Championship Round Up - 29/12/2025

Coventry City 0-2 Ipswich Town

League leaders Coventry have completely lost their goalscoring mojo as of late, and whilst they have gotten away with it for the most part, the diminishing of their attacking abilities finally caused damage here at home to fellow promotion hopefuls Ipswich Town. The Sky Blues have relied on their defence to keep them steady during this period of goalscoring drought, but the joint-second best attack in the division was able to breach the home defence twice. It is Coventry’s third loss of the season – two of which were inflicted by Ipswich in this month. Town also crushed the Sky Blues 3-0 at Portman Road on December 6th, suggesting Kieran McKenna’s side well and truly have Coventry’s number. This was also Coventry’s first home defeat of the campaign. The Tractor Boys have now won four of the last six, and are looking increasingly likely to take one of the top two automatic spots, as those above them stumble under the pressure.

It took until the 72nd minute of this one for the deadlock to be broken, although Ipswich had been the better team throughout. The opener was fortunate, to say the least. Town winger Jack Clarke received the ball deep in the Coventry penalty box, and he hammered a shot against the legs of Sky Blues’ defender – and former Town player – Luke Woolfenden. The ball then looped up and over the keeper from the resulting deflection, putting the away side ahead. Clarke was credited with the goal, making it his eighth of the season. Eleven minutes later Ipswich made it two, and ensured all three points would come back to East Anglia. Making their way into the Sky Blues penalty area, the ball eventually found its way to right midfielder Wes Burns in the box. Burns, coming on as a substitute for just his second appearance of the season after knee surgery, showed total composure as he calmly side-footed it into the far bottom corner.

Coventry remain top, but the gap between themselves and third place closes to ten points. Ipswich, the team in 3rd, are now just two points from second placed Middlesbrough.

Leicester City 2-1 Derby County

A welcome win for Marti Cifuentes, whose Leicester side have struggled to get any kind of momentum going in a season that has fallen well short of expectations so far. Whilst it must be factored in that they spent nothing in terms of transfer fees in the summer, there is enough talent in their team to be far above the mid-table purgatory they currently find themselves in. This was only their ninth win in twenty-four games – although it is the second time in three weeks that they’ve beaten Derby. John Eustace’s Rams were able to launch themselves away from the relegation fight with an excellent run of form a couple of months back, but recently they’ve only won one of their last seven, and that win was against bottom club Sheffield Wednesday. Eustace likely won’t be too worried at present, but his sides are going to need to improve significantly if they have any hope of making a top six challenge.

In the last game between these two sides, forward Bobby De Cordova-Reid put the Foxes ahead after eight minutes. This time around it took him just six minutes to open the scoring. Good work from winger Abdul Fatawu on the right hand flank gave him space to cross a low ball straight into the path of Cordova-Reid. The attacking-midfielder hit it first time, netting from close range for his fifth of the campaign. It would take the visitors just three minutes to get themselves back on level terms. The Foxes lost possession in the middle, leading to a swift Derby counter attack. The ball found its way to Welsh forward Rhian Brewster who placed the ball into the near corner from the middle of the penalty area. This was Brewster’s second of the campaign. Leicester would regain the lead just before half time, with a strike from young midfielder Jordan James from the edge of the area putting his side back ahead. He now has seven league goals. Despite spells of pressure from Derby in the second half, there were no more goals in this one.

Leicester move up to 12th, four points from the playoffs. Derby are 14th, six points from the top six.

Middlesbrough 0-1 Hull City

After a dream start to life on Teeside, Kim Hellberg’s fortunes have taken a swift dive. Four wins in a row have been followed by just one point from their last nine and no goals at all in their last three games. Boro really cannot afford to be dropping points with Ipswich breathing down their necks – and it isn’t just the Suffolk club who are making a charge for the top two. Boro’s opponents in this match, Hull, are surprisingly right up there as well. It makes losing to them here even worse for Hellberg’s men, as it means they now have two teams within reach of them. Hull have gained thirteen points from the last fifteen available, catapulting them into automatic promotion contention. It’s some job that Bosnian manager Sergej Jakirovic is doing there.

The solitary goal in this one came quite early on, with twelve minutes on the clock. Tigers’ forward Kyle Joseph was able to turn his man in the box and take it past the keeper, but ended up at the wrong angle to finish the chance himself. The Scot turned and laid the ball back for Darko Gyabi to slide the ball underneath keeper Sol Brynn from the edge of the six-yard box. A first of the season for the young midfielder. Boro would spend the rest of the game searching for a way back, but in truth their efforts were largely tame and Hull’s only shot on target ended up being the only shot they required to win.

Middlesbrough remain in 2nd for now, but the teams beneath them are now quickly catching up. Hull are one of those teams, with a win here pulling the Tigers – currently 4th - to within two points of Boro.

