EFL Championship Round-Up MW5 - Leaders Lose Ground and Clarets Hit Rock Bottom

EFL Championship Round-Up MW5 - Leaders Lose Ground and Clarets Hit Rock Bottom

This week in the Championship, we saw some incredible results. Some sides were given a reality check, while others continued to show how good they are. In total, we saw 31 goals scored and even three red cards. So, what happened this week?

Lincoln 1-1 Southampton

This was a game between two sides who are still fighting to find their form in the league table. It looked like Southampton had finally found theirs. In the 44th minute, they managed to take the lead. It was a beautiful goal scored by Welington after a free kick was taken. From far outside the box, it found the top-right corner to make it 1-0.

However, Lincoln managed to get one back. In the 87th minute, Mikkel Ladefoged managed to level the score. It was a header from point-blank range, but it was all that was needed to rescue a point.

Preston 2-1 Blackburn

This was a shock. Preston, who had lost all four of their previous games, finally got some points on the table. What makes it even better is that they scored all three goals.

The game started with Callum Lang scoring in the ninth minute before he grabbed his second in the 27th minute. At this point, Preston were thriving. However, things took a slight hit when Stanley Mills put one into his own net six minutes into the second half. Despite that, Preston managed to hang on and take all three points.

Stoke 4-0 Charlton

If Preston was a shock, this is something on a different level. The league leaders were shown the true levels of the Championship in this game. Charlton finally got shown that not everything would be going their way.

It started in the 15th minute when Timothy Ouma gave away a penalty. Justin Devenny slotted it away. Ethan Galbraith then made it 2-0 in the 22nd minute. Just three minutes later, George Hirst scored to make it 3-0. Finally, to put the cherry on top, Devenny scored his second in the 40th minute.

Full-time ⏹️#cafc pic.twitter.com/jZDBM8rALz

— Charlton Athletic FC (@CAFCofficial) September 5, 2026

It would only get worse for Charlton, as Dan McNamara was given a yellow card in the 48th minute. Just two minutes later, he received a second yellow and was given his marching orders. It was a very tough weekend for the league leaders.

Burnley 1-2 Bristol City

Burnley are once again losing. They now sit rock bottom of the league with just two points from their first five matches.

It was a game that saw Burnley take the lead. In the 56th minute, Aaron Ramsey put them ahead. However, the last 10 minutes were ones to forget. Burnley were holding on, but they were finally beaten when Rob Dickie scored in the 82nd minute. Yu Hirakawa then put the nail in the coffin with a beautiful goal from a corner.

Can Burnley turn it around, and if so, when?

Millwall 4-0 Bolton

Millwall are back to winning ways after being beaten by three or more goals twice in a row.

The game started with Caleb Taylor scoring in the 38th minute. Lyndon Dykes then made it 2-0 in the 83rd minute. However, the drama had only just begun, as both Jenson Metcalfe and Josh Sheehan were shown straight red cards.

Back to winning ways 💙 pic.twitter.com/C0LgwB1NRZ

— Millwall FC (@MillwallFC) September 5, 2026

This didn’t seem to faze Dykes, as he added a second to make it 3-0. Camiel Neghli then ended the game with a goal of his own to make it 4-0.

This will be an interesting season for Millwall after the pain of losing out on promotion last season.

Portsmouth 2-0 Cardiff

Cardiff’s search for their first win of the season carries on, as Portsmouth managed to dispatch them in a routine win.

The goals started in the 31st minute when Conor Shaughnessy scored a header from a throw-in. The lead was then doubled in the 52nd minute, as Marezi scored from close range.

QPR 0-1 Middlesbrough

In another battle at the top, it was QPR’s attack that let them down. They had their chances but couldn’t take any of them.

The goal that ended up being the difference between the sides was scored in the 20th minute. It came from point-blank range, with Will Lankshear being the man on the end of it. The result was probably fair, but QPR will feel disappointed that they didn’t get a point.

Sheffield United 1-3 Norwich

With links that Hugh Jackman might be looking to buy a stake in the club, Norwich put up a Hollywood-level display.

The goals started in the eighth minute, as Anthony Musaba made it 1-0. However, Patrick Bamford levelled the game just 15 minutes later. Then, in the minute before half-time, Mohamed Toure put Norwich ahead again. The game was killed off in the 62nd minute, as Mathias Kvistgaarden made it 3-1.

Hugh Jackman definitely would have enjoyed that showing.

West Brom 1-0 Watford

Watford’s poor form continues, as they add another loss. This time, it was against high-flying West Brom.

The only goal was scored by in-form youngster Jimmy-Jay Morgan. It was a shot from the middle of the box, created by Harry Whitwell, and it proved to be the difference between the two sides.

West Ham 3-0 Derby

West Ham have finally found their form again. This game showed the quality they have when they are actually playing well.

The scoring started in the sixth minute, when Joel Piroe scored from the goal line. It would then take another 80 minutes before they found their second goal, which came courtesy of Edvin Austbo. Then, in the 95th minute, Mohamadou Kante made it 3-0.

A hard-fought +3 ✊ pic.twitter.com/VgJlxTlpyq

— West Ham United (@WestHam) September 5, 2026

Could this be the return to form that West Ham have been crying out for? We will have to wait and see.

Swansea 0-0 Wrexham

The only goalless game of the weekend. Neither side managed to create much, and it showed in the combined total of 14 shots, with only four on target.

It was a game that highlighted both sides’ weaknesses and what could happen later in the season.

Birmingham 2-2 Wolves

This game was one where the first half was everything. Wolves took the lead in the fourth minute, as Fer Lopez made it 1-0. Jay Stansfield then levelled the game just 19 minutes later.

Ladislav Krejci was the man to get Wolves back in the lead in the 31st minute, with a strong header from a corner. However, the lead would only last five minutes, as Jackson Tchatchoua put the ball into his own net to make it 2-2.

Birmingham saw more of the game in the second half, but they couldn’t make their chances count.