Derby County 1-1 Bristol City

The 2025/26 season hasn’t begun well for John Eustace and Derby County. Two defeats and eight goals shipped will undoubtedly have been a major concern. Bristol City came into this match having picked up four points from their opening two games, with an impressive thumping of Sheffield United followed up by a slightly underwhelming home draw against Charlton.

It looked like the Rams were on their way to a third defeat in three matches, with Scott Twine scoring his third goal of the campaign to give Bristol City the lead going into the break. Bristol City were the more creative team after the restart, but as is often the case, one goal was not enough and they were duly punished for spurning chances to go two up. Carlton Morris’ 86th minute equaliser – also his third in three games – enough to ensure the points were shared at Pride Park.

Charlton Athletic 0-1 Leicester City

Newly-promoted Charlton had a tough early season test here, against a Leicester side who are tipped to go straight back up to the Premier League, having been relegated in 18th last season. The Foxes haven’t had the best start to the season, scraping past crisis club Sheffield Wednesday and then losing to Preston. Charlton, on the other hand, will have been pleased with four points from their first two games against established Championship sides.

For Charlton, everything in this match was good except the most important thing of all – scoring goals. They had twenty shots, compared to just six from Leicester. It was Leicester that made it count, though. A wonderful curling effort from Abdul Fatawu was enough to give Leicester three points and inflict a first defeat of the season upon the Addicks. Nonetheless, Charlton will be pleased to have taken the game to a team with vastly more resources than themselves. Marti Cifuentes will be grateful for the win, but know that his team are going to need to significantly improve their performance levels to go up automatically.

Hull City 0-3 Blackburn Rovers

There wasn’t a great deal of optimism for Rovers fans going into this match. Two lacklustre performances had led to two league defeats to start the season, making the departure of numerous established players seem increasingly worrying. Former Captain Lewis Travis has also found himself dropped from the squad, seemingly in preparation for an inevitable move to Derby County. Hull, after enduring a difficult 24/25, started this season with a solid draw at Coventry, followed by a 3-2 victory against Oxford.

The script suggested a tough away match for Rovers, but, this is the Championship. Rovers played like they had a point to prove, and a first goal in over a year for Ryan Hedges in the 18th minute set the tone for the rest of the match. Rovers put the game to bed five minutes after the break, with Hedges assisting an Ohashi goal in the 47th minute and new captain Todd Cantwell netting a third in the 50th minute. Hedges and Cantwell led the way for Rovers, and Hedges should have had a brace, missing a gilt-edged chance to double his tally. Hull never really got a foothold in this match, finding themselves unable to cope with Rovers energetic performance. Hull were hit by a virus during the week, meaning several players were missing. Nonetheless, manager Jakirovic was graceful in defeat, saying that Rovers fully deserved their victory.

A first win of the season lifts Rovers to 16th in the table, and the resounding victory amends their GD to +1. A first defeat of the season for Hull, meanwhile, drops them to 15th.

Swansea City 1-1 Watford

After a disappointing opening day defeat to Middlesbrough, Swansea bounced back with a 1-0 win over a Sheffield United team who have been struggling under new manager Ruben Selles. Watford similarly suffered a disheartening 1-0 opening day defeat to Charlton, but also bounced back with a home victory against QPR last week.

With the above in mind, it perhaps shouldn’t be a surprise that the two teams shared the spoils here in a fairly even game. Watford’s new 19-year-old signing from Bayern Munich, Australian Nestory Irankunda, opened the scoring with a fantastic free kick that sailed into the top corner. Watford were unable to inflict further damage, though, and after some improvement around the hour mark, Swansea eventually equalised through Slovenian Zan Vipotnik. Linked with a move away, he came on as a substitute and equalised in the 82nd minute to ensure Swansea took a point from this match. Watford remain without a win on the road since February of the previous season.

The result sees Swansea in 13th and Watford in 12th.

