Alan Biggs: Sheffield United's clash against Derby is one of the more important ones

And hard to remember when they last played in the Championship, a 26 day gap stretching back to a notable victory at Fulham.It’s also a reminder that vacuums are the biggest enemy individual clubs face in the soap opera of football.That void has to be filled somehow.

So we get an upsurge of transfer speculation surrounding a team that, by its manager’s own admission, doesn’t need much tinkering … lingering uncertainty over whether star man Morgan Gibbs-White can continue his loan spell … and an overreaction in some quarters to a predictable FA Cup defeat at Premier League Wolves.Even more destructive to momentum and continuity, United have slipped to 13th in the table while rivals played and they were grounded.

Added to which, barring rearrangements they now face a run of four away games out of five.Frankly, the damage may prove irreparable with so much catching up to do in so short a time.Most fans will be understanding of the cruel twist in circumstances, as they should be because the team will need them as never before.It’s not an impossible mission, of course.

While the gap to sixth place has stretched to eight points, the Blades have three and four games in hand on those above them.But they’d rather have, say, six points in the bank because there is no margin for error now.More than anything, the lay-off has deflated the mood around the place.

Where there was buoyancy and anticipation, there is now the fatalistic dread of another heartbreaker largely for events beyond the club’s control - as with the onset of Covid nearly two years ago.So Saturday at Pride Park, where Wayne Rooney’s Derby are threatening somehow to overcome a normally crippling points deduction, is one of the more important games across a season.It is a barometer and compass game; one to win to set for fair and to reset the direction of travel.And more than anything to swing the mood back to where it should be for a side chasing a fifth successive victory.