Championship talking points: Leicester's Marti Cifuentes has nightmare before Christmas; Coventry Xmas No 1
The Sky Sports Football writers analyse the weekend's Championship action.
Sunday 21 December 2025 15:08, UK
Cifuentes endures nightmare before Christmas on return to QPR
It could hardly have been a more disastrous afternoon for Leicester City boss Marti Cifuentes on his return to Loftus Road.
Leaving last season in slightly acrimonious circumstances, he would have been desperate for a positive result to help ease a bit more pressure on his role at Leicester City.
Instead, they found themselves 4-0 down at half-time. Any momentum that may have been building after three unbeaten games and two very positive wins in that time against Derby and Ipswich was dissipated immediately.
Leicester will now head into Boxing Day in the bottom half of the table.
"It was just a very bad first half - unacceptable for me, for the players, and unacceptable for our fans that travelled here," Cifuentes admitted.
"We didn't match some of the things that are needed to compete in a game like this, so very disappointed. It's a really disappointing day.
"Emotionally, it's a tough one. We need to move on quick. It's a marathon, we are almost in the middle of the season and we need to pick ourselves up."
Simeon Gholam
Coventry are Christmas No 1 with Lampard up for the fight
Coventry are the Championship's Christmas No 1 - and their 1-1 draw at Southampton showed they have the steel to stay at the top in 2026.
Jay Dasilva's red card just 90 seconds into the second half saw the visitors, who were leading 1-0 at the time, tough out a point, which proved vital as they extended their lead at the top to six points after Middlesbrough's loss at Bristol City.
The point was even more important considering there was a sickness bug in the Coventry squad, which ruled out first-choice trio Tatsuhiro Sakamoto, Bobby Thomas and Liam Kitching.
No wonder Sky Blues boss Frank Lampard was full of fight at the end as he sparked a post-match melee.
He admitted he was "out of order", but "was very proud of the players and "was hyped because of what they had done".
One player he will be extremely "hyped" for is his goalkeeper Carl Rushworth, who was excellent in the draw.
Sky Sports' Andy Hinchcliffe said on commentary that he is "the best goalkeeper in the Championship" - and he proved why with seven saves and strong goalkeeping at corners and crosses.
Rushworth and Coventry's defence stood firm against Southampton's late pressure, as the visitors faced 18 shots in the second half and failed to have a shot on target themselves after Dasilva's red card.
It was a draw that showed a different side to the Championship's top scorers, and one that will give Lampard huge encouragement that they can do the dirty work to stay at the top.
Recent history is now on their side too - four of the last five teams to have been top at Christmas have earned promotion to the Premier League.
Lampard's mulled wine will taste even sweeter on Christmas Day.
Declan Olley
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Stoke get promotion reality check
Stoke City's promotion challenge is fading fast.
A fourth straight away league defeat in a close encounter at Vicarage Road means the Potters have now picked up just six points in their last eight. It's a run which has seen them slip from the automatic promotion spots to outside the top six.
Fans who dared to dream of a Premier League return are facing up to the brutal reality of how difficult a division this is to escape. It's something the supporters are aware of already: Stoke have failed to finish in the top half since their relegation from the top flight in 2018.
Mark Robins remained calm in the aftermath to a third away day in a row in which they've failed to trouble the scorers. A lack of quality in front of goal poses the biggest challenge to a side with the best defence in the division. Sorba Thomas is enjoying the best scoring season of his career already with eight goals but he can't single-handedly fire Stoke into the top six.
Watford have promotion ambitions of their own and are slowly beginning to creep into contention.
Javi Gracia remains unbeaten at Vicarage Road in his second spell at the club. His side will take great confidence from a second clean sheet of the season - a second in 28 matches in all competitions.
They've established themselves as a side who won't be beaten easily - a run of one defeat in 10 league games demonstrates that. The question is, can they put together a winning streak to move through a congested pack with just six points separating third and 13th?
James Savundra
Wilder's words give Sheffield United fuel
Chris Wilder admitted he "hated every bit" of last week's momentum-checking defeat at West Brom but the aftermath of an "unacceptable" display might just have proved instructive.
The Sheffield United boss had challenged his players to show what they had "under the bonnet", as well as questioning whether the growing whispers of a play-off push following a summer of self-inflicted chaos might be "too much" for some to handle.
January is looming, a chance to reshape the squad's psychological as well as physical credentials, and the cajoling words of a manager on a restoration mission appeared the fuel on a comfortable home afternoon at Bramall Lane.
Tyler Bindon, damned by association with Wilder's short-lived predecessor Ruben Selles but a technical left-footer to bring balance, has climbed out of the shadows in recent weeks to show his appetite. He climbed high above a crowded box in the opening minutes to set United on course.
The hosts were on top before Tommy Doyle's 18th-minute red card for a reckless challenge on Gus Hamer, who pounced soon after to reward United's determined press. Intensity had dropped by the time Patrick Bamford stuck out an instinctive boot after the break but Wilder had already seen enough. "They looked as if they wanted to be on the journey," he said.
The coming weeks will be crucial in determining the direction and speed of travel.
Games against Wrexham and Leicester - narrowly above the Blades in a congested table - loom over the gruelling Christmas schedule, before a transfer window that is likely to focus on exits to free funds for first-team competition in midfield and at right-back.
In the boardroom and on the training pitch, expect Wilder's foot to remain firmly on the gas.
Kate Burlaga
Early Christmas gifts from Millwall give Blackburn festive cheer
''Tis the season to be generous and Millwall were certainly that on Saturday lunchtime, gift-wrapping two goals for Blackburn to give their hosts at Ewood Park something to celebrate at the end of a difficult year.
A poor parry from the exposed Max Crocombe allowed Andri Gudjohnsen to fire in an easy opener got Rovers up and running and when Danny McNamara's header back to his goalkeeper missed Crocombe in a horrible mix-up, Yuki Ohashi was only to happy to tap in a second.
Blackburn had been five without a win going into this match and in need of a boost - and with that first-half advantage they were able to navigate the second period with increased confidence.
There will be more difficult days ahead but Blackburn fans will go into the Christmas period with optimism things may be starting to go the way they want on and off the pitch…
Peter Smith
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Okonkwo's nightmare moment costs Wrexham
It was a moment every goalkeeper dreads. The 90th minute in a big game under the lights against Welsh rivals Swansea, balanced on a knife edge at 1-1. And it all went so wrong for Arthur Okonkwo.
The Wrexham goalkeeper had raced off his line to attempt to punch clear a free-kick, which he badly miscued. He was then clearly frazzled as he charged back into his six-yard box to try and deal with a fairly tame header that was looping back towards his goal.
A simple catch, dropped. And dropped right at the feet of Adam Idah with inches between himself and the net. He took the chance greatfully, just his second touch since entering as a substitute a few minutes earlier.
Phil Parkinson, the Wrexham boss, was clearly frustrated, but was quick to back his goalkeeper after the game.
"I feel for Arthur because he has been outstanding for us, not just this season but over the last few seasons," he told Sky Sports.
"We wouldn't have got to where we are without his contribution, and he's pulled off some incredible saves this season in big moments. He'll need picking up, but we'll pick him up and be ready for the Boxing Day game."
It is one Okonkwo will have to clear out of his head as quickly as possible.
Simeon Gholam
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