Championship talking points: Frank Lampard’s Coventry sparkle, Millwall show steel and Middlesbrough stay perfect | Football News

Coventry dazzle with thumping of beleaguered QPR on day of celebration

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Highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Coventry and QPR

Result: Coventry 7-1 QPR

Coventry have now scored 12 goals in their first three Championship games. That stat is made even more impressive by the fact their opener was a goalless draw.

Frank Lampard’s side followed up last week’s 5-3 win at Derby with a 7-1 shellacking of sorry QPR. Five goals coming in the first half, and any hope of the away side salvaging any dignity ended by a sixth within minutes of the restart.

“Probably the first 45 minutes here was the best we’ve played since I’ve been here,” said Lampard. It had every facet of our game that we talk about, that we work on, everything on the mentality side of it, how at it we were – you could feel the energy on the pitch.

“I’m pleased because we as staff have spoken to the players a lot in these opening weeks about what we demand, the standards we want to bring every week consistently, and today we showed it.”

The CBS Arena was, understandably, in a boisterous mood. Fit for a party after the club had announced earlier in the day that they had completed the purchase of their stadium – meaning that they finally own their home for the first time since it was built 20 years ago.

Lampard might be slightly concerned that Jack Rudoni, attracting interest, may be drawing slightly too much attention as Deadline Day looms. If he can keep his squad together then Coventry might well possess the most fearsome attacking line in the Championship. Times are good for the Sky Blues.
Simeon Gholam

Leicester must hold on to Fatawu and add more amid El Khannouss uncertainty

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Highlights of the Sky Bet Championship match between Charlton and Leicester City

Result: Charlton 0-1 Leicester

Leicester’s display at Charlton was suggestive of a difficult near-future if the Foxes fail to adequately replace Bilal El Khannouss. The forward was absent from the squad amid intense rumours of a move to Crystal Palace.

From the player’s perspective, it would be a deserved return to the Premier League for a player who shone in a dimly-performing Leicester team last term.

However, for the club they lose a creative spark – evident in their at-times laboured approach against Charlton. Marti Cifuentes’ side expectedly dominated the ball but, for all their possession, they looked predictable in the final third until Abdul Fatawu’s stunning winner.

Before then, Fatawu – and Jeremy Monga on the other flank – had struggled to get into the game. But his individual brilliance proved the importance of ensuring he remains at the King Power Stadium past Deadline Day.

“It was a fantastic goal which summarises really well what Abdul means to us,” said Marti Cifuentes afterwards.

“If I had to trust all the rumours and speculation then (head of media relations) Jonny (Lally), you have to start next weekend. There is speculation around most of our players.

“The target is that we arrive on September 1 in a good position with a team that we want to have. There are some key players that we want to keep and Abdul is one of them.”

Prior to the game, Cifuentes spoke of a need for reinforcements as the window draws to a close – that need did not change despite bouncing back from a loss at Preston to win in the Championship.
Will Bitibiri

Millwall missing key men but show steel at Sheff Utd

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Highlights of the Sky Bet Championship match between Sheffield United and Millwall

Result: Sheff Utd 0-1 Millwall

There were five Millwall first-teamers out injured at Bramall Lane on Saturday. But the headline absence from the starting XI was Japhet Tanganga, who is on course to join Sheffield United, with a fee agreed between both clubs for the standout defender.

In those circumstances, and after being beaten 3-0 at home last week, many outsiders would have anticipated another difficult afternoon for Millwall at a Sheffield United side desperate for a result.

But instead, Millwall showed their resilience. A well-taken Luke Cundle goal in the first half gave the visitors something to hold onto and an inspired performance by goalkeeper Steven Benda backed up a well-organised and determined defensive display.

This was no smash-and-grab, though. Despite having just 39 per cent possession, Millwall finished the game having had more shots and more shots on target. The overall trend is upwards under the management of Alex Neil and the travelling supporters paid tribute to the latest effort at full-time – while also teasing Tanganga about his next career move.

“When this club’s got adversity against us, it’s probably when we’re at our best,” said Neil, after his side demonstrated just that in this important fixture.
Peter Smith

It’s clear where Bristol City’s issues lie – but will they solve them?

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Highlights of the Sky Bet Championship match between Derby County and Bristol City

Result: Derby 1-1 Bristol City

Bristol City boss Gerhard Struber made little effort to hide where he wants to strengthen before the transfer window closes after watching his side gradually cede momentum to drop two late points at Derby on Friday.

City had been in the ascendency, and a goal ahead, when first-choice forward Emil Riis was forced off by injury nine minutes into the second half.

In his absence, City produced an xG of just 0.22, dropping deeper and deeper and eventually succumbing to Carlton Morris’ equaliser four minutes from time, leaving it plain to see where the Robins’ shortcomings lie even after a positive summer of incomings at Ashton Gate.

