Preston 1-2 Blackburn Rovers

Preston came into this match having picked up ten points from their last four games, and knew that a win would temporarily place them 2nd in the Championship standings. Rovers hadn’t done too badly themselves recently, with nine points picked up from the last twelve available – they had tasted defeat before the international break, though, suffering a 2-1 reverse against Derby County. Rovers hadn’t won at Deepdale in the last three seasons, with all of these games ending in draws, but Valerien Ismael’s men have a very strong away record this season and showed here that their away form is no fluke.

It would take until the end of the first half for the deadlock to break, with Rovers’ new Australian summer signing Lewis Miller bravely getting his head to a corner to put the ball into the net in the 45th minute. The defender suffered a head injury as a result of his determination to score, but remained on the pitch for the rest of the match regardless. 

Rovers’ lead didn’t last long, with North End’s Lewis Dobbin setting up on-loan Spurs midfielder Alfie Devine to squeeze a shot home barely a minute after the hosts had gone behind. It was Devine’s third goal of the season and his first since September. One would have assumed that this equaliser would have galvanised Preston for the second half, but truthfully they never got going after the break. Instead it was Rovers in the ascendency, and the away team deservedly took the lead in the 62nd minute. 

Ryoyo Morishita sent a free-kick into the Preston box, and Andri Gudjohnsen headed in from close range for a second set-piece goal. The Icelandic international now has four goals for his new club, with all of those being scored in the last month’s worth of matches. Preston never looked like getting back into this one, and their meek second half performance will be a bitter disappointment to their fans. Rovers, meanwhile, continue to give their away support great value for money. Hopefully they can do the same for the Ewood faithful in midweek.

 Defeat sees Preston fall to 5th, whilst another away victory has Rovers in 18th.

Bristol City 3-0 Swansea City

The Robins’ put a poor spell of form behind them as they cruised to a comfortable victory at Ashton Gate against a Swansea side in freefall. It was a first win in three games for Bristol City, and a third defeat in a row for Swansea. Portuguese manager Vitor Matos, tipped to become Alan Sheehan’s replacement, was in the stands and will have seen plenty that needs fixing. Matos is set to leave his current club, C.S. Maritimo, after Swansea triggered his release clause. He’ll be leaving his current club top of the Portuguese second division.

It was an awful start to the game for Swansea, who conceded just four minutes in after Robins’ defender Rob Dickie headed in an Anis Mehmeti corner for his first of the campaign. It was Mehmeti providing another assist in the 31st minute, as his deep cross was volleyed in by Danish forward Emil Riis for his fifth of the season. The game was put to bed in the 82nd minute, with that man Mehmeti again at the heart of the attack. It was his superb pass which freed Japanese winger Yu Hirakawa to neatly finish and ensure all three points for Bristol City. A first of the season for Hirakawa, whilst Mehmeti doubles his assist tally in one game from three to six.

Bristol City move back into playoff contention in 4th, whilst Swansea drop to 20th position.

Charlton Athletic 1-5 Southampton

Southampton continued their resurgence since the departure of Will Still by picking up their third victory in a row – having won every match since their young, former manager was given the boot. The Saints German Caretaker boss Tonda Eckert is certainly making a case to be kept on as their permanent manager. Southampton won this match in style against a Charlton side who had been enjoying a fantastic start to life in the Championship. This resounding defeat is their second in a row, however, and the manner of the loss will certainly cause some concern. This will have been a particularly bitter pill for Addicks’ manager Nathan Jones to swallow against his former club.

Amazingly, all goals in this game were scored in the first half. Saints’ left-back Ryan Manning headed in his third of the season after fourteen minutes to get the ball rolling. Just two minutes later former Rover Adam Armstrong found his saved shot back at his feet, and he made no mistake with the rebound to net his sixth of the season. In the 20th minute Southampton worked the ball up the pitch in total football fashion for their third, with this impressive move finished off by Caspar Jander – who raced through on goal after being put through by Armstrong. It’s the second goal of the season for the German midfielder. Armstrong would play provider again as he found Irish attacking midfielder Finn Azaz in the box, with the Irishman rounding Charlton keeper Thomas Kaminski to make it four with just twenty-two minutes on the clock. This goal blitz from the Saints represented a disastrous, irrecoverable eight minutes for Charlton. Southampton rubbed further salt into the wounds just before half-time, as Azaz poking home a cross at the back post in the 43rd minute – making it four goals for the season. Charlton would get one back in first half stoppage time, with Lloyd Jones heading in his first goal of the season from a Sonny Carey corner, but it was of little comfort to a battered Charlton side. This was only Charlton’s second home defeat of the season, and they’ll be hoping this match was very much a one off.

