David Prutton’s Championship score predictions

David Prutton’s Championship score predictions have been revealed ahead of the next round of matches for the 2025/26 season.

The ex-Nottingham Forest, Southampton, Leeds, Swindon, Sheffield Wednesday, and England U21 footballer who currently works as a presenter, pundit, and commentator, has given his verdict.

Watch plenty of games live across Sky Sports with highlights of the other EFL matches on Sky Sports News, ITV and YouTube.

It’s set up to be another exciting season, with many soccer scores to keep an eye on across the world.

Sky Sports duo Simeon Gholam and David Prutton gave a preview heading into the next game of the regular season, predicting the results of every fixture; listen to the podcast below or via any of your regular podcast providers.

PRESTON v STOKE

Simeon: We start on Friday night. Preston North End versus Stoke City live on Sky Sports Football from 7.30pm kick off 8pm. Maybe a game that looked like it would have had a bit more riding on it six, seven weeks ago and this was picked. Two sides who started the season really well but have since dropped off. Preston have lost their last four on the bounce. No wins in seven either. One win in 12. Stoke, they did win last Saturday but they have just two wins in 12 as well. This is a game where two sides who need to kick on towards the end of the season to really kind of not let this season go flat after what were such good openings for both.

David: Yes. Well, where Preston find themselves, which is what? 11 off the top six and 10 off the bottom three. Firmly ensconced. They did have such a bright start, didn’t they? I think we’re all having a look at the top six and thinking it might be one that’s made up of teams that potentially wouldn’t have chucked in there before a ball was kicked. However, Stoke can relate to that. A boatload of injuries have had to do with the suspensions and then getting to where they’ve got to now. Nine off the top six. Not insurmountable. Lots of traffic between those teams in and around them. But yeah, I think you’re absolutely right. And given what we see from Preston, which is strong starts tempered by slightly sluggish finishes, I’m sure their fans want something to shout about between now and the end of the season.

Simeon: Yeah, it won’t be lost on them that they really slumped last season as well and ended up in a survival battle on the last day of the season. I feel like they’ve probably done a bit too much to get to that point already this season.

David: I’d say so, yeah.

Simeon: But I mean, the concern is they were third at one point in December. And I remember we, well, you weren’t there, but we did another podcast proper video in January where the question was, can Preston challenge the automatics? They’ve won one game in 12 since, so apologies to Preston fans. And Stoke, again, you know, just hampered badly by injuries. But another side who we thought just want to kick on and finish in the top half at the very least now after about seven years in a row of finishing 15th.

David: Coming down from the Premier League, that’s never been achieved. So I mean, it’s a small win, a pyrrhic victory, you would say, if they managed to get into the top half of the table. I’d be, yeah, I feel for Mark in the sense of what he’s had to deal with from a personnel point of view.

Simeon: The last three games between these two sides have all been draws, two of them goalless, while Preston have failed to win any of the last five games at home against Stoke. What’s the score going to be at Deepdale on Friday night?

David Prutton’s score prediction: 1-1 draw

IPSWICH v MILLWALL

Simeon: Ipswich third in the table. Millwall fourth in the table. Both two points off Middlesbrough in second. Ipswich with the game in hand. This could be a very, if not decisive, but a very, very big game in pursuit of potentially second spot. Or even first, if they can catch Coventry. They’re still, you know, they’re not over the hump yet. But we’ll get onto that in a bit. Let’s talk Ipswich versus Millwall. Big game this. Especially Millwall will want to bounce back after they’ll probably feel quite hard done by after what happened against Blackburn last Saturday.

David: Yes. I mean, as we left the show at three, we’d looked at the table and if things had gone to plan, Millwall could have been second, couldn’t they, in the Championship. Which goes to show how good the job is. Ipswich gaining that momentum that we feel that they’re going to be having between now and the end of the season. I think this is a fascinating battle. We’ve had some good ones in recent weeks. We had, of course, Wrexham against Hull City that was in the top six. And now we’ve got these two. So I think, Alex, the job that it’s done, it’s slowly but surely getting the credit it deserves. And there’s an assumption with Kieran and Ipswich side that they should be where they are. That doesn’t make it any easier to achieve.

Simeon: Ipswich not entirely convincing against Sheffield Wednesday last weekend. They got the job done. Very much up in the mix still. All we’ve got to do is get the job done at this and indeed every stage of the season. But yeah, this should be a really, really, really good closely fought match. And as I said, Millwall potentially with a little bit more edge to their game if ever that was needed after the hard done by-ness of last week’s games. Millwall have just three wins in their last 13 against Ipswich. Two of those came the season. The Tractorboys were relegated in 2018-19 as well when they were very, very bad. So apart from that, Millwall not a good record against Ipswich.

David Prutton’s score prediction: 2-2

BLACKBURN v MIDDLESBROUGH

Simeon: Blackburn got that comeback win at Millwall last week. We just spoke about that. Boosted their survivor hopes massively. Looking at it from the flip side of the road perspective, that was a really, really big win. And they still had to get the job done even after the red card. So fair play to them. Middlesbrough, probably glad to be back on the road after two really difficult games at home. Where they have… Yeah, I did a bit of calculating earlier, in Middlesbrough’s last four home games, they have taken 94 shots in squad two goals. Obviously, Blackburn… wanting to get away from the bottom three. Middlesbrough needing, Almost certainly needing a win to hold on to their second spot. At the very least, heading into the international break.