“When Emil went off, it’s not so easy in our striker position [to] have someone behind him who is also on this level at the moment,” he told the BBC after the game. “It’s somewhere where we had to do something.”

Of Struber’s other options, Sinclair Armstrong remains an enigma but is extremely rough around the edges, Fally Mayulu appears again appears to have fallen out of favour and Sam Bell has precious little experience as a No 9 at this level.

The message from Struber was abundantly clear. The only question lies in whether he will get what he desires by September 1.
Ron Walker

Mason’s fury after two fouls on Heggebo go unpunished

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Dermot Gallagher and Jay Bothroyd disagree over whether Ryan Mason’s red card should be overturned after complaining about two ‘refereeing errors’ during West Brom’s 1-1 draw against Portsmouth.

Result: West Brom 1-1 Portsmouth

West Brom head coach Ryan Mason was sent off in the Baggies’ draw against Portsmouth after an angry response to two big decisions not going their way, both for challenges on Aune Heggebo.

Speaking on Ref Watch, former England striker Jay Bothroyd sympathised with Mason.

On the first incident, when West Brom were denied a penalty after a foul by Connor Ogilvie, he said: “The first one is ridiculous. I don’t understand how the referee doesn’t see that. That is one of the most obvious decisions we’ll see all season.”

Heggebo was then manhandled and pulled back by Regan Poole, who was the last man.

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Highlights of the Sky Bet Championship match between West Bromwich Albion and Portsmouth.

“If he goes down there, he makes the referee have to make a decision,” Bothroyd added.

“He stays strong, he’s trying to be honest, he stands on his feet. He’s gone through and had a shot, which is blocked. Ultimately, the referee should then bring that back. It’s a red card.

“If the defender doesn’t put his arms out and he doesn’t grapple with him, he’s going to take a touch forward and end up having a shot and he might score.

“It’s still difficult as he’s outside the area. It’s still not an easy chance, but he’s the last man.”

Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher said he would be “absolutely amazed” if Mason’s red card was rescinded.
Dan Long

Middlesbrough’s perfect start continues

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Highlights of the Sky Bet Championship match between Norwich City and Middlesbrough

Result: Norwich City 1-2 Middlesbrough

Three from three for Middlesbrough! Two goals in quick succession at the end of the first half secured Rob Edwards’ side their third win of the season and second successive away win – it’s no wonder the Boro’ faithful were in fine voice in the away end long after the final whistle.

It was an end-to-end game in the first half, before Middlesbrough broke the deadlock with some lovely one-touch football before Finn Azaz finished the move. They added a second minutes later when Aiden Morris won the ball back high and crossed it to Tommy Conway to finish from close range.

Norwich already had an uphill battle to face in the second half, and things got even more difficult when Jacob Wright was shown a red card for his challenge on Aidan Morris.

The home side did rally late on, though, through the man they are so desperate to keep in Norwich colours, Josh Sargent. He dinked the ball into the back of the net following a long ball from Kenny McClean.

However, it proved to be too little too late, and Middlesbrough’s perfect start continues.
Harriet Prior

St Andrew’s continues to be a fortress for Birmingham

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Highlights of the Sky Bet Championship match between Birmingham and Oxford

Result: Birmingham 1-0 Oxford

If you’d stumbled into St Andrew’s on Saturday afternoon unaware which of these teams was the newly promoted side, you’d never have guessed it was Birmingham City who were playing League One football last season.

In fact, this was similar to a lot of games they played at that level – Chris Davies’s side felt in complete control throughout, too strong, too quick, too good on the ball for Oxford who were kept at arms length.

The only negative was that they didn’t add to Paik Seung-Ho’s well-taken opener, Kyogo Furuhashi the biggest culprit in spurning two excellent first-half opportunities. But Mark Harris couldn’t convert the one late chance that came Oxford’s way and their head coach Gary Rowett remains the last Birmingham manager to lose a home league game some 27 matches ago.

Oxford are one of two pointless teams left in the Championship having lost their opening three matches of a season for the first time in seven years. Time to panic? Maybe not just yet.
Rob Jones

Key stats from the weekend

  • Middlesbrough have begun a league campaign with three consecutive wins for the first time since 1994/95.
  • Stoke have begun a league campaign with three consecutive wins for the first time since 1998/99.
  • Sheffield United have begun a league campaign outside of the top-flight with three consecutive defeats for just a second time.
  • Coventry scored 7+ goals in a league game for the first time since October 1963 (8-1 v Shrewsbury), while it was the first time QPR have conceded 7+ goals in a league game since August 2018 (7-1 v West Brom).
  • Hull City (0-3 vs Blackburn) suffered their heaviest home league defeat since a 0-3 loss to Stoke in September 2022.

All Championship weekend results

Friday

Saturday

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