Championship talking points: Southampton revival continues as Coventry surge seven points clear | Football News

Can anyone stop Lampard’s Coventry?

Well, Wrexham did stop Coventry a few weeks ago. But since then it has been three wins on the bounce again for the Championship leaders.

None have been easy. There was the comeback win against Sheffield United and the late show against Stoke City before the international break. The third in that run may have been the most challenging of the lot.

They gave West Brom a two-goal head start at the CBS Arena on Saturday, but still ran out 3-2 winners. Helped in part by Jayson Molumby’s red card when they were still 2-1 down.

But still, from the moment Josh Eccles halved the deficit before the break it looked inevitable. Frank Lampard described the comeback as ‘outstanding’ – and it was a result made even more impressive when you consider they were without their top two scorers from the start in Haji Wright – who wasn’t in the squad – and Brandon Thomas-Asante, who didn’t enter the pitch until they were 3-2 up.

Coventry are now seven points clear of Middlesbrough in second and 10 clear of Stoke in third – after both dropped points on Saturday. No one looks close to challenging them right now.
Simeon Gholam

Eckert further underlines credentials to take Southampton job

Three games in charge, three wins now for Southampton interim boss Tonda Eckert. It is hard to see how they can really do anything but give him the job, now.

You could potentially question the value of his first two victories before the break – the first against a hopelessly out-of-form QPR, the second against a generally hopeless Sheffield Wednesday.

But there was nothing questionable about Saturday at The Valley. A lethal first-half blitz of finish – four of the goals coming in eight minutes – saw them tear Charlton to pieces.

Eckert will lead the Saints into their home game with Leicester in midweek, but remains coy about his chances of taking the job for good.

“I would like to prepare the team on Tuesday night,” he said. “That is going to be a big challenge. We hope to keep the momentum going.

“I don’t know if it takes us anywhere if I make big statements. We need to confirm our performance game after game. It is a big one coming up and that is the challenge.”
Simeon Gholam

Blades show steel in derby win over Wednesday

Sheffield Wednesday 0-3 Sheffield United

Sheffield United simply couldn’t afford to lose the Steel City derby and have boosted their survival hopes by beating their rivals Sheffield Wednesday.

Now just a point adrift of safety, Chris Wilder’s side have a platform to build on after a four-game winless run. The pressure was on to beat a Wednesday side marooned at the bottom of the Championship and they did so with ease.

Tyrese Campbell’s double put them in control before they soaked up pressure and didn’t look troubled. Tom Cannon’s late strike was a big relief to him as he looks to kick-start his career at the club.

Wilder says his side have a plenty of work to do and their next game is another big one against relegation rivals Portsmouth.
David Richardson

Mavididi provides moment of magic to steer Leicester to victory

Up until Stephy Mavididi put his laces through Leicester’s impressive opener, the Foxes had looked poor value for three points.

There hadn’t been a shot on target prior to that piece of individual brilliance. But that’s just what the King Power needed.

Suddenly the fans groans faded away and the atmosphere turned positive. It felt like that moment lit a torch paper in Leicester’s home form having previously lost their five home league games.

Hanging on for the 2-1 victory now puts the Foxes within touching distance of the automatic places.

No matter what’s to come over the next week or so with potential PSR point deductions, Marti Cifuentes has his team in a healthy position, and if this is the start of a turnaround in home form they could still carve out a successful season.
Lynsey Hooper

Norwich struggles continue as new era begins

Two new eras beckoned this week with Birmingham City announcing plans to build a state-of-the-art stadium while Norwich City started life under Philippe Clement – and it was a rough start for him.

Birmingham were at the races. They pressed high, were fast, strong and wanted to win every single ball. That resulted in an early goal in the first three minutes which set the standard for the game as they went in three up at the break.

Norwich shored things up a little bit in the second half and even managed to get a goal back, which was just a consolation.

Speaking to Birmingham boss Chris Davies post-match, it was clear that they set out to identify as a team that press high and are aggressive – a very similar approach to how they won League One last season.

Clement only had three days working with his new team and seemed optimistic afterwards. He knows the difficult task at hand but he’s up for the job.
Kyle Walker

Comeback complete for Watford!

Well, who saw that coming? After five straight Championship wins, it looked like it was going to be another day at the office for Derby County. Despite joint-top Championship goalscorer Carlton Morris going off early with a knee injury, two defenders stepped up to score their first goals for the club and put John Eustace’s side firmly in control.

It looked all but over for the away side-until the 61st minute. Out of nothing, Jeremy Ngakia found space on the right and picked out the run of Luca Kjerrumgaard, who steered his effort past Zetterstrom to halve the deficit.

From there, the momentum was all Watford. With just seven minutes left, Nestory Irankunda’s driving run into the box proved too much for Joe Ward, who brought him down. The referee pointed to the spot, and Edo Kayembe made no mistake.

With Watford’s impressive comeback record, taking three points looked like the only option from that point. Kayembe on the double made certain of that, heading home a curling corner from Imran Louza. Cue absolute limbs in the away end!

The only Championship side without an away win this season, Watford certainly didn’t make it easy for themselves but this is a victory that will live long in the memory for those who made the trip to the Midlands.

A measured Javi Gracia couldn’t hide his delight when I spoke to him post-match, praising the mentality and resilience his players showed to turn the game on its head.
Harriet Prior

Improving Blackburn ones to watch out for

It’s safe to say Blackburn had a nightmare start to the season.

Seven defeats from the first 10, with just eight goals scored, left them second bottom on October 21 – and Valerien Ismael under intense pressure. But something has clicked since then.

It’s now four wins from five, with eight goals scored and only four conceded. And the teams they have beaten are not just any teams – they are some of the favourites for promotion: Southampton, Leicester, Bristol City and now Preston.

What’s more, Friday night’s win at Deepdale rocketed them up to second in the Championship’s away form table. They’ve taken 15 points from their eight games on the road this term, second only to Frank Lampard’s seemingly irrepressible Coventry, who have picked up 17.

Of course it’s early in the season and of course it’s just a five-game period. But this could be the start of something special for Blackburn.
Dan Long

All Championship weekend results

Friday

Saturday

Sunday