Championship Roundup - 28/11/2025 – 01/12/2025

Oxford United 2-1 Ipswich Town

Oxford showed they were up for the fight as far as staying in the Championship is concerned, as they beat promotion favourites Ipswich Town in the Friday night game. Gary Rowett’s side were beginning to forget what winning felt like, having only won three times this season and failing to score any victories in November – up until this point. Ipswich had been motoring along nicely, charging up the table and putting a middling start behind them. This was an unexpected step backwards for them, on a night where a win would have temporarily taken them 2nd. 

The only goal of the first half came in the 24th minute. A loose pass from Town’s Dutch midfielder Azor Matusiwa was seized upon by Oxford forward Mark Harris, and the striker duly finished for his first goal in fourteen Championship appearances. Ipswich would level the contest seven minutes after the restart, with a volley from the edge of the box, directly from a corner, making for a memorable first of the season (here we go again) for the left back. One would have expected Ipswich to take the initiative from this point, but it would be the U’s who retook the lead in the 77th minute. Midfielder Brian de Keersmaecker lofted the ball over the top from inside his own half – a pass which Polish winger Przemyslaw Placheta expertly latched onto. Placheta surged towards the Ipswich box and steered the ball past Christian Walton for his third of the campaign. This was far from a smash and grab for Oxford, who very much earned their first win in six matches.

Oxford haul themselves out of the relegation zone, now in 20th place. Ipswich slip down to 9th, having seen the majority of the teams below them win their matches. Should they win their game in hand against Rovers at Ewood Park on the December 2nd, however, they would climb back to 4th place.

Leicester City 2-3 Sheffield United

Things continue to get worse for Marti Cifuentes. Two wins in a row had seemed to get the Foxes back on track, but this has now been followed up by two defeats which mean they continue to languish at the wrong end of the table, having won just six of their first eighteen matches and currently sitting on -1 goal difference. Sheffield United’s revival under Chris Wilder has taken some time to get going, but this makes it three wins in a row for the Blades and overall four matches without defeat.

It was about as good of a start as the visitors could have hoped for. After just two minutes Tom Cannon, the £10m man who recently scored his first goal in many months, bagged his second of the season against his former club. A chaotic, confused scramble in the penalty area was seized upon by the striker to net from close range. Two minutes later things went from bad to nightmarish for Leicester, as United midfielder Callum O’Hare volleyed from outside the box to send a bouncing ball, deflected off Jaïro Riedewald, past the outstretched dive of Foxes’ keeper Asmir Begovic. Riedewald was credited with the goal, making it his first of the season (from now on I’m just shortening future firsts to FOTS). Boos from the home fans were understandable, considering the catastrophic opening minutes. Incredibly, a third goal would follow after thirty-two minutes as midfielder Sydie Peck hit a spectacular volley from the outside of the area to score his second of the season. This is the second time in two matches that Leicester have shipped three in the first half. Stephy Mavididi scored his second of the season in the 53rd minute to give Leicester some hope, meeting an Abdul Fatawu cross at the back post. It took until the 83rd minute for them to get another one back, though, with young Welsh midfielder Jordan James firing in a shot from long-range for goal number four of the season. Too little too late, however, and Sheffield United clung on for another priceless victory.

Leicester drop to 16th, whilst Sheffield United reach the dizzying heights of 19th.

Portsmouth 0-1 Bristol City

Portsmouth’s form continues to be a major concern, as a long-awaited victory over Millwall on November 22nd has proved to be an anomaly, with this being their second defeat in a row since that game. Bristol City have had their own struggles as of late, but this is a second win in three games and keeps Gerhard Struber’s men vying for a spot at the top end of the division.

The Robins’ took a deserved lead in a first half they dominated, with talisman Anis Mehmeti heading in his sixth of the season – he also has six assists, making his contributions vital to City’s successes thus far. Portsmouth made a game of it in the second half, but ultimately succumbed to their ninth defeat in eighteen games.

Portsmouth fall into the relegation zone, now in 22nd. Bristol City edge back into 6th place.

