Championship LIVE: Text commentary from five matches
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Summary
Five matches in the Championship at 15:00 GMT
Results: Derby 2-0 Swansea, Portsmouth 0-1 Sheff Utd, Preston 2-2 Watford, QPR 1-3 Blackburn, Sheff Wed 1-2 Millwall
Millwall go third with win at bottom side Sheffield Wednesday
Derby climb into play-off places
Blackburn out of drop zone, Leicester fall into bottom three
Have your say using the Get Involved button
Live Reporting
Chris Peddy, Ben Ashton, Deepak Mahay & Ben Hutchinson
Show
1.
'A fantastic game for the boys' - Pedersenpublished at 17:57 GMT
FT: Sheff Wed 1-2 Millwall
Sheffield Wednesday
Image source, Getty Images
Sheffield Wednesday boss Henrik Pedersen told BBC Radio Sheffield:
"I think it was a fantastic game for the boys, we played against a strong, strong Millwall team.
"We knew it would be maybe the most physical in the league for set pieces, long balls [and] second ball duels and how we managed this game today, I think big respect to our guys for the defensive stuff.
"We were really well organised and managed all the long balls and managed to win a lot of the second balls.
"Today, compared to other games, we also had some power when we won the ball to get forward, to come high up the pitch and to create something, so it's a big step in the right direction.
"To come 1-0 up it was fantastic. To give two goals away in two minutes is awful."
2.
'We made it difficult but it's job done' - Neilpublished at 17:53 GMT
FT: Sheff Wed 1-2 Millwall
Millwall
Millwall scored twice in two minutes to come from behind and beat Sheffield Wednesday to climb up to third. Lions manager Alex Neil told BBC Radio London:
"I think I would sum it up as job done, you know what I mean? Delighted to get the job done. I thought Sheffield Wednesday made it difficult for us.
"I thought we made it difficult for ourselves at times.So yeah, like I say, coming here there’s a lot of expectation that you’re just going to turn up.
"The simple fact is, apart from the last game when they played a back four, a lot of the games have been really tight.
"It’s not been plain sailing or easy for any team coming here and I didn’t expect it to be any different for us, and it was exactly what I expected.
"What I did think was that we were in a rush to get the first goal and, because we didn’t, we sort of threw everything at it and left ourselves a little bit exposed at times.
"So we need to find a little bit of a better balance in that sense.Then when we needed to make changes to try and win the game, the lads came on and affected the game brilliantly, and we managed to go and get the result we needed."
3.
Today's FA Cup actionpublished at 17:43 GMT
Image source, Getty Images
Seven EFL sides have been in FA Cup fourth-round action this afternoon.
The biggest story of the day is without doubt League One Mansfield Town coming from behind with two second half goals to beat Premier League Burnley 2-1.
Norwich City beat fellow Championship side West Bromwich Albion 3-1, while Southampton have knocked Leicester out with a 2-1 victory after extra time.
Elsewhere, League Two Salford's cup dream is over following a 2-0 defeat at Manchester City and third-tier Burton Albion fought valiantly but lost 1-0 after extra time to West Ham United.
You can follow the latest from the FA Cup here. (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/c2d776j7pzrt#LiveReporting)
4.
'Pompey didn't put us to bed' - Wilderpublished at 17:38 GMT
FT: Portsmouth 0-1 Sheff Utd
Sheffield United
Image source, Shutterstock
Sheffield United scored an injury time winner to sink Porstmouth at Fratton Park and move within six points of the play-off places. Blades boss Chris Wilder told BBC Radio Sheffield:
"Mentality maybe over control and imposing ourselves. They were better at what they did first half than what we did. They never put us to bed
"We grew into the game second half and we knew the game would settle down a little bit and it did.
"We started to impose ourselves. I thought Kalvin [Phillips] in the middle of the park, it was a really tough one to get chucked into.
"Kalvin gave us an opportunity to start finding passes and getting out, always knowing the opposition are dangerous.
"I maybe would've taken a point with 10 minutes to go, not being negative because this is a difficult place to come, so to get a winner is brilliant for everybody, especially our travelling fans."
5.
'Today was a set-piece game' - Eustacepublished at 17:33 GMT
FT: Derby 2-0 Swansea
Derby County
Derby County moved into the play-off places with a 2-0 win over Swansea with two goals from set-pieces. Rams boss John Eustace told BBC Radio Derby:
"It was a hard afternoon, obviously Swansea are back to the old Swansea way now, dominating possession, lots of real good footballers.
"I thought first-half the gaps from front to back were too big which was disappointing.
"Second half, we changed one or two things and then our shape was much more connected.
"We spoke about how we'd probably look to beat them on the set-pieces and today was certainly a set-piece game."
6.
Championship stats of the daypublished at 17:28 GMT
Image source, Shutterstock
Millwall’s 56 points from their 32 Championship matches this term (W16 D8 L8) is their second highest ever points tally at this stage of a campaign in the top two tiers – behind only 1971-72 in the second tier (57 – 3pts/win).
Blackburn Rovers recorded their first away victory in the Championship since November last year vs Preston North End – ending their longest winless league run on the road (7 games) since a 10-game streak between December 2023 – March 2024.
Sheffield United have completed the league double over Portsmouth for the first time since 1995-96, with this also the first time the Blades have won three successive league games against Pompey since December 1996.