A chastening defeat sees Charlton slip to 13th. Southampton rise to 16th.

Coventry 3-2 West Brom

Frank Lampard’s Sky Blues continue to dominate the division, as they picked up yet another victory against a West Brom side who are enduring a truly terrible run of form. Rookie WBA boss Ryan Mason appeared to be taking to the Championship like a duck to water in the early season, but his side are now struggling badly. This is their fourth defeat in six matches, having only won one of those games. In comparison, Coventry have won eleven of their sixteen games and only lost once thus far.

And yet, with the second half of this one drawing to a close, WBA looked to be getting back on track. Norweigen forward Aune Heggebo netted his third and fourth of the season in the 9th and 32nd minute to give the away side a surprise lead – both times scoring from close range. Coventry pulled one back in the 41st minute when midfielder Josh Eccles headed home a Tatsuhiro Sakamoto cross for his first of the season. The turning point of the match came in the 49th minute, as WBA’s Irish midfielder Jayson Molumby earned a second yellow card and put his side under significant pressure. The Sky Blues took advantage almost immediately, with Ellis Simms’ close-range header in the 56th minute and Victor Torp’s fantastic volley in the 61st minute turning the game on its head, with Coventry now in the lead. It’s the former’s third of the season and the latter’s seventh. West Brom were unable to recover from this, and Coventry added yet another win to their record.

Coventry remain top – seven points clear. West Brom continue to plummet, now in 17th place.

Birmingham 4-1 Norwich City

If Norwich thought sacking Liam Manning was going to have a positive effect, this match certainly proved otherwise. Considering the dire position Norwich are in at the moment, new manager Philippe Clement – last seen badly managing Rangers - will have wanted to see some fight from his side. There was to be no new manager bounce here, however, suggesting Norwich’s problems run deeper than just the man in the dugout. It was a third win in four matches for Birmingham, and a third straight home game where they have put four goals past the opposition.

The opening goal came in the third minute of the match, and was a sign of things to come. Brum striker Marvin Ducksch tapped in the opener, and in the 21st minute Jay Stansfield doubled the home side’s lead with a headed goal from a Patrick Roberts cross. Danish striker Mathias Kvistgaarden’s fourth of the campaign – scored from a rebound – gave the away side some brief hope in the 33rd minute, but it didn’t last long. Ducksch would find himself on the scoresheet again just before the break, once again scoring from close range after Tomoki Iwada’s header was pushed into his path by Canaries’ goalkeeper Vladan Kovacevic. These were Ducksch’s first two goals for Birmingham since joining from Werder Bremen in the summer. Stansfield would also get a second goal nine minutes after the restart, his shot going in off the underside of the bar, and the forward’s eighth of the season was the final goal in this one.

Birmingham move up to 9th. Norwich remain 23rd, five points from safety.

Derby County 2-3 Watford

John Eustace’s Derby side have been in indomitable form lately, with six wins in a row catapulting them up the league in dramatic fashion. Javi Gracia’s Watford side haven’t been on quite the same level, but had only lost one of their last five games going into this one, so still not bad. In coming from behind to claim victory at Pride Park, the Hornets registered their first away win of the season. They were the only side in the division, until this match, to have not won away from home.

Initially, everything appeared to be going to plan for Derby. Well, sort of. Carlton Morris was forced off early on after what seemed to be an innocuous coming together with Watford’s Kevin Keben, and that would unquestionably have been a concern for the Rams, with the experienced striker on fire recently and having scored half of his side’s total goals this season. Nonetheless, Derby controlled the first half and deservedly went ahead through a Dion Sanderson half-volley in the 36th minute, opening his goalscoring account for the campaign. Their second goal also came from a defender, as Norweigen Sondre Langas got onto the end of a Joe Ward free-kick to also score his first of the season. The momentum of the game shifted, however, as a half-volley from Danish forward Luca Kjerrumgaard gave the away side some hope with his fifth league goal. Watford would equalise late in the game after substitute Nestory Irankunda was brought down in the box. DR Congo midfielder Edo Kayembe made no mistake from the spot, and he would then score the winner from open play as he headed in an Imran Louza corner – his first two goals of the season leaving Pride Park stunned.

Derby’s five game win streak comes to an end, leaving them in 12th place. Watford sit just above the Rams in 11th.

Ipswich Town 0-0 Wrexham

The only goalless game of this weekend’s fixtures came at Portman Road, where Ipswich were unable to find a way past a resilient Wrexham defence. It was the first ever league meeting between these two teams, and it’s not one that will be remembered by many. Ipswich came into this match having won three of their last four matches, whilst Wrexham had won three of their last five.