Millwall 2-1 Bristol City

Millwall put a poor run of form behind them as they came out on top against fellow playoff hopefuls Bristol City at the Den, another team to do a monthly double over another. Alex Neil’s side had only picked up two points from their last twelve, but victory here puts them back on track – at least for now. The Robins’ inconsistency is their biggest problem, as this result means they’ve lost three of their last six, winning the other two and drawing one. It’s keeping them in and around the playoffs, but causing them to drop in and out depending on the week. 

The home side went ahead early, as a searching cross in the box ended up somewhat fortuitously at the feet of Lions’ Algerian winger Camiel Neghli. He made the most of his opportunity, slotting the ball home for his third of the season. The Robins would equalise four minutes after the restart. Defensive midfielder Adam Randell beat Millwall keeper Max Crocombe at his near-post from inside the area, scoring his first goal for Bristol City. Millwall Substitute Macaulay Langstaff would come on to make the difference, netting what would be the winning goal in the 81st minute. Making the most of two Robin’s defenders tripping over themselves in the six yard box, Langstaff was in the right place at the right time to poke the ball into the net for his second goal of the season – his first had come all the way back on the opening day. Millwall only had two shots on target the entire game, but scored both of them.

Millwall move back into the playoffs, now in 5th place. Bristol City once again fall back out, now in 8th.

Norwich City 0-1 Watford

There’s no question that Philippe Clement has improved the situation at Norwich, although in truth he was essentially starting with the club at something close to rock-bottom when he arrived. If you don’t count Sheffield Wednesday, destroyed by their owner before the season began, the Canaries have been the worst team in the division this season. Clement has managed to get things moving in a more positive direction, with Norwich having won and drawn two of their last four games, but defeat here temporarily halts that momentum. Javi Gracia has been a solid appointment for Watford, and a narrow win here gives the Hornets a fourth win in six games, drawing the other two to also make them unbeaten in those six matches.

This game’s only goal arrived very late on – in the 90th minute. Watford winger Nestory Irankunda burst down the flank, beating his man and squaring the ball to Portuguese striker Vivaldo Semedo. The young forward swung at the ball somewhat hopefully, and got lucky as the ball bounced off a Norwich defender in front of him and into the net. He now has three goals for the campaign.

Norwich remain in 23rd, four points from safety. Watford enter the playoff race by rising to 6th spot.

Oxford United 0-1 Swansea City

Oxford interim boss Craig Short masterminded a surprise victory against Southampton in the U’s previous match, but saw them fall back into their old ways as they once again left a match empty handed. It’s a twelfth defeat in twenty-four games, meaning Oxford continue to have a record of 50% defeats across the entire season. Vitor Hugo’s Swans now have four wins in their last six games, meaning that they are rapidly moving away from the drop zone and into the safety of mid-table. Early signs suggest that Hugo may prove a shrewd appointment by the Swansea hierarchy.

Another game with just one goal, and it came after thirteen minutes. Slovenian striker Zan Vipotnik is who Swansea often look to for goals, and the twenty-three-year-old stepped up again here to deliver for his side. He rose in the area to beat his marker and get his head on the end of a deep cross from left-back Josh Tymon. He powered the header home, making it ten league goals for the campaign.

Oxford are still 22nd, three points from safety. Swansea are 18th, pulling themselves seven points clear of the drop zone.

Portsmouth 2-1 Charlton Athletic

Portsmouth’s recent momentum continued with a win here, meaning they now have eight points from their last twelve and are unbeaten in four games. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Charlton’s nightmare shows no signs of dissipating. Nathan Jones has seen his side lose seven of their last nine games, a run of results which has taken them from the edge of the top six to a genuine relegation battle.

Portsmouth took the lead in this one in the 69th minute. Irish centre-back Conor Shaughnessy, who had come onto the pitch as a substitute for his first appearance since September due to injury, headed into the net from close range to give the home side the lead. Pompey thought they had thrown it away in the 96th minute of the match, as Charlton attacking-midfielder Harvey Knibbs made the most of a nodded on corner to finish in the top corner – his third league goal of the season. Knibbs would have assumed he’d done enough to earn his side a point, but Pompey weren’t done. In the 98th minute another substitute of theirs made an impact. A long ball launched towards the Addicks’ box ultimately ended up at Yang Min-hyeok’s feet. His low shot found its way through the Charlton defence and into the far bottom corner, sending Fratton Park wild. The nineteen-year-old South Korean right winger now has three league goals.

Portsmouth remain in 21st, but are now three clear of the relegation spots and only two points from their opponents just above them in the table. Charlton, in 20th, are still five points from the relegation zone – but have to be getting nervous now.

Sheffield Wednesday 0-0 Blackburn Rovers

Wednesday pick up their third draw in six games, and overall their eighth draw in twenty-three matches. Rovers have now won just once in seven games. They become only the third team this season unable to score against the Owls, and the first team to score no goals at Hillsborough.

On the forum I posted the below of this match, and I have nothing more to say about it.

The opposite of the old saying that a match is ‘an advert for the beautiful game’. This was simply an advert for how owners can absolutely wreck football clubs. Awful.

