.png)
1 day ago
3
Leeds’ title charge was checked as they were held to a frustrating 1-1 Championship draw by West Brom. Junior Firpo headed the home side into an early lead but Darnell Furlong equalised with a looping header before the break.
The point still extended Leeds’ unbeaten league run to 17 matches as they head towards a Premier League return – though West Brom’s manager, Tony Mowbray, later questioned their ability to stay there.
“Leeds are very, very good,” said Mowbray. “I think for them it’s about what they do in the summer. How much are they going to spend? How are they going to survive? Southampton and Leicester were amazing teams last year in this league and they can’t win a game. So is that going to be Leeds next year?
“There’s always this thing at the back of your mind – ‘What are we going to do in the summer?’ Are Leeds going to spend £200m just to give themselves half a chance? Or are they going to go with this team and probably get relegated by February? I don’t know the answers.”
Sheffield United moved to within three points of Leeds following a 2-1 win at QPR. Ben Brereton Díaz’s 10th-minute goal and Tyrese Campbell’s thumping second-half strike put Chris Wilder’s side two up. Michael Frey gave the hosts hope with a 72nd-minute penalty but the Blades held on to secure a fifth consecutive away victory. Second-placed United are now five points clear of Burnley in third, although the Clarets have a game in hand.
Tatsuhiro Sakamoto’s superb far-post finish gave Coventry a 3-2 victory over Oxford at the Kassam Stadium. Coventry twice took the lead only to see Oxford peg it back, but Sakamoto’s drive in the 71st minute was unstoppable, and United could not find a way back for a third time.
Coventry’s early opener came from Jack Rudoni, who injured his shoulder and had to leave the field before half-time. “He dislocated it,” said manager Frank Lampard. “It popped out, popped back in and back out again, so we’ll have to have a look at that. Hopefully we won’t lose him for too long.”
Valérien Ismaël said 10-man Blackburn’s 1-1 draw with Norwich in his first game in charge “felt more like a win” after they snatched a leveller deep into stoppage time. After substitute Emmanuel Dennis was sent off for his second booking five minutes from time, the Canaries pounced and Ante Crnac’s sweetly struck first-time shot in the 90th minute – his sixth of the campaign – looked to have snatched the victory. However, Andi Weimann had the last laugh with a deft header with 96 minutes on the clock.
“The red card changed everything, it’s a new game,” said Rovers’ manager Ismaël. “After that, I think it was tough for the players to concede but they showed again a great mentality. It’s a really good, honest, hard-working group with a no-regrets attitude.”
after newsletter promotion
Derby sunk to the bottom of the table after a 1-0 defeat at Middlesbrough extended their winless to run to 12 league games. The Rams looked set to battle to what would have been a crucial point at the Riverside Stadium but Finn Azaz struck the winner for Boro 10 minutes from time. John Eustace has lost his first three games since taking charge and Derby are now four points adrift of safety and with inferior goal difference to fourth-bottom Hull.
Luton manager Matt Bloomfield finally picked up a first long-awaited win at the ninth attempt as the Hatters climbed off the bottom of the table by beating Portsmouth 1-0 at Kenilworth Road. The hosts, who were without a victory in their last 12, sealed the points thanks to Jordan Clark’s 25th-minute goal.
Stoke and Watford played out a drab 0-0 draw at the bet365 Stadium as neither side were able to give a boost to their respective end-of-season ambitions. Mark Robins’s relegated-threatened Potters avoided a third successive defeat to remain five points above the drop zone, while playoff chasing Watford missed the chance to record a third straight win and are three points off the top six.
