Image source, PA Media

Another belting day of Championship action.

Middlesbrough make it seven unbeaten at the start of a season for the first time in 14 years to remain four points clear at the top while Coventry are also still yet to taste to defeat as they jump from eighth place up to second.

Sheffield United remain bottom but got their first points and win of the season at the seventh time of asking.

You can read all about today's games here and we're back on Tuesday for the first of two nights of midweek mayhem.

Thanks for joining us and enjoy your weekend.

Marc Webber
BBC Final Score commentator at St Mary's Stadium

Adam Armstrong’s thumper inside the area and into the bottom right of Middlesbrough’s goal may have brought some hope for the locals, but Southampton’s porous defence and unconverted chances will still be a concern.

Middlesbrough always knew the door was open for at least an equaliser, but it took sub Kaly Sene to find it.

Still, the sign of potential champions is knowing how to get something when you are second best in terms of possession and shots. And that’s what Middlesbrough showed here.

Sheffield Wednesday

Image source, Rex Features

Sheffield Wednesday head coach Henrik Pedersen told BBC Radio Sheffield:

"It was a generally strong performance. It has been very difficult at home but we played with strong discipline and showed strong belief.

“Defensively we were very solid and we showed the next step on the ball and created chances.

"The second half we had a difficult 10 minutes at the start, but we worked back. Altogether, it was a strong home game.

“We have showed we can compete with teams. The boys showed a big, big mentality. But we cannot have 14 shots and create five big chances and have only one goal.”

Bristol City

Image source, Rex Features

Bristol City boss Gerhard Struber told BBC Radio Bristol after his side's draw with Preston:

"I think performance wise it was really good. The boys realised in the end we had really good chances to win the game. I thought we had many battles on the field which is what we would expect.

"In the end we were not so lucky today. I think we invested a lot in both directions. We invested so much in the opponents' half.

"In the end we deserved much more than one point but that's sometimes football and we have to accept that."

A second win of the season against Hull City moved Paulo Pezzolano's men up to 16th in the table.

Sheffield United

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder told BBC Radio Sheffield:

"It felt great for the players and the supporters.

"It's been a tough period for everybody and I've watched from afar and I've watched from close by, especially over the last couple of weeks.

"The players want to leave everything out there, which they did. I thought the second half performance was more like us, more composed, more calm, more belief - I thought there were some really good performances out there second half.

"I think you've got to accept that we're on a losing streak, so it's not going to be free-flowing.

"We didn't give the supporters the result they deserved last week - the turnout was so humbling in terms of 30-odd thousand coming to watch a losing team.

"Today was a bit scrappy, a bit bitty first half, but we calmed them down at half time, believed in the process, believed in how we go about trying to win a game of football with and without the football, and I thought they showed all good qualities this afternoon."

Millwall

Millwall head coach Alex Neil told BBC Radio London:

"I thought it was a really hard-fought game. I thought Swansea were better for 20 minutes. They started brightly, first to every ball.

"I thought we grew into the half. We looked threatening. The boy Cabango does unbelievably well to get his foot in front of Josh and put it over the bar from about two yards. It's a great chance for us.

"Swansea were aggressive and we didn't match that for the first little bit of the game, which is disappointing. But as the game wore on, I thought we got better. I'm pleased with a point."

Charlton Athletic

Charlton Athletic boss Nathan Jones told BBC Radio London:

"I thought we were outstanding other than the first 10 minutes.

"We were dominant and front-footed and our second half performance was relentless. It should have been more, we missed some glorious chances.

"I'm immensely proud of the performance because that is how I want to see us play.

"These are a good side and they're fluid away from home but we played with an intensity that I thought was wonderful."

Image source, rex

Here's a few stats from today's action thanks to our friends over at Opta:

• After winning just one of their first five Championship games this season (D2 L2), Charlton Athletic have won successive matches in the competition for the first time since June 2020.
• Watford’s 2-1 victory over Hull City ends a run of 18 Championship games without a win when conceding the game’s opening goal (D4 L14) since a 2-1 win over Portsmouth on Boxing Day last season.
• Only Derby County (8) have dropped more points from winning positions in the Championship this season than Norwich City (7 – level with Wrexham).
• No player has scored more goals for Coventry City in the Championship under Frank Lampard than Victor Torp (10), with his five already netted this season just one fewer than in the entirety of 2024-25 (6).
• Swansea City’s Zan Vipotnik has scored six goals in nine appearances in all competitions this season, netting in each of his last five home games for the club.

Blackburn Rovers

Blackburn Rovers boss Valerien Ismael told BBC Radio Lancashire following his side's comprehensive defeat by Charlton:

"We had some good moments at the beginning but we were not consistent and the performance was not that good, I don’t know why.

“We conceded a goal at a setpiece but the good thing was that it was only one goal at half time.

“Then came the moment we were looking at and I think it’s terrible the referee didn’t see that [handball by Lloyd Jones], because it can be a game-changer.

“What’s embarrassing is that our captain is allowed to speak to the referee and he has winked at him and laughed at him. This is unacceptable. He made a mistake, but at least treat our player properly and not laugh at our players.

“It’s been a tough week but we have a quick turnaround with a game on Tuesday.”