Stoke City 1-2 Hull City

Hopes of a revival in form were dashed at the Britannia, as Stoke followed up their midweek victory over Charlton with a home defeat. It’s a third loss in four games for the Potters, who are beginning to slip away from the automatic places. Hull had lost three of their last four matches as well, but this impressive victory puts them back on track. Hull are the division’s second top scorers with thirty goals so far – but they are also, funnily enough, the second-worst defence in the division with thirty goals also conceded. Better hope those goals don’t dry up.

Sorba Thomas continued his recent goalscoring form by opening proceedings in the 17th minute with a thumping volley from inside the area, having threatened to break the deadlock minutes earlier with a fierce curling shot from range. League goal number seven for the former Rovers’ loanee. Hull would get themselves back into the game just three minutes after half time via a header from centre-back Semi Ajayi (FOTS). The game remained level until the 90th minute, when the home side lost possession in their own half and were punished by Joe Gelhardt, who fired a left-footed shot past Viktor Johansson to secure a win for the away side. The Leeds loanee now has nine league goals. Tempers flared at the final whistle, resulting in an ugly brawl between both sets of players and objects being thrown from the stands. One imagines both teams will face consequences for this.

Stoke drop to 4th position. Hull jump to 8th place, one point from the playoff positions.

Coventry 3-1 Charlton Athletic

Coventry continue to make light work of the Championship, recording their thirteenth win in eighteen games. They’ve only lost once and have scored twenty more goals than any other team. All in all, I believe Frank Lampard will be satisfied. Charlton’s good start has rapidly dissolved as their form has very much failed them in recent times. This is a fourth defeat in a row for Nathan Jones’ team and they are tumbling down the table at an alarming pace.

It was the away side who took a surprising lead in this one. Attacking midfielder Harry Knibbs was in the right place at the right time, turning in a deflected shot from close range for his second of the season. The Addicks had some excellent chances to go further ahead, but squandered these and were made to pay before the break. Coventry levelled the scoreline after forty minutes, as midfielder Josh Eccles calmly placed the ball into the bottom corner from just outside the area for his second of the campaign. Ellis Simms would then glance in a header from a corner, meaning Coventry went in ahead and each side’s team talks were likely dramatically altered. Simms would net his seventh of the season in the 76th minute, poking in from close range, to seal the victory. The Sky Blues have now scored three or more goals in ten of their eighteen games – a fearsome attacking force.

Coventry remain top, ten points clear of second and twelve points clear of third. Charlton are now 17th.

Middlesbrough 2-1 Derby County

Middlesbrough’s form has been patchy since the surprise departure of Rob Edwards a few weeks ago, and this match saw their new manager Kim Hellberg take to the dugout for the first time. The Swede will have been delighted to have come away with a win, pushing his side right back into automatic promotion contention. John Eustace’s Derby have been on a sensational run of form as of late, but there are signs of this momentum halting, as this marked their second loss in three games.

It was the away side who started brightest, opening the scoring after just two minutes. Expensive American forward Patrick Agyemang latched onto a long ball from Norwegian forward Lars-Jorgen Salvesen to fire home from the right-hand side of the area for a third goal of the season. Derby dominated the first forty-five, and Boro would have been grateful to only go in one down. Whatever Hellberg said to his team at half-time was effective, as they came out in the second period much more fired up. Boro would equalise in the 75th minute with left-back Matt Targett heading in from a corner for his second of the campaign. Nine minutes later the home side took the lead, with Morgan Whittaker’s low curling ball from the edge of the area evading a sea of players in the box and nestling into the bottom corner. Whittaker’s fifth of the season was enough to give Hellberg a debut win as Boro manager.

Middlesbrough return to the automatic positions, now in 2nd. Derby drop back to 11th.

Millwall 3-2 Southampton

After enduring a poor run of form, Millwall are back up and running, recording a second win in a row and keeping them within touching distance of the automatic promotion places. Under German caretaker Tonda Eckert, Southampton had picked up four victories on the bounce, but that string of victories came to an end at the Den as Millwall edged them out in a topsy-turvy encounter.

