the post after robbing the ball off O'Hare on the touchline after the Blades had initially cleared a corner.
Saville, captain on the night, saw his swivel and bending shot evade United keeper Michael Cooper and bounce back off the upright, before Ivanovic put the ball over.
The Serbian striker missed a great chance for the hosts to equalise in the second half as he again fired over from Romain Esse's cutback as Millwall failed to score for the second match in a row.
Harris will take charge for the last time when Millwall travel north to the Riverside this weekend.
Harris leaving a 'shock to everybody' - reaction
Millwall boss Neil Harris told BBC Radio London:
"It wasn't the way I hoped to go, with a defeat. Sometimes you have to just respect levels. How many times did we get into their penalty area? Double [the amount of time than] them. Did we have any quality? Not really.
"We hit the woodwork twice and couldn't follow up with simple chances. They have an execution of a brilliant pass, a brilliant touch and the vision to square the ball in front of goal, and that's the difference in levels.
"I picked a team I thought could win the football game. With a bit more quality in the final third and a bit more ruthlessness we would have done."
Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder told BBC Radio Sheffield:
"Amazing for him [Rhian Brewster]. I've talked a lot about his personality and his character and how he doesn't want to be injured and on the treatment table.
"He takes all the headlines to win a game at a difficult place, especially when it's a December Wednesday night – we got the job done, we were by no means perfect but performance sometimes suffers when you have to really dig in and get a result.
"This is, as always, a tough place to come and get a result. There's been plenty of teams who haven't got a result here this year and in the past.
"The win is important, to get that result was a big one, and we can go back up the road and enjoy our coach journey home.
On Neil Harris: "He's a great guy who has done fabulous work right the way through for his football club.
"I know what he's feeling because of how close and tight he is here, and what he did last year in terms of keeping them in the division.
"It [the announcement] was a shock to everybody."