Swansea City

Image source, Rex Features

Swansea head coach Alan Sheehan:

"In the first half we were very good for large amounts. I think we got the goal when we were on top and then we continued to try and get the second one, and then right on a stroke of half-time we concede the set-piece.

"These are the things you've got to do properly against Millwall. You know the percentage of goals, what we've got to negate, to come out on top. We didn't defend that properly.

"In the second half there were a lot of stoppages, but I think we had control of possession, created some opportunities. It's really fine margins. We've got to find a way of getting that second goal."

Derby County

Derby County boss John Eustace told BBC Radio Derby:

"First half I was really happy with our performance, apart from in the final third where we just let ourselves down a little bit - we got into some great areas.

"To get a point after going a goal down in difficult conditions in a difficult place to come was pleasing and the lads showed great character which they do in every game."

Image source, Getty Images

Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson said:

"I thought it was a strong performance from us across the game, an improvement from the last home game (against Queens Park Rangers) which we asked for.

"I'm disappointed not to win, we scored an outstanding goal with great build-up play, a fantastic cross and a great header from Lewis (O'Brien).

"I felt at that point we had them where we wanted them. But one moment, it's a great finish by the lad (Brereton Diaz).

"Can we do better? Of course, but in terms of the structure of the team and the quality of the football at times I thought it was really good."

Sanny Rudravajhala
BBC Radio 5 Live at Bet365 Stadium

Image source, Getty Images

An excellent contest and one that I think on balance, was just about a fair result.

For all of Stoke's endeavour in seeing two cleared from the line from corners and hitting the post through Million Manhoef in the second half, they needed some big saves from Viktor Johanssen with Norwich on the counter.

On a day where discounted tickets saw a bumper 25,000 crowd on Stoke's community day, Mark Robins' side gave it a good go, and played some intricate football as well as harping back to the Stoke DNA from their glory days.

With two different long throw specialists, they can mix it up and even have Steven Nzonzi back 10 years since his last Stoke game, to really echo those Premier League years,

For Norwich, Jovon Makama's goal was the result of a picture perfect passing move and it shows Liam Manning's methods are getting through but as Stoke pushed, Josh Sargent felt increasingly isolated, feeding on scraps - which he almost made the most of.

Birmingham manager Chris Davies told BBC Radio WM:

"It was a tough afternoon. We had a change in the warm-up with an injury, which isn't ideal, it limits you a little bit.

"We started the game OK, we were well in the game with nothing between the teams, but the red card has completely changed the game.

"It's harsh to lose a player for those two challenges and what's made it more frustrating for me, and I made the point just now [to the referee] that their players were kicking the ball away from all our quick free-kicks, and if we're going to lose a game based on losing a player to two yellow cards what we have to see is rules being adhered to by officials.

"All I want is consistency across the board to give us a chance."

Coventry manager Frank Lampard told BBC Radio CWR:

"Outstanding atmosphere for a derby game - the fans were great and the players were brilliant, with everybody focused, ready to compete and ready to play.

"At 11 v 11 we got our goal and I thought they were really tough opposition after a good start to the season, but you could see we were at it, and the fans reacted to that.

"When they went to 10 men it's not easy to deal with, but we dealt with it brilliantly. We played high up in their half and kept doing the right things.

"We got our two goals in the second half and we got a clean sheet, and the focus of the team was amazing."

On Jack Rudoni absence: "He's got a calf injury so will be out for some weeks. We can't put a date on it at this point but it's disappointing.

"The injury came from the Leicester game. He's had a bad shoulder all week and hasn't really trained, so we only found out at the back end of the week. It's a big loss for us."

Of course that game in hand is the rearranged trip to Blackburn after last week's game was abandoned with the Blues 1-0 down and a man down with 10 minutes to go... How vital could that prove to be in their push for promotion?

Mick Mills
Former Ipswich and England captain on BBC Radio Suffolk

We needed the performance to go with the points, because that would have really picked us up lovely for the next couple of games.

Ipswich need to find some inspiration from somewhere, which they did with their 5-0 win over Sheffield United, then we had the problems at Blackburn. So, we have sort of gone into what kind of season are we going to have?

After the first 30 minutes today you thought this is a great opportunity to get both the things you need which is the three points and the performance - we got the points today, but we didn't get the performance. From half-time Ipswich didn't look like they had the desire.

Nikesh Rughani
BBC Final Score reporter

Chris Wilder spent the entire first half of this game, arms folded on the edge of his technical area and looking like a man questioning his life choices.

Taking over Sheffield United for a third spell, a side without a point all season, was never going to be easy, especially after being sacked for losing the Championship play-off final last season.The second half performance was much better though and the visitors deserved to take the lead through Callum O’Hare. First points on the board for the Blades, and their supporters were visibly relieved at full-time.

As for Gary Rowett’s side, good signs that they have enough to secure another season in the Championship.

Neil Maddison
Former Middlesbrough midfielder on BBC Tees

When you look at the players on the pitch Finn Azaz should be scoring without a shadow of a doubt. But Adam Armstrong rifles it into the net instead, he was always going to be a danger.

This team managed to find a way back from 1-0 down, it shows the character they have got instilled in them. It wasn't perfect but a point away from home is a very good point.