After a goalless first half, the first goal of the game came in the 55th minute. Adam Armstrong slotted home a penalty against the run of play for his seventh of the season, after Millwall’s Jake Cooper had brought down former Rovers loanee Taylor Harwood-Bellis. It would take another seventeen minutes for the game to really come to life. Millwall would equalise in the 72nd minute when Femi Azeez netted for his sixth of the season. In the ascendency, Millwall converted their dominance into a deserved lead when Caleb Taylor used the outside of his boot to curl the ball into the top corner from outside the box (FOTS) – not bad for a centre-back! Their lead lasted just six minutes though, as Southampton attacking midfielder Finn Azaz pounced on a save to score from close range for his sixth of the season – with five of those coming in his last four matches. Millwall were not to be denied, however. French centre-back Tristan Crama was the unlikely hero – angling in a cross from winger Thierno Ballo in the 97th minute to the delight of the home fans. A second goal of the season for him, and a potentially priceless one.

Millwall are in 3rd, a couple of points off the automatics. Southampton sit stable in 14th, benefitting from the majority of clubs beneath them losing.

Norwich City 3-1 QPR

It was a win at the third attempt for new Norwich manager Philippe Clement. After having a first home victory of the season cruelly snatched away from them in the final minutes of their game against Oxford at the weekend, Norwich made sure that there would be no repeat this time around. Victory here ended a thirteen-game winless streak for the Canaries. QPR had been picking up a bit of momentum with back-to-back victories, but it’s back to the drawing board for them after this display.

Norwich took the lead after just nine minutes, with Danish attacking midfielder Emiliano Marcondes netting the opener from close range (FOTS). That lead only lasted for two minutes though, as in-form Rangers striker Rumarn Burrell got in front of his marker from a corner and tucked away his seventh of the season. The Jamaican has scored six of those goals in the last nine matches – although despite his consistency, he has never scored more than once in a match so far this season. Neither would he in this one. Instead it was Norwich who bounced back, with a Canaries corner unluckily bouncing off Rangers’ Senegalese centre-back Amadou Mbengue in the 33rd minute to put the hosts back in front. A third would come three minutes later, with a flowing move finished by midfielder Amankwah Forson with a curling effort (FOTS). There was to be no heartbreak for Norwich this time around – they held their ground to finally win their first home match of the campaign. 

Norwich remain in 23rd, but are now four points from safety. QPR are 13th – much like Southampton, they have hugely benefitted from teams below them failing to win.

Sheffield Wednesday 2-3 Preston

As I write this Sheffield Wednesday have been deducted another six points. You might think that piles the misery on for the Owls, but in reality many of their fans are breathing a sigh of relief. Relegation this season is essentially a foregone conclusion, and six points deducted now means that they will start next season with a clean slate and no threat of additional penalties. We won’t be seeing their former owner Dejphon Chansiri popping up anywhere soon either, as he was given a three year ban from owning or being the director of a football club. Frankly, Wednesday fans will probably see that as lenient. Preston came into this match knowing they needed a win to arrest a run of three games without a win, but they got a closer encounter than they bargained for.

It was Wednesday who took a surprise lead at Hillsborough. Owls’ forward Charlie McNeill scored in just the 3rd minute (FOTS) to put the home side in front, finishing after team-mate Harry Amass burst into the box to put the ball on a plate for him. Preston were level seven minutes later as midfielder Ben Whiteman fired home from outside the box (FOTS). Parity would only last for another four minutes, however, and it was McNeill who once again put the hosts ahead – this time heading in from close range. North End midfielder Lewis Dobbin would equalise twelve minutes after the restart, heading in from a corner for his fourth of the campaign, and the comeback was completed when Danish attacking midfielder Mads Frokjaer-Jensen found the bottom corner from the edge of the area for his second of the season. This came minutes after Wednesday’s McNeill blew his chance of a hat-trick by missing a vital spot-kick which would have put the Owls back into the lead.

Sheffield Wednesday are bottom, and now twenty-seven points from safety after the latest six point deduction. Preston move into 5th place.

West Brom 3-2 Swansea

A poor run of form has seen WBA fall from playoff contention to mid-table obscurity, with Albion having picked up just one win from their last seven matches. Victory here was much needed for them, but it inflicted further misery upon a Swansea side who have plummeted towards the relegation zone after losing their last four in a row and having not won a match in their last six games. New manager Vitor Manos continues to wait for his first points as Swansea boss after two games and two defeats.

