Liverpool are never likely to invoke the £40million buy-back on Rhian Brewster, but the striker is at long last starting to pay back some of the club-record fee Sheffield United invested in him.

At £23.5m, the 21-year-old was not bought to score goals against Bristol City. His first start at Bramall Lane was against Manchester City, in the Premier League.

But only now, more than one year on, has Brewster netted a league goal in South Yorkshire, at the 18th attempt. 

It would be wrong to call it a revival, because he never got going in the first place. His failure to score a single goal last term saw the Blades relegated to the Championship.

In recent weeks, though, with two goals in three games, Brewster has started to look like the player who Liverpool were clearly mindful he might one day become. Nowhere near 40 million quid's worth, mind.

The England Under-21 frontman departed here midway through the second half having felt his hamstring and it will be a shame should that stymie his momentum, especially given the affection in which he is held by new manager Paul Heckingbottom.

He was interim boss when United went down last season but was this week installed permanently as replacement for the sacked Slavisa Jokanovic.

And Heckingbottom said: 'Rhian is a great kid to be around, I really like him. Everyone likes him and wants him to do well. But he knows he will be pushed. The only thing that spoils a good day could be his injury.'

There was a far more serious head injury suffered by City defender Nathan Baker early in the second half. He received treatment for 10 minutes before being stretchered to an ambulance wearing a neck brace and oxygen mask.

Bristol boss Nigel Pearson, speaking after full-time, said: 'Nathan has gone to hospital to be checked over. We don't know more than that right now.'

United's win lifts them to 13th and six points off the play-off places, and Heckingbottom said: 'We are three points closer to the top - and that is the target.'

The new man received a warm reception on a cold day and, as snow began to fall after half an hour, a yellow ball was substituted on. With its introduction came a period of illumination for the hosts.

Heckingbottom's decision to revert to a three-man defence - liberating wing-backs Jayden Bogle and Enda Stevens - restored the threat from wide that was so characteristic of their better days in the Premier League.

Indeed, United's best attempt at goal during a cagey opening was a Bogle header from a Stevens cross that looped wide.  

Finally, on 40 minutes, they fashioned an effort on target, and with it came the opener. It was no surprise to see Stevens lay on the chance for Brewster. But what came as something of a shock was the composure with which the scorer spun and buried his 14-yard strike into the bottom corner. For such an unusual happening, it all looked so natural.

Brewster's replacement on 69 minutes was Billy Sharp, and how fitting it was that the first win of a new era was sealed by the old boy.

The 35-year-old showed all the hunger of a teen to throw his stocky frame at David McGoldrick's cross and turn in at the far post one minute from time. It was brave, too, given goalkeeper Daniel Bentley was all studs and gloves as he dived into their duel.

It said much that, while Sharp celebrated, Bentley lay in a pained heap. The Blades will certainly need more of that desire if they are to rescue what has been a sorry season.