Ipswich will feel aggrieved to have failed to record a victory here, as they were by far the dominant team. They had nineteen shots to Wrexham’s two, but their expensive attacking force was unable to breach their opponents’ backline. Wrexham failed to have a single shot on target, but their defence did their job and thus ensured the Welsh side headed home with a point in the bag.

Ipswich are 8th, a point off the playoff positions. Wrexham sit in 14th, now with the most draws in the division with this being their seventh of the campaign.

Leicester City 2-1 Stoke City

Leicester had recorded a long overdue win just before the international break, and the pressure mounting on Marti Cifuentes was further eased here with victory over high-flying Stoke City. The Potters had, conversely, lost their last match before the break and made it two defeats in a row as they went down at the King Power Stadium. Much like Preston, Stoke squandered the chance to potentially go 2nd by losing 2-1 to a team below them in the table.

The first goal came from poor Stoke defending in the 23rd minute. A misplaced pass from the Potters’ defence allowed Stephy Mavididi to drive into the area and thunder the ball into the net off the underside of the bar from a wide position. Some way to score your first goal of the season. In the 44th minute the Foxes’ Ghanaian midfielder Issahaku Fatawu slipped in Zambian forward Patson Daka to dink the ball over the keeper for another first of the campaign, ensuring Leicester went into the break two goals to the good. Stoke came out fighting in the second half and immediately got themselves back into the match as South Korean attacking midfielder Bae Jun-Ho headed in from close range to score his first goal of the season three minutes after the restart. They were unable to find an equaliser, however, and will rue leaving this match with zero points – having overall been the better team and conceded the only two shots their opponents had on target.

Leicester move up to 10th. Stoke remain in 3rd.

Oxford United 1-1 Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough currently remain managerless after the somewhat unexpected departure of Rob Edwards to Wolves on November 12th, having only been at the club since the summer. Boro’s first post-Edwards game just before the international break saw them victorious, but they had to settle for a point here against Gary Rowett’s dogged Oxford side. Boro are expected to imminently appoint Swede Kim Hellberg, who will be joining from Hammarby IF. His current club are 2nd in the Swedish top flight. The home team came into this match having lost their last two fixtures, nervously looking over their shoulders as Sheffield United begin to creep towards them.

Oxford took a surprise lead in this one in the 28th minute, as twenty-year-old midfielder Luke Harris scored his first of the season (it’s starting to feel like Groundhog Day with the amount of times I’ve typed that now). The Fulham loanee finished a central cross from Jack Currie to put the hosts ahead. Former Rover Callum Brittain would register his fourth assist of the campaign as his low cross was put into the net by Morgan Whittaker, the right winger’s third of the season drawing the visitors level nine minutes after the restart. Both sides would have chances to take all three points, but ultimately the spoils were shared in this one.

Oxford are 21st, a point ahead of Sheffield United. Middlesbrough remain 2nd thanks to Stoke being beaten by Leicester.

Portsmouth 3-1 Millwall

Millwall are going through a difficult patch at the moment, with this being their second defeat in four matches, with only two points gained from the last twelve available. Portsmouth had themselves been on a horrendous run of form, only managing to pick up two points from the last eighteen available, so a win here was much-needed.

A twenty-five yard screamer from Pompey right-back Zak Swanson got this match going after twenty-two minutes. Would you be surprised if I said it was his first goal of the season? Well, it was. This might be a record for one weekend. This was one hell of a way for Swanson to open his account, mind. The home side doubled their advantage six minutes after the break as Australian striker Adrian Segecic lifted the ball over the keeper from a tight angle. It was his first start since October 21st, having sustained an ankle injury, and it would have been his first goal since October 1st... but his shot (which may well have been a cross) was heavily deflected off the boot of Millwall defender Tristian Crama, and unfortunately for both was given as an own goal. A poor challenge from Lions’ left-back Joe Bryan saw him given a straight red in the 67th minute, making the uphill climb for his side even steeper. Nonetheless, Millwall would get themselves back into the game five minutes later as striker Mihailo Ivanovic netted from a corner. It’s the twenty-year-old Serbian’s third of the season, and his second in as many matches. A comeback was not on the cards, however, with Pompey wrapping things up in the 89th minute in spectacular fashion. Having come on for opening goalscorer Zak Swanson, fellow right-back Jordan Williams charged forward from the inside of his own half, driving into the centre of the pitch. Finding himself just outside the penalty area, he proceeded to emulate the man he had come on for by rifling a long-range finish into the side of the net and confirm all three points for Pompey. First goal of the season, again – naturally.

Portsmouth end their horrific run of form and climb to 17th. Millwall are just outside the playoff places in 7th. Due to three of the four teams above them being beaten this week, however, they lose little ground.