The Blades kept a clean sheet for the first time in 10 league matches.
Preston North End’s Lewis Dobbin has scored seven goals in 25 Championship appearances this season, more strikes than he managed in his four previous campaigns across the top four tiers combined (6 in 85 appearances).
Derby County’s Rhian Brewster has scored in three successive league games for the very first time, while his five Championship goals for the Rams this season is his most in the top four tiers since 2019-20 (11 for Swansea City).
Derby's 2-0 win over Swansea helped them complete the league double over the Swans for the first time since 1985-86 in the third tier.
Derby County have now scored in each of their past 22 league games, the longest ongoing streak of any side currently in England's top four tiers.
7.
As it standspublished at 17:23 GMT
Championship
Image source, Opta/Getty Images
So what does it all mean for the Championship table?
Millwall's fightback at Hillsborough means they move up to third, though Ipswich and Hull both have games in hand.
Derby's flying form continued with a 2-0 win over Swansea and the Rams' sneak into the play-off spots.
Blackburn's victory over QPR lifts them clear of the relegation zone, while Sheffield United's late win at Fratton Park sees them leapfrog the Swans into 15th.
Preston remain seventh with Watford 12th after their 2-2 draw at Deepdale.
8.
9.
Owls facing relegation at hands of arch-rivalspublished at 17:16 GMT
FT: Sheff Wed 1-2 Millwall
Image source, Shutterstock
Sheffield Wednesday's defeat at home to Millwall this afternoon means the Owls will be relegated at the hands of local rivals Sheffield United next weekend should they lose that game at Bramall Lane.
Wednesday surely cannot wait for this season to end.
10.
'Watford were brilliant in the second half'published at 17:11 GMT
FT: Preston 2-2 Watford
Derek Payne
Former Watford midfielder on BBC Three Counties Radio
A game oftwo halves – first half was very cagey from both sides, but Watford werebrilliant in the second.
They seemto play better when they go a goal down.
You haveto ask, why didn’t we see this performance the whole game, why were they sopassive?
There wassome real quality produced in this game from individuals.
Ed Stillwill be trying to get that mentality for his team to start a game exactly howthey started that second half.
11.
Postpublished at 17:09 GMT
FT: QPR 1-3 Blackburn
Blackburn's win at Loftus Road means not only have they moved out of the Championship drop zone, they've dumped Leicester City in it.
The Foxes players won't be looking at the table right now... they're currently into extra time at Southampton in the FA Cup.
12.
get involved
Get Involvedpublished at 17:06 GMT
FT: Portsmouth 0-1 Sheff Utd
C'mon Blades. A win's a win.
James - Sheffield
13.
'Pompey could have won it'published at 17:04 GMT
FT: Portsmouth 0-1 Sheff Utd
Glen Little
Ex-Portsmouth winger on BBC Radio Solent
It's a real shame that, for large parts of the first half they were much the better side.
Credit to Sheffield United, they made changes and started creating chances and grew into the game.
Towards the end you thought the game had dried out a little bit but they nicked the goal.
Pompey could have won it, should have drawn, but lost it.
14.
Postpublished at 17:02 GMT
FT: Porstmouth 0-1 Sheff Utd
Just how much will Portsmouth live to rue those missed chances today? It's the difference between being one point and four points clear of the drop zone, albeit Pompey still have two games in hand on those around them.
15.
FULL-TIMEpublished at 16:59 GMT
Porstmouth 0-1 Sheff Utd
Image source, Shutterstock
Late drama at Fratton Park and a massive result for Sheffield United.
Portsmouth spurned a litany of chances throughout the 90 minutes and the Blades sunk them with a late blow in stoppage time for their first away win in four games.
From 22nd in early November, Chris Wilder's side are now within six points of the play-offs.
16.
Postpublished at 16:59 GMT
Porstmouth 0-1 Sheff Utd
And now Milli Alli has just headed wide at the near post for Pompey with seconds remaining.
17.
FULL-TIMEpublished at 16:59 GMT
QPR 1-3 Blackburn
Image source, PA
He might not have been in the hot seat today, but new Blackburn boss Michael O'Neill was in the dugout and celebrates a victory at Loftus Road.
A double from Mathias Jorgensen either side of Koki Saito's equaliser gave Rovers the lead at the break, with Ryoya Morishita heading in the third after the break.
The result lifts the visitors three points clear of the relegation places and gets O'Neill's tenure at the club off to the perfect start.
18.
Postpublished at 16:58 GMT
Porstmouth 0-1 Sheff Utd
A late chance for Milli Alli for Pompey but Michael Cooper makes a vital save to deny him at the near post!
19.
Postpublished at 16:57 GMT
Porstmouth 0-1 Sheff Utd
We've got two minutes of seven added to play. Ebou Adams heads just over the bar from a corner for Pompey.
Sheffield United are nearly there if they can keep a first clean sheet in 10 games.
20.
'It's a smash and grab!'published at 16:56 GMT
Portsmouth 0-1 Sheff Utd
Danny Hall
Sheffield Star journalist on BBC Radio Sheffield
That's a pretty well worked goal from United, the build-up play was great.
Brooks has not really been involved but you need to stay in touch with the game and that's exactly what he's done.
It's a smash and grab!
