Summary

  • 10 matches in the Championship on Saturday

  • Fatawu scores from 70 yards for Leicester in victory

  • Mason-Clark winner puts leaders Coventry 12 points clear of third place

  • 15:00 GMT results: Birmingham 1-1 Charlton, Coventry 1-0 Bristol City, Leicester 3-1 Ipswich, Middlesbrough 3-1 QPR, Millwall 1-3 Hull City, Portsmouth 2-1 Blackburn, Wrexham 2-2 Watford

  • 12:30 results: Norwich 2-1 Southampton, Oxford Utd 1-2 Preston, Stoke 2-1 Swansea

  • Makama scores with hand to give Canaries controversial victory

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  1. Bye bye for nowpublished at 18:10 GMT 13 December 2025

    Frank Lampard pumps his fistImage source, Shutterstock

    That just about does us for another bumper day in the Championship.

    With plenty of excitement at the top and bottom of the pile, things are shaping up nicely as we approach the midway stage of the season.

    There's no EFL action on Sunday, but on Monday we'll return with one Championship fixture as Sheffield Wednesday take on Derby County.

    We'll be bringing you all the action from that fixture then.

    For now, thank you for joining us.

  2. 'We were great'published at 18:08 GMT 13 December 2025

    FT: Coventry 1-0 Bristol City

    Coventry City

    A happy Frank LampardImage source, Getty Images

    Coventry remain five points clear at the top of the Championship with their narrow win over Bristol City.

    Head coach Frank Lampard has been speaking to BBC CWR:

    "I think the season we've had and the run of wins, to lose a game and then draw a game put a bit more importance on this with people looking how we reacted against a strong team.

    "The attitude from minute one was really good, we started really sharp and continued that.

    "We were great, absolutely not our best performance but in the endurance test of a long season you have your comfortable wins, ones where you have to dig in and fight for the win - games like that keep a clean sheet, get your goal and I think we showed a lot of spirit."

    On a brilliant late save from goalkeeper Carl Rushworth to safeguard the win:

    "The save at the end was fantastic - he's showing himself to be a really high level goalkeeper for us - he's a top keeper, he trains brilliantly, he's low maintenance and I think he's enjoying it here and I enjoyed him today."

  3. 'The only criticism was we weren't clinical'published at 18:06 GMT 13 December 2025

    FT: Wrexham 2-2 Watford

    Wrexham

    Media caption,

    Phil Parkinson reflects on Wrexham's 2-2 draw against Watford

    Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson believes his side more than deserved a share of the points after Ollie Rathbone grabbed a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser.

    "I thought we deserved at least a point today. The first 30 minutes we were excellent," he told BBC Radio Wales.

    "We had a nice balance to our play and I thought the goal typified that.

    "We had other good chances, the only criticism was that we weren't clinical in those moments.

    "They scored a goal out of nothing and we've got to look at it ourselves because we over-committed on this left-hand side and we were vulnerable to the counter, and it was a deflection.

    "I felt the goal probably knocked us a bit and the second half we were a little bit slow for the first five minutes.

    "But after that we played really well and just needed the quality to get us back in the game and it finally came from Ollie Rathbone."

  4. 'It's been the toughest part of my career'published at 18:02 GMT 13 December 2025

    FT: Middlesbrough 3-1 QPR

    Middlesbrough

    Media caption,

    Tommy Conway spoke to Mark Drury following Middlesbrough's 3-1 win against QPR.

    Middlesbrough striker Tommy Conway spoke to BBC Radio Tees about his relief after ending a goal drought stretching back to August.

    Conway added Middlesbrough's third fom the penalty spot to snap a 16-match run without a goal.

    "I've got a smile as wide as the River Tees and a big sigh of relief," he told BBC Rado Tees.

    "It's probably been the toughest part of my career to date, the past few months not scoring and mentally it's been a new challenge.

    "But I'm glad I've come through it and come out the other end and to get the goal today, it's a big sigh of relief.

    "I want to say a massive thank-you to all the fans, my team-mates and all the staff at the club for sticking with me through this period.

    "It was the toughest part of my career and I think they could feel that, but I've got good people around me, I stuck with my family and they've been in my ear supporting me.

    "Being a long way from home and not being able to see them it's been tough, but today I could really feel that the crowd wanted me to score and I'm so glad to give back to them."

  5. 'We scored fantastic goals'published at 17:57 GMT 13 December 2025

    FT: Leicester 3-1 Ipswich

    Leicester City

    Leicester boss Marti Cifuentes alongside Abdul FatawuImage source, Getty

    Leicester made it seven points from three games this week with a 3-1 win over Ipswich which featured a 30-yard goal from Bobby De Cordova-Reid and a spectacular effort by Abdul Fatawu from his own half.

    Head coach Marti Cifuentes has told BBC Radio Leicester:

    "It's a huge win and the performance was really strong.

    "We scored fantastic goals but we played at a high level.

    "The first one helped us to start the game with a positive feeling which is important - very happy for Bobby who is showing how important he is to the team.