QPR 3-2 Hull City

These teams came into this encounter on very different trajectories. QPR had seen themselves slide back down the table having only picked up a single point from the last twelve available. Hull, on the other hand, had earned ten points from their last fifteen, and in the process gotten themselves into the playoff positions.

This scoreline makes the game look a lot closer than actually was the case. QPR dominated and deserved their victory, even if in the end it was by a slim margin. Forward Joe Gelhardt would score the opener against the run of play in the 17th minute, beating QPR keeper Ben Hamer at his near-post from close range after a superb driving run and pass from centre-back Jake Clarke-Salter. The Leeds loanee has been one of Hull’s most consistent performers and now has eight league goals to his name. The Tigers were pegged back twenty minutes later when Moroccan midfielder Ilias Chair pounced on a blocked effort from outside the box to score from close range. Take a guess as to whether he had scored before this weekend. In the 51st minute Hull would retake the lead, as Turkish forward Enis Destan headed in a pinpoint deep Ryan Giles cross for his second of the campaign. QPR were not to be denied, however, and four minutes later they were once again back on level terms. This time it was Irish right-back Jimmy Dunne who looped the ball into the net from the middle of the area. Let’s see how many he’d scored this season so far... oh, of course, zero. Anyway, Rumarn Burrell has been in a scoring mood for the last month or so, and it was his sixth of the season that tipped the game in QPR’s favour and ultimately won them all three points. Luck was on his side as a blocked shot once again fell kindly to a Rangers player, and Burrell fired home unmarked from close range.

Victory halts QPR’s slide and has them in 15th. Despite losing, Hull cling onto 6th position, with Millwall, Ipswich, Derby and Charlton all failing to capitalise.

Sheffield Wednesday 0-3 Sheffield United

Sunday’s match brought this weekend’ proceedings to a close, with the first Sheffield derby of the season. It’s been a pretty brutal season for both clubs thus far. Wednesday were always expected to struggle, with the club being decimated by their former owner before the season even began in every conceivable way. Little surprise the Owls are bottom with a single win to their name – a twelve point deduction is just the icing on a very grim cake. Sheffield United finished 3rd last season with 90 points – then sacked Chris Wilder and appointed Ruben Selles. Not the best idea, as it turned out, and as a result the Blades have found themselves in the relegation zone for the vast majority of the campaign. Wilder is back, having essentially just taken a very well-paid holiday, but fair to say the team he’s come back to is not the team he remembers from a few months back. They went into this match having lost three and drawn one of their last four games.

In the end, it was a fairly one-sided affair in the Steel City derby, and yet another miserable day for long-suffering Sheffield Wednesday fans. A clinical finish from Tyrese Campbell in the 11th minute put United into an early lead, and it was Campbell who would double that advantage three minutes after the restart. Blades midfielder Sydie Peck intercepted the ball in the middle of the pitch and laid on a pass which would set Campbell up for his fifth of the season. A slightly deflected twenty-yard effort from Tom Cannon finished the content in the 91st minute – and perhaps it’s only fitting that this week’s review ends with yet another player who scored his first goal of the season. The lad’s a centre-forward who was bought for around £10m in January 2025 and as far as I can tell this was only his second goal for the club in something like 28 appearances. That is a very high price-to-goal ratio.  This was his first goal in seven months. Who knows, maybe it’ll be a catalyst.

Sheffield United remain in the relegation zone in 22nd, but are now just a point behind Oxford. Sheffield Wednesday might as well have their name engraved at the foot of the table this season.

One for the trivia buffs:-

Every game this week had a player scoring their first goal of the season, with the exception of one match – Ipswich v Wrexham, which had no goals, but you can guarantee if somebody had scored it would have been their first.

The list:

Lewis Miller (Blackburn Rovers)

Rob Dickie (Bristol City)

Yu Hirakawa (Bristol City)

Lloyd Jones (Charlton Athletic)

Josh Eccles (Coventry City)

Marvin Ducksch (Birmingham City)

Dion Sanderson (Derby County)

Sondre Langas (Derby County)

Edo Kayembe (Watford)

Stephy Mavididi (Leicester City)

Patson Daka (Leicester City)

Bae Jun-Ho (Stoke City)

Luke Harris (Oxford United)

Zak Swanson (Portsmouth)

Jordan Williams (Portsmouth)

Ilias Chair (QPR)

Jimmy Dunne (QPR)

Tom Cannon (Sheffield United)

Congratulations to these lads on making me type the same thing, or a variation of the same thing, over and over again. Records probably aren’t kept for this kind of thing, but this must be up there in terms of players scoring their first goals of the league season in a single weekend..!

 The League Table - c/o BBC Sport