Birmingham City 1-0 Oxford United

Birmingham could count themselves unlucky to have only taken a point from their opening match against Ipswich, but did get their first win of the season last week with a 2-1 victory over Rovers at Ewood Park. Oxford defied expectations by staying up last season, but have begun this season with back-to-back defeats against Portsmouth and Hull.

Oxford’s winless start to the season continued here, as a 40th minute strike from South Korean international Paik Seung-ho was enough to give Birmingham their second win of the campaign and their first clean sheet. It was a deserved victory, with Gary Rowett’s Oxford side lacking any real attacking threat and the American-owned Blues spurning chances which could have put the result beyond doubt long before the final whistle.

Birmingham rise to 5th in the table, whilst Oxford occupy 23rd spot.

Coventry City 7-1 QPR

After starting the season with a goalless home draw against Hull, Coventry really got going last week by putting five past Derby – albeit conceding three in return. QPR, under new manager Julien Stephan, began with a home draw against Preston but then suffered a narrow defeat away to Watford last week.

It was a big day for Coventry, having announced that they had completed the purchase of their home stadium, 20 years since leaving Highfield Road. They marked this momentous day for the club in style, by absolutely obliterating the Hoops in an embarrassingly one-sided affair. They followed up their five goals from last week by putting another seven past a hapless QPR, who conceded all but one of the shots the Sky Blues had on target. It was already 5-0 at half time and game over, but Coventry added another two to their tally to ramp up their goal difference. It was a brutal afternoon for QPR, who see their goal difference plunge to -7, the worst in the division. Manager Stephan promised QPR fans that they would see a response in their next match.

Coventry surge up to third, with their twelve goals the most scored in the division at this early stage. QPR slip to 22nd.

Norwich City 1-2 Middlesbrough

Norwich suffered an opening day defeat at home to Millwall, but were able to get their first three points on the board last week by beating Portsmouth at Fratton Park. Middlesbrough have started the season strongly under new manager Rob Edwards, winning twice and yet to concede.

Norwich have now experienced three 2-1 scorelines in a row, being on the losing side twice. They have now lost both of their first two home matches of the season, which is sure to add to the disgruntlement at Carrow Road. They found themselves two down at half time, with Finn Azaz and Tommy Conway both scoring within two minutes of the break – drastically altering Norwich boss Liam Manning’s planned half time team talk. Things went from bad to worse for the Canaries, as a poor challenge from Jacob Wright saw them reduced to ten men after just 58 minutes. Norwich did manage a consolation goal via Josh Sargeant, but a comeback was not on the cards.

Boro’s perfect start to the season sees them in 2nd spot, with Norwich falling to 17th.

Preston 1-0 Ipswich Town

Many were tipping Paul Heckingbottom to potentially be the first manager to get the boot this season, but Preston have thus far not carried over last season’s bad form. An away draw to QPR on the opening day was followed by a very credible home victory against Leicester last week. Ipswich meanwhile have looked disjointed in their first two games – they were very fortunate to salvage a draw against Birmingham on the opening day and were unable to hold on to their lead against Southampton last week, once again drawing 1-1.

The Tractor Boys’ stuttering start continued here, as Preston put yet another newly-related club in their place with a single-goal victory. Milutin Osmajic was bundled over in the box after ten minutes, and the Montenegrin stepped up to slot the ball home for the opening goal. He has scored in every game this season so far. Despite having 72% possession and fifteen shots on goal compared to Preston’s two, Ipswich only managed to hit the target twice. One imagines Ipswich will be especially worried by their lack of goals, only managing two from their opening three matches – and one of those was a very suspect penalty award.

Preston now sit in 6th place. Ipswich drop to 18th.

Sheffield United 0-1 Millwall

It’s not exactly been a dream start for Ruben Selles as Sheffield United manager. A crushing 4-1 home defeat to Bristol City on the opening day was followed by a limp 1-0 away loss to Swansea the week after. Alex Neil’s Millwall tasted victory on the opening day away to Norwich, but then suffered a heavy 3-0 home defeat to Middlesbrough.

