Category: Championship League

A dull goalless leaves Leeds two points clear of Sheffield United at the top of the Championship, with Burnley a further point behind in third

Email! “You drew the long straw then?” asks Jeremy Boyce. “This is as tasty a match up as you suggested. Top scorers v top defenders. Top of the table v third, in a group of four class teams, two of which will have to go through the nightmare of the playoffs, and they all have experience of that. Is the top of the Championship better than the bottom of the Prem? We’ll find out next season. Burnley need a four-goal win to go top tonight, but I’m thinking a regulation Scott Parker 1-0 would do them. Leeds will need all of their 66% possession to break down the Clarets’ defence. Fast start? Solomon four mins? We’ll find out shortly.”

I can’t see Burnley shutting Leeds out a second time – they won 1-0 at Elland Road earlier in the season – nor can I see anyone finishing above Leeds. They just have too many ways of scoring.

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• Ogbeta’s goal denies Sunderland chance to go third
• West Brom hit five in thrashing of Portsmouth

Sunderland missed out on the chance to close to within a point of the automatic promotion places in the Championship as Nathanael Ogbeta’s 90th-minute strike gave bottom club Plymouth a surprise 2-2 draw at the Stadium of Light.

The Black Cats looked set for another home win as second-half goals from Wilson Isidor and Trai Hume overturned a Plymouth lead that had come through an own goal from home goalkeeper Anthony Patterson. However, Ogbeta struck in the final minute to secure Plymouth only a fourth away point of the season. “In the end, I think we were a bit lucky to win a single point,” said the Sunderland manager, Regis Le Bris.

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• Burnley win 5-0 at Home Park to keep pace with leaders
• Leeds back at summit after 2-0 win over Norwich

Burnley scored five goals in a stunning first-half performance as they hammered relegation-threatened Plymouth 5-0 at Home Park to continue their promotion charge in the Championship.

Zian Flemming and Josh Laurent bagged braces while Josh Cullen also struck in a remarkable opening 45 minutes to leave the Clarets, unbeaten in 15 games, two points behind second-placed Sheffield United.

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• Swansea 1-2 Sheffield Utd, Derby 0-1 Sunderland
• Middlesbrough 2-0 West Brom, Oxford 3-2 Luton

Sheffield United went back to the top of the Championship table after coming from behind to win 2-1 at 10-man Swansea.

After Florian Bianchini opened the scoring for Swansea in the seventh minute, the Blades came out firing in the second half with Rhian Brewster scoring a 47th-minute leveller.

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• Harrison Burrows scores twice in leaders’ 2-0 victory
• Blackburn lose to Oxford; Pompey stun Middlesbrough

Harrison Burrows scored both goals as Sheffield United moved back to the top of the Championship with a dominant 2-0 win against Norwich. Burrows opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, chesting the ball down before firing in a shot which hit both posts before crossing the line. Gustavo Hamer went close with a spectacular effort before Harrison scored his and United’s second from the spot on the hour after Ben Chrisene fouled Sam McCallum.

Cameron Brannagan struck a stunning free-kick winner as Oxford United beat playoff chasing Blackburn 1-0 to make it six league games unbeaten under new manager Gary Rowett. Siriki Dembélé was brought down by Callum Brittain just outside the area and Brannagan drove the 67th-minut e free-kick high into the far corner with goalkeeper Aynsley Pears helpless. United have won all three home games since Rowett took over from Des Buckingham in December.

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Clarets have conceded only nine league goals in 26 games in a complete turnaround after last season’s leaky campaign

“Attack wins you games, defence wins you titles,” was the old Sir Alex Ferguson adage but Burnley would happily accept automatic promotion. They sit second in the Championship thanks to the excellence of their back four and goalkeeper, who are on their way to break records, but a Premier League return is all Turf Moor wants.

Under Scott Parker, the Clarets have conceded nine goals in 26 league matches, collecting 17 clean sheets. Sunderland, one of two teams to have beaten Burnley, arrive on Friday night wondering how to break through the brick wall again.

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• Muslic managed Cercle Brugge until December sacking
• ‘Miron comes with glowing reviews’ says Argyle chairman

Plymouth have appointed Miron Muslic as the club’s new head coach to replace Wayne Rooney.

