Sky Bet Championship round-up: Leeds United remain unbeaten, first wins for Stoke City and QPR
A review and updated odds from Saturday's action in the Sky Bet Championship.
Sky Bet Championship results
- Aston Villa 1-1 Reading
- Blackburn 1-0 Brentford
- Bolton 0-3 Sheff United
- Derby 2-0 Preston
- Norwich 0-3 Leeds
- QPR 1-0 Wigan
- Sheff Wed 2-1 Ipswich
- Stoke 2-0 Hull
- Swansea 0-1 Bristol City
- Nottingham Forest 2-2 Birmingham
Leeds defied their pink changing room at Carrow Road to return to the top of the Sky Bet Championship with a crushing 3-0 victory over Norwich.
The Canaries have painted the away dressing room pink in the hope of lowering the testosterone levels of their opponents, but the ploy failed to deter Marcelo Bielsa's men as two first-half goals in six minutes swept them clear.
Mateusz Klich and Ezgjan Alioski pounced to reward Leeds' early dominance before the outstanding Pablo Hernandez added a third in the 67th minute following some individual wizardry from the Spanish playmaker.
United were vulnerable in defence at times but were unstoppable in attack against an overwhelmed Norwich.
Bolton lost ground in the title race after slipping to their first defeat of the season as Sheffield United emerged 3-0 winners at the University of Bolton Stadium.
Mark Duffy, Kieron Freeman and John Fleck were on target in a victory every bit as comprehensive as the scoreline suggests.
Under pressure QPR boss Steve McClaren was thrown a lifeline with a 1-0 victory over Wigan at Loftus Road.
Tomer Hemed's first-half goal secured Rangers' first points of the season following a run of four straight defeats that had rooted them to the foot of the table.
The home side defended well in the face of speculation over McClaren's future, although Wigan had chances to equalise with Chey Dunkley squandering one of them late on.
Nottingham Forest staged a late fightback to deny Birmingham their first Championship win of the season - and maintain their unbeaten start to the campaign - with a 2-2 draw at the City Ground.
Aitor Karanka's side looked dead and buried after goals from Lukas Jutkiewicz and substitute Che Adams had powered the Blues into a 2-0 lead with 18 minutes left to play.
But Garry Monk's wait for a win will drag on, as draw specialists Forest secured a point thanks to a 75th-minute strike from sub Joe Lolley and a poacher's finish from Daryl Murphy, three minutes from the end.
Sam Baldock salvaged a point against Aston Villa after his 91st-minute header secured an unexpected 1-1 draw for Reading.
Villa lost playmaker Jack Grealish to a first-half injury but that did not prevent them from opening the scoring through Ahmed Elmohamady and they looked comfortable until Baldock intervened.
Brentford dropped out of the play off-places after Kasey Palmer gave Blackburn a 1-0 victory at Ewood Park.
Derby surged up the table after strikes from Mason Mount and Richard Keogh completed a 2-0 win against struggling Preston.
Lucas Joao plundered the opener and winner as Sheffield Wednesday overcame Ipswich 2-1.
Toto Nsiala equalised for Ipswich only to then be sent off for a foul on Fernando Forestieri.
Stoke claimed their first win of the season after James McClean scored and Mame Biram Diouf's effort looped into the bottom corner after deflecting off Hull defender Jordy de Wijs for a 2-0 victory. Evandro was sent off for the Tigers after a dangerous tackle.
Andreas Weimann found the net after 31 seconds but that was the only goal as Bristol City prevailed 1-0 at Swansea.
Opta Sky Bet Championship facts
- Since the start of 2018, no defender has scored more goals in the EFL than Middlesbrough’s Daniel Ayala (eight goals).
- Defender Daniel Ayala’s goal against West Brom (90:18) was the latest winning goal by a Middlesbrough player in a league match since Jordan Rhodes (90:24) against Bolton Wanderers in April 2016.
- Having not scored a single goal in either of his last two seasons in all competitions (82 appearances), Aston Villa wide man Ahmed Elmohamedy has already scored twice in just five games this campaign.
- Blackburn Rovers have avoided defeat in each of their opening five league games to a season (W2 D3) for the first time since the 2012-13 campaign; they finished 17th in the Championship that season.
- Sheffield United have won back-to-back away Championship games whilst scoring 2+ goals in both matches for the first time since November 2008 when they beaten Barnsley (2-1) and Charlton Athletic (5-2).
- Mason Mount has been directly involved in 10 goals in his last nine league games for Derby County and Vitesse combined (four goals, six assists), and has both scored and assisted a goal in three of those matches.
- Leeds United have won four or more of their first five league games in one of the top two tiers of English football for the first time since 1984-85 in the second tier, when they won four and lost one of their opening five games.
- QPR loanee striker Tomer Hemed has been directly involved in nine goals in his last 11 starts at Championship level, scoring seven and assisting twice.
- Eight of Lucas Joao’s last nine league goals for Sheffield Wednesday have come at Hillsborough.
- Stoke winger James Mclean has scored his first goal in the Championship since February 2015 against Blackpool, whilst playing for Wigan Athletic.
- Andreas Weimann’s goal for Bristol City against Swansea City after 31 seconds was the fastest goal scored in the Football League this season, and the quickest in the EFL since Drey Wright for Colchester United against Forest Green Rovers in League Two in April 2018 (16 seconds).
- Andreas Weimann has already scored as many goals in five league games for Bristol City this season (five) as he managed in 40 for Derby County in 2017-18.
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Odds correct as of 1715 BST on 25/08/18
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