Believe it or not, we are already 15 games into the Championship season. Of course, there is still a long way to go. But the race for promotion is beginning to heat up.
England’s second tier is arguably one of the most competitive leagues in world football, with 24 teams all battling to reach the promise land of the Premier League.
Emil Riis' opener for @pnefc is a strong contender for pick of the patch! #EFL | #SkyBetChampionship pic.twitter.com/sfWqIj7gsF— Sky Bet Championship (@SkyBetChamp) October 31, 2021
Emil Riis' opener for @pnefc is a strong contender for pick of the patch! #EFL | #SkyBetChampionship pic.twitter.com/sfWqIj7gsF
As we enter November, let’s take a look at the early frontrunners in the Championship promotion race.
Bournemouth are the only Championship team without a defeat to their name this season. Led by Scott Parker, the Cherries have picked up 11 wins and four draws. They also boast the best defensive record in the division, having conceded just eight goals.
Second-place Fulham trail Bournemouth by five points but now sit four point clear of West Brom after thrashing the Baggies 3-0 on Saturday. Aleksandar Mitrovic has netted 18 goals already this term, making him – and Fulham – the Championship’s top scorer.
West Brom didn’t lose any of their opening ten games but have since lost three of their previous five. They are still in a strong position, but they will surely be eager to rediscover the kind of form that got them to third in the table.
It’s fair to say that Coventry are something of a surprise package this season. The Sky Blues finished all the way down in sixteenth place last term but currently find themselves fourth following an impressive start to the campaign.
Funnily enough, Huddersfield finished four places below Coventry last season. Still, the Yorkshire club have managed to turn things around this term. Sorba Thomas has been the star of the show, providing eight assists from right wing.
Having come up from League One last term, nobody expected Blackpool to challenge for back-to-back promotions this season. However, they have exceeded all expectations so far. Can they keep pace with the frontrunners? Time will tell.
Remarkably, seventh-place Blackburn and nineteenth-place Preston are separated by just five points. That tells you everything you need to know about the competitiveness of the Championship.
With teams such as QPR, Stoke, Middlesbrough, Swansea, Birmingham and Nottingham Forest vying for a spot in the Premier League, the Championship promotion race is destined to go down to the wire.