Championship talking points: Stoke get back on track as Southampton suffer controversial defeat to Norwich
The Sky Sports Football writers analyse the weekend's Championship action; watch the final game of the weekend as Sheffield Wednesday host Derby live on Sky Sports Football on Monday December 15; kick-off 8pm
Monday 15 December 2025 08:49, UK
Stoke get back on track - but need to build momentum again
Stoke's brilliant start had Potters fans dreaming of a promotion push that there have been just no signs of across their seven prior seasons in the division.
Other than fleeting moments, they have been starved of the excitement that accompanies chasing the top six.
But they have gone through a real blip of late. Before Saturday's win over Swansea, it was five defeats in six - and, crucially, against promotion rivals Coventry, Leicester, Hull, Sheffield United and Ipswich.
Yes, four of those five came by a one-goal margin, but to be the best, you have to beat the best, as the saying goes.
Speaking post-match, Stoke boss Mark Robins said: "We've been playing pretty well but it can have an impact on confidence. It's frustrating when you're not winning but I think we've been pretty good."
The performances are there - now his side just need the results to go with that again.
Dan Long
West Brom's sterling home record keeping them in play-off hunt
Make no bones about it, away from home, West Brom have one of the Championship's worst records so far this season.
The Baggies have lost eight of their 11 games and shipped a league-high 20 goals. They have not picked up a single point on the road since the 1-0 win over Norwich on October 1.
Yet it is a totally different story at The Hawthorns. Ryan Mason's side have taken 19 of the 30 points on offer and have only lost once - 1-0 to Derby on September 13.
With the external pressure seemingly rising as a result of the away struggles, it is hard to argue against the idea the home record has kept Mason in his first head coach job.
That pressure was no doubt eased by Friday night's win over Sheffield United, who were six unbeaten and looking up ahead after a miserable start.
The 34-year-old addressed that pressure when he spoke to Sky Sports afterwards.
"I know there's a lot of negativity from the outside, I'm hearing, but we're not in a terrible place," he said.
"This league is super crazy and we haven't had a spell or run of results where we can build up momentum - and that's what we need to do. Most importantly, internally, with the group, with the players, they're still there, they still believe, they're still running, still fighting."
With a few more wins over the Christmas period, the Baggies could, feasibly, be in right in the play-off picture come the turn of the year.
Dan Long
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Setback for Southampton but loss clouded by controversy
Southampton's loss to Norwich City will leave a sour taste in the mouths of everyone associated with the Saints.
Canaries forward Jovon Makama scored twice on the afternoon but his second, the goal which secured all three points, was a controversial one after being guided into the back of the net by his left hand.
Tonda Eckert has spoken openly about the push for promotion being the main goal for Southampton following their rich vein of form but their lack of a clinical edge when they were dominating the game opened the door for Norwich and ultimately led to Saints falling short.
A penalty miss for Adam Armstrong only compounds that misery. Ryan Manning's goal came from nothing after an incredibly slow start to the second half and overall, it was a passive performance that they deserved to walk away empty-handed from.
Six wins from seven since Eckert arrived is incredibly impressive but the loss at Carrow Road shows there is still work to be done.
Patrick Rowe
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Birmingham must improve form on the road
The problem with relying almost exclusively on your home form is that, when the winning running eventually stops, an average week becomes a poor one.
Birmingham's chances of realising their lofty ambitions this season will actually rest on improving their poor away record, not the odd draw at St Andrew's in a game that they might have had wrapped up by half-time before a spirited Charlton response.
Back-to-back away defeats at Southampton and QPR had put the pressure on the League One champions, but it looked to be business as usual on home soil when captain Christoph Klarer headed in a Tommy Doyle free-kick in the first half.
But their injury ravaged visitors responded and Tanto Olaofe teed up substitute Tyreece Campbell who scored his first goal of the season at the 21st attempt.
Birmingham twice came close to finding a winner through the best player on the pitch Demarai Gray. One mazy run before his shot cannoned back off the cross-bar and then a late free kick that was well kept out by Thomas Kaminski as Charlton avoided losing a sixth straight league game for the first time this century.
For Birmingham the play-offs are well within their grasp if they can cure their travel sickness, but that, at the moment, looks a big if.
Rob Jones
Wrexham extend unbeaten record at home to eight
Coming into this one, Watford had the joint-worst away record in the Championship alongside Sheffield Wednesday. Wrexham were seven undefeated at home.
The first half was very lively, with the two exchanging blows, and I knew I was in for a fierce game to say the least.
Wrexham struck first through Josh Windass. The ball flew over to him, Kieffer Moore left it, he took it on the half-volley and put it straight past the goalkeeper. Watford responded when Mamadou Doumbia managed to get a shot away that took a big deflection and left Arthur Okonkwo looking like his feet were in treacle.
Towards half-time, some poor defending meant the ball dropped to Othmane Maamma, who drilled home, which will have led to some strong words from Phil Parkinson, I have no doubt.
I spoke to him afterwards and he said he was really happy with his side's performance in the second half, which resulted in Wrexham managing to pull one back to make it 2-2.
Javi Gracia was absolutely furious and got sent off. His assistant spoke about their dismay about that and other decisions afterwards. He did not hold back.
Kyle Walker
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