The 42-year-old former Cercle Brugge manager has signed a three-and-a-half year deal to succeed Rooney, who left the club on New Year’s Eve.

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• Edwards earned ‘legendary status’, says chief executive
• Hatters currently in danger of relegation to League One

Rob Edwards has left his job as Luton’s manager by mutual consent with the club in danger of relegation to League One after four straight defeats.

Edwards led Luton to the Premier League in 2023 but they came down after one season and are only two points above the bottom three in their battle to avoid a second straight relegation.

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The Luton manager, Rob Edwards, claimed the footballing gods are against his side after they were beaten 2-1 at Queens Park Rangers to deepen their relegation fears.

A fortunate deflected goal by the QPR defender Morgan Fox condemned Town to a fourth straight Championship defeat – and 10th in a row away from home. Luton are in danger of successive relegations, sitting two points above the bottom three.

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• Abu Kamara stars as Hull hold Leeds to 3-3 draw
• Coventry left reeling by two late Norwich goals

Abu Kamara ended a difficult week with two goals as struggling Hull claimed a breathless 3-3 draw at home to Leeds, the league leaders.

Kamara apologised on Friday for posting “wrongly timed” emojis on former club Portsmouth’s Instagram account after Hull’s defeat to Middlesbrough on New Year’s Day. But redemption was as satisfying as it was dramatic as he bookended the scoring with a lovely early lob over a stranded Illan Meslier before scoring a precise shot after 89 minutes.

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Leeds and Burnley held, Windass scores a worldie for Wednesday, managerless Plymouth scramble a late draw, WBA demolish Preston and more …

Plymouth Argyle 1-2 Bristol City: The Robins are back in front at Home Park, with Jason Knight firing them back into the lead.

QPR 3-1 Watford: Kwdwo Baah pulled a goal back for Watford with a deflected shot but QPR immediately restored their two-goal lead when captain Sam Field rose highest to head home a cross from Paul Smyth.

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• Blackburn and Stoke battle to hard-fought points on road
• Plymouth claim 2-2 draw in first game since Rooney exit

Danny Batth’s last-minute equaliser clinched Blackburn a 1-1 draw at Elland Road and denied Leeds a 10th straight home win.

Pascal Struijk’s late penalty appeared to have snatched Leeds all three points in their push to extend their lead at the top of the Championship before Batth struck. Leeds poured forward in pursuit of a winner during 10 minutes of added time but John Eustace’s playoff-chasing visitors held firm for a deserved point. Daniel Farke’s side had taken maximum points from their previous three festive fixtures, but they failed to spark against Rovers.

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• Robins was sacked by Coventry in November
• He takes over from Narcís Pelach with club 18th

Mark Robins has been appointed as Stoke’s manager on a three-and-a-half-year contract. The 55-year-old was sacked in November by Coventry and will watch Stoke’s game at Burnley on Wednesday from the stands before being in the dugout for the first time at home to Plymouth on Saturday.

Robins spent just over seven and a half years at Coventry and oversaw two promotions to reach the Championship. His team lost the 2022-23 Championship playoff final on penalties to Luton and were beaten in a shootout by Manchester United in last season’s FA Cup semi-finals.

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• Former England forward took over in May
• Plymouth are bottom of Championship after 23 games

Wayne Rooney and Plymouth Argyle have “mutually agreed to part ways with immediate effect”, the club have announced. The 39-year-old was appointed in May and leaves with the club sat bottom of the Championship, four points from safety after 23 games. They most recently lost 2-0 to fellow strugglers Oxford and 4-0 to Coventry.

In a statement on the Plymouth website, Rooney said: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank the board of Plymouth, in particular Simon Hallett and Neil Dewsnip who I shared great relationships with.

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• Scot replaces Neil Harris on ‘long-term contract’ at Den
• Neil has managed Norwich, Preston, Sunderland, Stoke

Millwall have appointed Alex Neil as their new head coach. The 43-year-old Scot replaces Neil Harris, who stepped down from the role earlier this month. Neil had been out of work since being sacked by Stoke last December, having previously managed Hamilton, Norwich, Preston and Sunderland.

Millwall, who were led by caretaker manager David Livermore in their last three fixtures, sit 13th in the Championship table following Sunday’s goalless draw at Coventry. Neil will take charge of the team for the first time when Oxford visit the Den on New Year’s Day.

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