    "This moment of brilliance and quality from Abdul - it's a fantastic goal, it's one of those which is very special and I am happy for him because he is a good boy who works hard and is improving all the time.

    "At the end we cannot forget the things we need to improve but the way we responded (from the 2-2 draw at Bristol City on Wednesday) was important."

  6. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 17:53 GMT 13 December 2025

    FT: Portsmouth 2-1 Blackburn

    I'll take relegation right now if it means Venky's leave the building. It has been a wretched 15 years watching an established Premier League club turned into this, by owners who knows nothing about the game.

    Coley - Preston

  7. 'We conceded from same mistake'published at 17:50 GMT 13 December 2025

    FT: Portsmouth 2-1 Blackburn

    Blackburn Rovers

    Blackburn let their 1-0 lead slip to lose at out-of-form Portsmouth, a result which means that Valerien Ismael's side are just two points off their opponents rather than the five they started with.

    Ismael told BBC Radio Lancashire:

    “You know when you come here you have to be strong and we managed well in the first half. We had some good situations and I’m really pleased for Yuki [Ohashi] for his reward.

    “We actually started the second half well, for 10 minutes, but then conceded from the same mistake again. Two weeks ago when it happened we showed the players the video and made specific points, saying we had to make sure we are coming back at full sprint to defend.

    “That goal affected us, you could see from the performance, because the players were thinking about that. Mistakes happen in football but this is second time, third time with the same player and we’ve become very angry about that.

    “It’s discipline, concentration, the basics. We have to defend all together and attack all together.”

  8. 'It simply wasn't our day'published at 17:46 GMT 13 December 2025

    FT: Leicester 3-1 Ipswich

    Ipswich Town

    A dejected Ipswich boss Kieran McKennaImage source, Getty Images

    Ipswich saw Leicester score from 30 yards and their own half as their two-match winning run came to an end.

    Boss Kieran McKenna told BBC Radio Suffolk:

    "Bit of a strange game - the goals had a big bearing on it which is obvious to say but they've scored two worldies in the first half.

    "They've scored a goal just before half time which is as good as you'll see anywhere and it changes the feeling for both sides.

    "It simply wasn't our day.

    "We know a Leicester with confidence and they score two goals like that then you're facing one of the best teams in the league for sure.

  9. 'Coventry have wriggle room'published at 17:43 GMT 13 December 2025

    FT: Coventry 1-0 Bristol City

    Steve Ogrizovic
    Ex-Coventry City goalkeeper on BBC CWR

    I look at the gap to the third place team and it's 12 points so it gives (Coventry) a little bit of wriggle room.

    You can have a couple of poor performances - I hope it doesn't happen but at some point Coventry will lose games.

    It just gives you a bit of time to react and get things right and if we feel we need a couple of players the transfer window is just around the corner now.

  10. 'We played to a high level'published at 17:39 GMT 13 December 2025

    FT: Coventry 1-0 Bristol City

    Bristol City

    Bristol City boss Gerhard Struber on the touchline at CoventryImage source, Getty Images

    Bristol City hit the woodwork and had a goal disallowed as they were narrowly beaten at leaders Coventry.

    City boss Gerhard Struber told BBC Radio Bristol:

    "I am happy with how we dealt with the opponents today but we should score.

    "That's the difference between them and us - we are so close, we can be on the same level as the top team in the division but in the most important moments they have the ability to score.

    "We played to a really high level but we lose the game because we have problems scoring."

  11. Postpublished at 17:38 GMT 13 December 2025

    Reaction is starting to come in from the 15:00 GMT games now.

    Let's see what they had to say...

  12. 'When you create chances you need to score'published at 17:35 GMT 13 December 2025

    FT: Stoke 2-1 Swansea

    Swansea City head coach Vitor Matos called on his side to be more clinical as their mini revival of back-to-back wins came to an end in the Potteries.

    "I think it was a good game that we should have grabbed from the start," he said. "We were a little bit passive in the way we approached it.

    "In this kind of game, when we come here to Stoke, we need to grab it from the beginning.

    "We grew into the game, then Stoke scored. Then the second goal on the moment we were making changes.

    "But we showed character and willing to grab something from today. We created chances. When you create chances you need to score, because we know how hard it is to score here."

  13. 'We made hard work of it'published at 17:32 GMT 13 December 2025

    FT: Stoke 2-1 Swansea

    Media caption,

    Stoke City manager Mark Robins speaks to Mark Elliott after their win over Swansea

    Stoke manager Mark Robins was pleased to chalk up a win and quieten talk of their poor run.

    However, he felt they made pretty heavy weather of it.

    "It was important because the five [defeats] out of six games everybody keeps reminding us about.

    "We have not won since Charlton here and we have had three tough away games we've lost and the Hull game here which was a reverse we shouldn't have suffered.

    "We made hard work of it because I thought we were the better team from start to finish and we sometimes contrive to give ourselves problems in areas we don't need to.

    "But on the back of the week we have had, it's really hard for players, hence the six changes.