The nightmare continues for Selles, as he once again saw his team walk away empty handed, with a second home defeat in a row combined with the second game in a row where they have failed to score. Their opening day goal remains the only one they’ve registered thus far. Millwall make it two away wins from two, with Luke Cundle’s 38th minute strike enough to give the Lions all three points at Bramall Lane. The Blades, who also lost in the League Cup to Birmingham, were booed off at both half-time and full-time.

Sheffield United remain rock bottom of the division. Millwall climb to 8th. 

Southampton 1-2 Stoke City

Southampton decided to entrust their Championship campaign to 32-year-old Will Still, and early results would suggest cautious optimism. They came from behind very late at home to Wrexham on the opening day of the season to snatch three points, then gained a credible draw away to Ipswich. Stoke, after numerous seasons of mediocrity, have had a fantastic start to this campaign, with a 3-1 win at home to Derby followed up by a 3-0 away win over Sheffield Wednesday.

The Saints would provide a sterner test for Mark Robins’ men, and it’s a test they passed with flying colours. It was a game where all three goals were scored by former Rovers loanees. Lewis Baker opened the scoring for Stoke and, despite going a man down after a second yellow card for Divin Mubama in the 59th minute, they doubled their lead in the 75th minute. Incredible vision from Potters’ goalkeeper Victor Johansson resulted in a perfect throw up the pitch which sent Sorba Thomas away. Thomas still had plenty to do, without any support, but a well-placed shot into the corner ultimately sealed Southampton’s fate. Taylor Harwood-Bellis headed in from a corner four minutes later to give the Saints some hope, but Stoke held on to make it three wins from three and condemn Southampton to their first defeat of the season.

Stoke continue to sit atop of the Championship, whilst Southampton drop to 10th position.

West Brom 1-1 Portsmouth

WBA have had a solid start to the season, beating Rovers on the opening day and then handing newly-promoted Wrexham their second defeat in a row. Ryan Mason couldn’t have hoped for a much better start to his first managerial role. Portsmouth also started the season with a victory, but were defeated by Norwich at home last week.

The Baggies took the lead after a belter from Mikey Johnston, but Portsmouth equalised against the run of play in the 56th minute as a cross from Josh Murphy met the head of Colby Bishop, who steered his effort into the net. West Brom will feel extremely aggrieved to have had penalty and red card appeals turned down – replays suggesting that on both occasions the officials got it wrong. Mason was so incensed by the second appeal being denied, visibly losing control of his emotions on the touchline, that the referee sent him off. There were loud boos at full-time from the home fans – unquestionably directed at the officials, with what seems like justification.

West Brom sit in 4th, and Portsmouth in 11th.

Wrexham 2-2 Sheffield Wednesday

Wrexham haven’t had quite the start to life in the Championship that they would have hoped for. They fell to a late defeat to Southampton on the opening day, then lost 3-2 to West Brom the week after. £7.5M spent on Nathan Broadhead raised eyebrows, and it remains to be seen whether this is a wise investment. Sheffield Wednesday’s troubles are well known, but despite losing their first two games, the small squad’s spirit has been there for all to see, giving the Owls’ fans some hope.

Once again that spirit shone through for Wednesday, as they came back from two goals down to earn a draw. Wrexham were two up at half time, with Keiffer Moore netting both times, and it looked like yet another demoralising afternoon was afoot for the Owls. The players kept fighting, though, and a 63rd minute goal from captain Barry Bannan was followed by an 81st minute equaliser from 20-year-old Bailey Cadamarteri. It was a well-deserved point for Wednesday, who had twenty-one shots to Wrexham’s eleven. Wrexham continue to wait for their first Championship victory, letting another golden opportunity for three points slip through their fingers.

Wrexham sit in 19th place, whilst Wednesday rise out of the relegation zone and into 21st position. It’s early days and their very small squad is likely to struggle as the season goes on – but it’s clear they will not be going down without a fight.