David: Well, when you’ve got Ipswich behind you, that’s on two points behind you with the game in hand, then it firmly puts them in the box seat. And it goes into what we heard Kieran talk about, them doing their work to catch… To get where they need to get to. So Kim Helberg’s got to be very, very wary of the fact that we’ve got Ipswich breathing down the necks. And that win for Blackburn, much needed. Three points above the bottom three. Looking very, very squeaky down there, indeed. So no, I think it’s a fascinating matchup between two teams that have got points on their mind for different purposes.

Simeon: Yes, it should be an interesting and intriguing affair. Middlesbrough don’t have a good record against Blackburn. Just three wins in the last 22 against Blackburn. Although, all those three wins have come away from home. And that also includes the last trip there. So make of that what you will. What’s the score?

David Prutton’s score prediction: 1-0 Middlesbrough

DERBY v BIRMINGHAM

Simeon: Derby got that win at Portsmouth on Monday night to stay three points off the playoffs. Birmingham failed to beat Sheffield United with 10 men last weekend. That’s seven points off the playoffs. That fills a very, very big gap considering the teams that have to fight their way through. It feels like last week was a missed opportunity for Birmingham, whereas Derby took theirs at Fratton Park on Monday.

David: As much as we’ve made a wreck some being at this level and doing well in the top six, Birmingham being back here and being, what, seven points away from the top six with Derby ahead of them on 57. This is set up very, very nicely indeed. I’ve enjoyed what Derby have done with John Eustace and I’ve enjoyed what Birmingham City have done with Chris Davies. So, two big footballing teams, two big footballing Midlands institutions and another good game in the offing.

Simeon: Yeah, Derby not the best at home, Birmingham not the best away. Could potentially cancel things out here a little bit. And Derby are at home and Birmingham are away. Just it is at Pride Park, just to establish that.

David: Possibly cancelling each other out.

Simeon: Birmingham as well have just three wins in their last 19 against Derby. What’s the score going to be at Pride Park?

David Prutton’s score prediction: 1-1 draw

SWANSEA v COVENTRY

Simeon: Swansea might have just a little bit too much to do to reach the playoffs. They head into the weekend, eight points drift after that loss at Wrexham last week. Coventry, beaten at home by Southampton last time out. Still seven points clear of Middlesbrough in second, heading into the weekend. Nine clear of Ipswich and Millwall. So, still in a good spot.

David: No, a great spot. I mean, it’s as much, obviously, they want to be champions, but it’s as much about keeping third place at arm’s length, which they are doing very well at the moment. They had chances in the second half against Southampton to get something from it, but for a very good save, they’d have been back on level terms to Liam Kitching’s header. So, nothing’s lost. However, for Swansea, I thought Wrexham rode the look at times. I thought Swansea looked pretty sharp in that game, but yeah, I think it’s a good, it’s a really good game for Coventry to get back on the horse. And they’ve been exceptional. They react well to blips, whether this is the one game blip we’ll find out at the weekend, but I’m positive about the Sky Blues.

Simeon: Swansea, really, really good at home under Vitor Matos. They lost their first game under him, but they are unbeaten in 10 cents and one eight of those. Right. So, they’re really, really good there. And Coventry have actually got a good, very recent record against Swansea. They’ve won their last two, but before that, they hadn’t beaten them in 18. So, yeah, they’ve won two of the last 20, but they were the last two. What’s the score going to be at the swansea.com stadium?

David Prutton’s score prediction: 2-2 draw

BRISTOL CITY v WEST BROM

Simeon: Bristol City with nothing to play for. West Brom got a crucial win last weekend against Hull, which was their first win of 2026. Mad. They head into the weekend point clear of the bottom three. What’s the score going to be, Ashton Gate?

David Prutton’s score prediction: 2-0 Bristol City.

CHARLTON v NORWICH

Simeon: Charlton done brilliantly to move nine points clear of the bottom three. Norwich kicking on well under Philippe Clement. What’s the score going to be at the Valley?

David Prutton’s score prediction: 1-1 draw

HULL v SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY

Simeon: Hull City versus Sheffield Wednesday. Hull heading into the weekend in fifth in the championship. Sheffield Wednesday still six points off zero. What’s the score going to be at the MKM Stadium?

David Prutton’s score prediction: Hull City to win 2-0.

QPR v PORTSMOUTH

Simeon: QPR in mid-table, although a good win at Leicester last week. Portsmouth are a point above the bottom three, albeit of a game in hand, but not in good form at the moment. So not entirely sure what that game in hand really means when you’re not winning them. What’s the score going to be at the Loftus Road Stadium?

David Prutton’s score prediction: 1-1 draw

SHEFFIELD UNITED v WREXHAM

Simeon: Sheffield United are in mid-table. Wrexham of course had that setback in their playoff push at Watford in midweek. What’s the score going to be at Bramall Lane?

David Prutton’s score prediction: 2-1 Sheffield United.

SOUTHAMPTON v OXFORD

Simeon: Southampton with a big end of season to come in the playoff race and the FA Cup. Oxford start the weekend a point adrift of safety. What’s the score going to be at St Mary’s?

David Prutton’s score prediction: 1-0 Southampton

WATFORD v LEICESTER

Simeon: Watford beat Wrexham on Tuesday night to keep their playoff hopes alive. Leicester, really, really bad at home to keep you out. Last Saturday, two points adrift of safety heading into the weekend, which is just madness for Leicester City. What’s the score going to be at Vicarage Road?

David Prutton’s score prediction: 1-1 draw

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10