Are Middlesbrough favorites to win the title now?

Middlesbrough 1-0 Norwich City

It couldn’t have been a better day for Middlesbrough. With Coventry and Ipswich dropping important points, Middlesbrough leveled at the top of the table with a hard-fought win over Norwich.

Both teams came into the game in championship form and it showed – it was a high-level game. Hayden Hackney’s superb 17th-minute strike separated the sides, with Norwich pressing Kim Helberg’s side all the way.

The obvious question after the game was why Norwich found themselves in the position they found themselves in the table given their strong form and recent form. If they continue this momentum, they may even have a chance of securing a play-off spot.

For Helberg, it was a crucial victory. Five wins now make them favorites for the title.

I ventured to ask if, like other managers, he was ignoring the league table at this stage of the season. “Of course I will,” he smiled. “I looked at it before I came in to talk to you. Does it look good?”

He knows exactly where his team is and the rest of the Championship now knows Middlesbrough are the team to beat. Signing a striker between now and the transfer deadline could give them the final piece of the puzzle.
Keith Downey

Coventry suffer more away pain

QPR 2-1 Coventry City

Coventry are on a seven-match run without a win on the road, most recently losing to Queens Park Rangers after leading.

In truth, they didn’t really do much to deserve the advantage in west London, but they still did so early in the second half through Josh Eccles.

But since then, it’s fallen apart. Richard Kone equalized and Nicolas Madsen struck the winner. It doesn’t perform well enough on the road and is ruining their promotions.

Fortunately for Lampard and Co., Ipswich also fell short last week, losing to Sheffield United and then drawing at home to Preston. So the damage is limited.

But for the first time since early September, Coventry may no longer be promotion favorites.
Simon Ghulam

Smit struggled on debut as Stoke City misfired

Stoke City 0-2 Southampton

Stoke City will be hoping for more from Milan Smits after a disappointing debut in a home defeat to Southampton.

Mark Robins’ side have struggled for goals from the forwards this season and Smit, who is on loan from the Forward Eagles (with an obligation to buy in the summer), is thought to help solve their attacking problems.

The 22-year-old has made 41 appearances for the Go ahead Eagles in the Eredivisie, scoring nine goals, since joining from Dutch side Cambuur in 2024, with a poor showing against Southampton in the Eredivisie.

Smit was isolated and lacked opportunities to serve. He only touched the ball 15 times in the entire game, twice in the opponent’s penalty area, and did not have a shot.

Stoke are winless in four games and next face struggling West Brom, a team that must win to keep their play-off hopes alive, and Smit can take them three points.
David Richardson

Cifuentes’ departure doesn’t end Leicester City’s pain

Leicester City 0-2 Charlton

Marti Cifuentes’ time at Leicester City came to an end after last week’s home defeat to Oxford, but any hopes of a rebound under the new manager came to an end after 15 minutes on Saturday.

Struggling Charlton were the visitors at the King Power Stadium, with Leicester legend Andy King manning the dugout. The secret to optimism.

Then, Meme Okolie was sent off. Goals from Sonny Carey and Lyndon Dykes followed before the break.

Charlton haven’t won away from home since mid-October. They have won just one of their last 10 games against Leicester City. Jordan Ayew capped another miserable day for the Foxes by missing a penalty while trailing 2-0.

They had just reached the top of the Premier League at the end of January ten years ago and would not be knocked from the top again that season. How things might change. Alliance One feels closer now.
Simon Ghulam

Watford’s wheels are coming off

Watford 0-2 Swansea

Watford’s play-off push is slipping. The Hornets entered the promotion conversation with four consecutive wins over the festive period, having gone four games without a win.

The loss to Swansea, which saw the side lose seven of their last eight away games, raises major questions about whether this side is good enough to finish in the top six.

Javi Gracia’s mysterious post-match interview raised further questions about whether the Spaniard is on the same page as the club’s hierarchy. History shows that changes in the dugout cannot be ruled out.

Watford’s season seems to be steadily improving during Gracia’s second spell in charge. However, after taking one point in their last three home games, the home fans will have to consider another season in the second tier.

Despite boasting the best comeback record in the EFL this season – coming from behind by 24 points – they were unable to contend with Swansea and never looked likely to restore parity.

On paper, they are still in contention for the play-offs. But the evidence from Vicarage Road suggests otherwise.
James Savindra

Hull City climb to third, Jakirovic delighted

Blackburn 0-1 Hull City

Hull started the game better, making plenty of forward runs and looking threatening, but Blackburn took the initiative in the 10th minute, with Todd Cantwell and Ryoya Morishita standing out, but without really creating clear space.

Ryan Allebiosu’s fantastic run and shot set up Ivor Pandure with a fine save before Cantwell tangled up with Ollie McBurnie and nipped at the Hull striker on the stroke of half-time. Maybe he was lucky and only received a yellow card.

Wanderers went close with two headers after half-time and enjoyed more possession but lacked cutting edge and Hull punished them when Lewis Koumas made his debut just five minutes after a fine move by Tigers.

When I spoke to Sergey Yaqirovich afterward, he wasn’t happy with the team’s performance, but he was happy to win and finish third in the championship.
David Stowell

Derby County have enough firepower to push for play-offs

Bristol City 0-5 Derby

There has been much talk about Bristol City’s plight following their 5-0 home defeat to Derby County on Friday night, but nothing has been taken away from the Rams.

It’s a scintillating performance. The offensive weapons they have are impressive to say the least, and that’s considering they’re still missing top scorer Carlton Morris.

United States international Patrick Agyeman has had a slow start to the season but has scored seven times since Morris was injured in mid-November.

Since the start of the year, Ben Brereton Diaz has rediscovered some of the form and confidence he displayed towards the end of his Blackburn career.

Add in Rhian Brewster, and options off the bench in Lars-Jorgen Salvesen and Andi Weimann, and you get the feeling that John Eustace does have the firepower to tap into and launch a serious attack in the play-offs.

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