Wednesday are bottom. Rovers are 19th, five points from the drop zone.

Stoke City 1-2 Sheffield United

Things don’t look like they’ll be getting better for Stoke any time soon. Mark Robins has now seen his team lose four of their last six games, with just a single win in that time. Forget the automatic places slipping away from the Potters, they’re now seeing the playoffs fade into the distance as well. A turnaround is needed here very quickly, otherwise Stoke will once again find themselves finishing in mid-table obscurity. Chris Wilder meanwhile continues to steady the ship for Sheffield United, with this result meaning they’ve now picked up ten points from the last fifteen available. Realistically the Blades aren’t going to need to worry about relegation – it’s just a question of whether they can find a run of form to get them within reach of the top six.

Defensive midfielder Jairo Riedewald opened the scoring for the Blades in the 47th minute, able to get the wrong side of former Rover Sam Gallagher to poke the ball home for his second of the season. Just six minutes later United would make it two, with former Stoke player Tom Cannon coming back to haunt his old club with a six-yard finish after a Harrison Burrows cross. A third of the season for striker. Stoke centre-back Ben Wilmot would make the most of poor defending from the Blades in the 65th minute to hit a shot in off the underside of the bar to score what would ultimately be the last goal of the game and his first of the campaign. There was one other incident of note – experienced midfielder Ben Pearson was sent off for hauling down striker Patrick Bamford to deny a goalscoring opportunity in the 88th minute. Not really what Stoke needed. 

Stoke are in 10th place, now four points from the top six. Sheffield United are 17th, seven points clear of the relegation zone.

West Brom 2-1 QPR

Victory here may help slightly ease any building pressure on rookie boss Ryan Mason, as his West Brom side gained just their second win in six games – having lost the other four. QPR had been building up a bit of a head of steam, but if there’s one thing almost every team in this division seems determined to avoid it is any level of consistency. So, as to be expected, QPR have now gained just four points from the last twelve available and, for now at least, find themselves outside of the top six.

American centre-back George Campbell opened the scoring and indeed his account for WBA on twenty-four minutes with a header direct from a corner. The scores would be levelled eleven minutes later when a free-kick from QPR’s Danish midfielder Nicolas Madsen ended up deflecting off WBA defensive midfielder Ousmane Diakite for an own goal. The Baggies would retake the lead ten minutes after the restart. Another goal from a set-piece, this time a Mikey Johnston free kick, was headed in by defender Nat Phillips to settle the contest. A third goal of the campaign for Phillips.  

West Brom continue to keep 16th spot warm. QPR are 9th, three points from the top six.

Wrexham 2-1 Preston

After six matches without a win, Phil Parkinson saw his Wrexham side finally win again in their last match – a breathtaking 5-3 victory over Sheffield United. His team, undoubtedly having had their morale boosted by that result, came into this one and turned over a Preston side who have spent most of their time this season in the playoffs. With that said, Paul Heckingbottom will probably be a bit concerned that his team have only picked up seven points from the last eighteen available. Not a disaster, but that kind of return will not see them maintain a top six place – as proven by where they sat after this game finished.

Winger Nathan Broadhead put the hosts ahead  in the 39th minute, with the £7.5m forward heading a Kieffer Moore cross into the bottom corner – he now has four for the season. The Red Dragons would double the lead in the 77th minute, as a George Dobson pass split the Preston defence and allowed midfielder Ollie Rathbone to slot the ball home for his second of the season. Preston would get one back in the 84th minute through forward Alfie Devine’s low corner finish, a fourth of the season for him. It set up a tense finish, but Wrexham held on for all three points.

Wrexham sit in 11th, four points from the playoffs. Preston drop out of the top six by one point, into 7th position.

Birmingham City 1-1 Southampton

It’s looking increasingly like Birmingham are going to have to settle for consolidation this season, unless they spend big in January or change manager. Brum manager Chris Davies will know from last season that Birmingham’s owners can be ruthless when it comes to pushing the club forward, and one begins to wonder if a winless run of six is making things dangerous for Davies. Tonda Eckert’s honeymoon at the Saints, meanwhile, is well and truly over. When he first took over from Will Still it appeared that he was spearheading a charge to the playoffs, but his side now haven’t won in four games and only have two points from the last twelve available.

A looping header from deep inside the area by German defender Phil Neumann – his second of the season - put Big Club into the lead in the 49th minute, but it was the equaliser that would become the big talking point of the match. A cross in from the right was met by the outstretched leg of Southampton forward Cameron Archer and turned in for his second of the season, much to the fury of Chris Davies and his staff. Birmingham felt the game should have been stopped when the referee got in the way of their play moments earlier, allowing the Saints’ attack to begin. Davies would end up getting himself sent off after first receiving a booking for his protestations, then a second yellow for throwing the ball away, meaning the Brum manager will be watching the next game from the stands.

Birmingham are 15th, now seven points from the top six. Southampton are 13th, six points from the playoff positions.