It was Swansea who took control of the game early on – very early on, as Slovenian striker Zan Vipotnik lobbed Baggies’ keeper Josh Griffiths after just twelve seconds to give the away side an immediate advantage. A seventh of the season for Vipotnik, but this was his just his third goal in his last ten matches. Swansea doubled their lead in the 11th minute when midfielder Ethan Galbraith’s fierce drive from outside the box found the net for his second of the season. Booed off at half time, Ryan Mason’s side came out in the second half with a point to prove. Mason made his feelings about the first half known by making four substitutions at the break. The Baggies quickly got to work halving the deficit, with Norwegian forward Aune Heggebo slipping the ball through the legs of Swansea stopper Lawrence Vigouroux just two minutes after the restart. Five minutes later Heggebo fired the ball against the ground from inside the area, and it bounced into the net to bring the scores level. A dominant West Brom would complete their comeback in the 85th minute as Irish midfielder Jason Molumby slotted home from the middle of the area (FOTS). It marked a disappointing collapse for Swansea, who had no response to WBA’s second half pressure.

West Brom climb to 12th, seeing most of the clubs around them dropping points. Swansea are 21st, only outside of the relegation zone by a very slim goal difference margin. 

Wrexham 1-1 Blackburn Rovers

The Red Dragons have started to find their feet in the Championship, coming into this match having not lost in eight games. The only reason their ascent up the table hasn’t been swifter is because they’ve had a lot of draws – the most in the division with eight – but just four defeats means they are one of the toughest sides in the division to beat. Rovers had won three of their last five games, but wretched home form means they continue to struggle at the wrong end of the table. Away matches have been kinder to Valerien Ismael’s men this season, though, with Rovers having one of the best away records in the division. With all of the above factored in, a draw here was perhaps the most likely result, although the manner of the draw will certainly stick in the craw of Rovers fans.

The away side took an early lead as Andri Gudjohnsen scored his second in three games, heading in a cross from frequently impressive right-back Ryan Alebiosu. A fifth goal of the season for Gudjohnsen, and a second direct assist of the season for Alebiosu. Rovers looked good for much of the match, with Yuki Ohashi missing a golden opportunity to put the visitors further ahead just before the hour mark. Wrexham did not have a shot on target until the 84th minute. Rovers looked to be heading towards yet another impressive away victory, but were cruelly denied in the dying moments of the game. Ryan Hedges was adjudged to have committed a foul just wide of the penalty area. The resulting cross was headed back towards Nathan Broadhead on the penalty spot. He fired towards goal and the ball deflected off centre-back Max Cleworth (FOTS) to rescue a last gasp point for Wrexham and keep their unbeaten run intact.

Wrexham are 10th, Rovers are 18th – with both Sheffield United and Oxford gaining ground on them. Should Rovers defeat Ipswich in their game in hand on December 2nd, they would only climb one place to 17th, leapfrogging Charlton. It would put them six points clear of the drop zone, however, and also six points from the playoffs.    

Birmingham 2–1 Watford

Having only lost one of their last six matches, Birmingham scored a narrow victory over Watford to leave them on the periphery of the playoff places – they’ve now gained thirteen points from the last eighteen available. Watford hadn’t lost in five, but three of those were draws, meaning that they haven’t been looking like breaking into the top six.

The home side’s South Korean midfielder Paik Seung-Ho scored the first goal of this game in the 31st minute, his fourth goal of the season and his third in five matches. Stealing possession in the attacking half, he burst forward and struck a low shot into the bottom corner. A fantastic strike from Demarai Gray in the 43rd minute, also his fourth of the season, meant that Big Club went in at the break two goals to the good. Watford would get one back in the 61st minute, with Moroccan winger Othmane Maamma steering the ball past Birmingham keeper James Beadle (FOTS). Despite an improved showing in the second half Watford were unable to breach the Brum backline further, giving the home side another victory at St. Andrews. Birmingham are the second best team at home in the league, with only Coventry ahead of them.

Birmingham sit just outside the playoffs in 7th. Watford are 15th.

League Table c/o BBC Sport