    "I wanted energy from everybody and we wouldn't have got that with more of the players that played the other night.

    "I have got to say I'm delighted with the three points because it was much needed."

  14. 'There is still a lot of work to do'published at 17:28 GMT 13 December 2025

    FT: Norwich 2-1 Southampton

    Southampton

    Media caption,

    The Southampton full-back assessed a 2-1 defeat at Norwich in the Championship.

    Southampton's two-match winning streak was ended with a 2-1 defeat by Norwich.

    Ryan Manning had equalised for the Saints.

    "We have set such high standards over the past seven or eight games that to come out in the second half and start so poorly and let them go one up was frustrating," he told BBC Radio Solent.

    "We got back in the game, you look to try to build on that and try to go for the winner but we ended up conceding again.

    "It was a combination of errors in the second half that cost us today."

    "Ultimately, clean sheets are vital in this league. We have been fortunate in scoring a lot recently but to score more than two goals every week is unrealistic. I think we have to start tightening that up.

    "We have to start grinding out the 1-0s - they are the ones that will stand for us come the end of the season.

    "There is still a lot of work to do."

  15. 'We needed that so much'published at 17:23 GMT 13 December 2025

    FT: Norwich 2-1 Southampton

    Norwich City

    Media caption,

    Two-goal hero Jovon Makama reflects on a big home win against Southampton.

    Jovon Makama scored a brace for Norwich City as they recorded back-to-back home wins for the first time since January.

    It moves them to within two points of safety at the bottom of the Championship.

    Makama's second goal came off his hand but was given and he told BBC Radio Norfolk:

    "A goal is a goal. It went in and I ran away and celebrated. I can't quite remember how it went in.

    "It (VAR) can stay away for now!

    "It has been an incredibly tough start to the season and it's such a nice feeling to come away smiling.

    "That's two home wins in a row now and I think we needed it so much just as a team and for the fans as well and the club as a whole."

  16. 'We keep shooting ourselves in the foot'published at 17:19 GMT 13 December 2025

    FT: Oxford 1-2 Preston

    Oxford United

    Gary Rowett on the touchlineImage source, PA

    Oxford came away without a point despite a thumping second half comeback against Preston.

    Gary Rowett had never lost against the Lilywhites before in his managerial career and, after the match, told BBC Radio Oxford:

    “I probably chose the wrong formation for a home game. I felt as if I wanted to keep a little bit of continuity. Looking at the first half I definitely got that wrong so I will take responsibility for that.

    “They’ve had two shots on target and scored two goals. You don’t have to be a genius to look at those goals and say ‘Were they completely avoidable?’

    “We keep shooting ourselves in the foot. In the second half I asked the players to play with a little more freedom, like we tend to do when a couple of goals down, and we were better.

    “We did create opportunities - we’ve had 20 shots on goal, eight on target. If we score and get an equaliser we go on to win the game, but we can’t wait until we are two goals down to start playing.”

  17. 'A great win in a patchy peformance'published at 17:16 GMT 13 December 2025

    FT: Oxford 1-2 Preston

    Preston North End

    Preston moved up to third in the Championship courtesy of their close-fought win at Oxford.

    With boss Paul Heckingbottom banned from the touchline, assistant Stuart McCall told BBC Radio Lancashire:

    “The result was better than the performance. It was a great win, patchy performance.

    “All the big teams who have come here have found it difficult. Stoke won here but other than that, they beat Ipswich and Boro, and Leicester drew, so it’s a difficult place to come.

    “You know what you’ll be up against - balls in your box, setpieces, long throws from 40 yards from your goal - so you have to stand up and be counted. The second goal was really nice, and that’s the football we can play.

    “Today, out of any game, we probably needed [the suspended] Liam LIndsay more than any game, with all the balls coming into the box, so with the centre halves, and Dan [Iversen] coming and collecting it I thought we did quite well defensively.”

  18. Postpublished at 17:14 GMT 13 December 2025

    Preston's win was one of three 2-1 victories at lunchtime in the Championship.

    While we wait for reaction from the 15:00 GMT games, let's hear what the bosses had to say from our earlier matches...

  19. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 17:13 GMT 13 December 2025

    12:30 GMT result: Oxford 1-2 Preston

    Who said at the start of the season Preston North End would be in a relegation battle? Still too early to be thinking of the play-offs just yet, but this team are doing great and we have a load of injuries

    Robin - Preston

  20. How it standspublished at 17:10 GMT 13 December 2025

    Championship table

    The Championship table alongside a photo of Coventry's Ephron Mason-Clark celebrating his goal against Bristol CityImage source, BBC Sport/PA

    Coventry remain five points clear at the top and more importantly 12 points clear of third place as they squeezed past Bristol City while Middlesbrough beat QPR.

    Preston's lunchtime win at Oxford moves them up to third place above Millwall and Ipswich who both lost.

    Oxford United drop into the relegation zone with Portsmouth's come-from-behind win over Blackburn lifting them out of the bottom three.