Championship talking points: Wrexham still winless, Lampard’s Coventry soar & Sheff Utd slump again

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Wrexham must make home advantage count

Result: Wrexham 2-3 West Brom

Wrexham have not been used to losing matches in recent years – but they are certainly not used to losing at the Racecourse.

In the three seasons prior to their return to the second tier for the first time since 1982/83, they either won or drew 64 games, losing just five.

But it became six in 70 when West Brom turned the game on Saturday lunchtime. Following the opening day loss at Southampton, it was also the first time they had lost back-to-back league games since February 2024.

This was the first of four home games in six and Sky Sports Football‘s Don Goodman said: “Home is where the heart has to be for Wrexham. This is where they want to be strong.

“They are going to have to find a way to maybe just be a little bit more creative in open play.”

Kevin Phillips added: “Is there a mini-crisis starting to happen? They’ve not had back-to-back losses for two years, so they’ve got a bit of a battle in front of them now.”

Wrexham will need the experience of older heads like Kieffer Moore and Conor Coady but boss Phil Parkinson is still hoping for more activity, saying: “We’re looking across the board. We probably do need a couple more players.”
Dan Long

Coventry soar at Derby as Lampard wins on Pride Park return

Result: Derby 3-5 Coventry

It was, undoubtedly, the game of the weekend in the Championship. Coventry City led early, trailed early in the second half and then bounced back to flummox Derby County with a flurry of late goals.

It proved quite the difference for Frank Lampard’s side from their opening-day goalless draw at home to Hull City, and hopefully for him proved a sign of what is to come from his side and the impressive attacking options he has at his disposal.

It would have also provided him with some minor satisfaction, no doubt, as he claimed a first win in his second attempt on his return to Pride Park.

“I thought we were fantastic,” said Lampard. “It was a really tough match for us because of the style of Derby which makes it really difficult and I thought we dealt with it brilliantly.

“One of the biggest things is that we showed belief at 3-2 down, there was a feeling for me that we could still do something and the players did it so it’s one of my favourite games that I’ve had since I’ve been here.”

For Derby, meanwhile, it is now two defeats from two and eight goals shipped in that time. No other side in the league has conceded more than five. There is work to do.
Simeon Gholam

Stark reminder for Wednesday after protests

Result: Sheff Wed 0-3 Stoke

The spirit both on and off the field is evident at Sheffield Wednesday, but this was a stark reminder that pluck alone won’t be enough for Championship survival.

The Wednesday fans marched through Hillsborough Park before kick-off, and their whistle protest had barely begun when Million Manhoef fired Stoke into an early lead.

The supporters though stayed right behind the players, directing their anger towards owner Dejphon Chansiri.

Wednesday started the first half slowly, and did so again in the second when Divin Mubama doubled the lead, before Manhoef’s second completed the job for Stoke.

Much of the focus will be on Wednesday’s plight, and Mark Robins won’t mind that too much. Stoke were impressive and have won their first two league games of the season for the first time since winning promotion in 2007/08.

Is Robins the manager to finally break Stoke’s curse?
Rob Jones

More Sheffield woe as United slump again under Selles

Result: Swansea 1-0 Sheff Utd

Mind the gap? Sheffield United are propping up the Championship with their troubled rivals right now.

Too early to look at the table? With ominous clouds lingering and questions unanswered after a summer of upheaval, not necessarily.

United look anything but right now after three defeats from three under Ruben Selles, the latest a confused and disconnected display at Swansea that ended with an exchange between star player Gus Hamer and a frustrated away end. The mood is already volatile, with Middlesbrough, Ipswich and Southampton to come before September is out.

Sky Sports wrote ahead of an opening 4-1 thumping by Bristol City that the high-stakes call to replace Chris Wilder was likely to undermine United’s promotion prospects.

The spine of a team that accrued 92 points last season has been swapped for unproven replacements and while quality remains in attacking areas, the squad is short on depth, physicality and experience. Selles, the lone voice so far amid a sea change that requires structural support, has already called out the recruitment process as “not good enough”.

The new boss needs tangible backing in the transfer market before the deadline.

Signs of buy-in for his ideas on the pitch must also come soon.
Kate Burlaga

Middlesbrough make best league start in 31 years

Result: Millwall 0-3 Middlesbrough

It’s been 31 years since Middlesbrough started a league campaign with back-to-back wins, but that changed emphatically on Saturday.

A 4-0 demolition by Doncaster Rovers in the Carabao Cup midweek meant Rob Edwards’ side had a fire in their belly to prove the doubters wrong, and they did just that.

After a first half where there was little to separate the two sides, Middlesbrough came out fighting in the second to take all three points with three goals.

Hayden Hackney opened the scoring with a calm and collected first-time finish following a Morgan Whittaker cross, before Alfie Jones added another in the 87th minute following a corner.

Things got worse for Millwall in injury time, as Delano Burgzorg sealed the deal with a third. Both sides have their sights set on the play-off spots this season, but Boro fans will be hoping that Edwards can repeat his Luton trick.
Harriet Prior

Ipswich’s lack of firepower puts dampener on promotion-chasing hopes

Result: Ipswich 1-1 Southampton

For a side that struck 92 goals during their promotion-winning Championship campaign two seasons ago, Ipswich have looked lightweight and lacking in confidence in front of goal as they start their pursuit of a quick return to the Premier League.

Missing the muscle and ferocity of Liam Delap, who departed for Chelsea this summer, and the creative flair of Omar Hutchinson, who completed his £37.5m switch to Nottingham Forest earlier this week, George Hirst is tasked with leading the line.

Hirst grabbed a last-gasp equaliser from the spot at Birmingham on the opening day of the season, but has been isolated in attack so far this term, especially in the 1-1 draw at home to Southampton on Sunday – a draw that did, however, stop a nine-match league losing streak for Kieran McKenna’s men at Portman Road.

Sam Szmodics was the pick of Ipswich’s attack against Saints, his waspish style causing problems and, barring the foot of the post, he would have opened his own campaign for the season.

It is early days of course and the arrival of forward Chuka Akpom, who was watching from the stands on Sunday after joining on a season-long loan, will give the Ipswich fans hope that the good times – and goals – are just around the corner again.
Vicki Hodges

All Championship weekend results

Saturday

Sunday

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