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. Transcribed with the help of TurboScribe!

MIDDLESBROUGH v IPSWICH

Simeon: Middlesbrough head into this one in crisis after losing their first game of the season before the international break. They lost at Portsmouth. No wins in three now for Boro. They have had a mini dip in this era of hyper intense focus on every single little thing that happens every minute of Sky Football. Ipswich beat Norwich last weekend before the break. Deservedly so. It feels like things are coming together a little bit for them, does it not?

David: Boro-Ipswich is a great way to kick off the weekend, isn’t it? Given the expectations of both, I think broadly it’s a very good start. Obviously, they would be disappointed by that defeat to Pompey and it really feels like the last three or four games you’ve seen an Ipswich Town side cranking to gear. Yes, there’s been changes. Yes, there are expectations of both, but given obviously a wonderful win for them against the fiercest rivals and Marcelino Nunez taking centre stage and waving flags around and giving it the full lap of honour, just a reflection on how deep the squad is given the fact he came on as a sub and I think it’s a good test for Boro to get back to winning ways.

Simeon: Made a lot of noise for a man who didn’t actually start the game and hasn’t started the game since. I feel like he just wanted to house about the place, didn’t he? Which is fair enough to him. If you’ve got the gumption to do it, fair play to you, I wouldn’t. I’m a timid man who wouldn’t dream of doing such a thing.

David: A lot of the time stuff like that or opportunities like that don’t present themselves, but it did and he took it and as you say, it’s a version of housery, but I give him kudos, fair play. I don’t think he’d be doing the same thing at Carrow Road, would he?

Simeon: No, definitely not, you wouldn’t get out alive. Middlesbrough, just a little dip in form of late, a good chance for them to re-establish themselves here and get back to the top of the league as they would if they picked up three points.

David: Like I said, good way to get going a couple of weeks now. Well, just less than a couple of weeks for them to stew on that defeat, but the best way to try and get back on the horse and if we’re not going to try and mix analogies or metaphors, sorry, is to crack on Friday night against Ipswich.

Simeon: Ipswich won their last trip to the Riverside in December 2023. Before that, they hadn’t won there in seven visits since 2010, so they won last time they were there, but before that didn’t have a good record at, in, on Teesside.

David Pruttton’s score prediction: 2-2

QPR v MILLWALL

Simeon: QPR head into the weekend, sixth in the table. Unbeaten in sixth. Comeback win at Bristol City last time out. Millwall really turned over West Brom 3-0 before the break. QPR though, coming off the back of… I know we keep talking about them, I’ve mentioned them a few times, but they got 7-1 at Coventry and they haven’t lost since. They’ve moved into the top six. It’s been really impressive what we’ve seen from them.

David: Stunning turnaround. Well yeah, because we were asking questions at the time, weren’t we? About a new boss and what he’d brought to the team and what the team was giving him in that instance. But what a way to resolutely put any doubts to bed given that surge up the table against another side that I think given what the Championship looks and feels like this season, two teams that right now given that type of form should be having aspirations potentially of knocking on the door of the top six coming into the season. I think the fact that you’ve got Millwall a point outside and that point being just one behind QPR sets this up really, really nicely, doesn’t it? Because again, looking further up in teams that we’re going to talk about, Stoke, Preston and maybe Leicester and Coventry, ones that you’d kind of have a bit of a shoo-in given what they’re capable of in the Championship. The rest is so open, it’s fantastic.

Simeon: Exciting times and exciting times for both of these teams. From what you’ve seen so far David Preston, who do you think of these two teams as the best shot of squeezing themselves into their top six by the end of the season?

David: Good question. I think consistently over the season Millwall, I think right now given the form that they’re in, it’s obviously QPR given the fact that they’re sixth. I have said that now, but I retain the right to be able to change my mind on that.

Simeon: So you think Millwall just about that you will change your mind as soon as the evidence suggests otherwise?

David: Yeah.

Simeon: QPR have only won two of their last eight league games against Millwall, although they have only lost one of their last 13 against them at home.

David Prutton’s score prediction: 2-1 QPR win

OXFORD v DERBY

Simeon: Oxford, just one win all season so far in the bottom three heading into the weekend. Derby, just one win all season so far, two points, two places above the bottom three. Bit of a Gary Rowett Derby this at the Kassam Stadium. Perhaps both teams with a point to prove and improvements that are needed to be made.

David: A point to prove and improvement on points needed. I think on current form, we’re going Derby one all here because that’s just what the churn out now on a weekly basis.

Simeon: Yes If you could just pad out for about another 60 to 90 seconds before we go back and do one all, that’d be great.

David: Well, I think given what Gary did with Oxford United at the back end last season, where we spoke about it several times, where we’re talking about what a good job he was doing, yet they still remained pretty close to the bottom three. And I think once again, it’ll be a season of consolidation. That’s not damning them with faint praise or saying that they should be dialling down any form of ambition, but that’s literally where they find themselves in the Championship. And from Derby County’s point of view, I think potentially stemmed the flow at one end because they were shipping goals for fun off the back of what John had done tying them up at the back end of last season. So they’ve steadied somewhat, but that kind of solid and unspectacular point for point for point, I mean, it’s not exactly driving them up the table, is it? But it’s like I said, stem the tide.

Simeon: I think for Oxford, with the best will in the world, anything above the bottom three is a good season for them in the championship this season, as you’ve said. For Derby, I think we’re all expecting a little bit more this season. Do you think that’d be fair to say?

David: Yeah.

Simeon: Still early days, but we are nearly a quarter of the way through.

David: It is fair to say, and it is, again, agreed early days, but the standard of the teams that are knocking around down there as well, the fact that you’ve got the two Sheffield clubs in the bottom three, Blackburn just above, and then you find Derby with Norwich, Wrexham ,Southampton, Birmingham, Hull City, Pompey for company. Yeah, you do expect potentially more, but to balance that out, since getting back into the division, it’s a big club, of course, but it’s a big club that’s had to be aiming for consolidation more than anything. So yeah, big in name, in stature right now, fighting amongst teams just as big, if not bigger in that part of the table.

Simeon: Oxford have won just one of the last seven Football League games against Derby, with both encounters at the last season ending level, so they never really beat them, and this game is often a draw, as it has been the last two times.

David: Oh, they never really beat them. I thought you said, they never really beat them, or they never really beat them.

Simeon: I don’t really know what I meant. I also already know what your prediction is going to be, so my heart’s not really been in this section at all.

David Prutton’s score prediction: 1-1 draw

SOUTHAMPTON v SWANSEA

Simeon: Southampton held at Derby last time out. Still just two wins all season. Swansea beaten at home by Leicester. That was their first defeat of the season at theswansea.com. They head into the weekend planted firmly in mid-table in 12th. Not good enough for either in different ways so far from what we’ve seen so far?

David: I’d say definitely in Southampton’s case. I still think, obviously, given how well I know Alan Sheehan, and in fact when he walks off me in interviews, and what he’s done so far with Swansea, I would say I’m broadly happy with that for what it’s worth, or whatever Alan would think about that. I think from Southampton’s point of view, absolutely work to do. Absolutely an improvement in results consistently needed. A team that’s dropped out of the Premier League always, always gets installed as some form of favourite, but currently sitting 17th after a second international break. Will Still will be as aware as anyone what his remit is for between now and the next break in November, and it’s getting Southampton driven up that table. I don’t think it’ll be easy against the Swansea City side that, as I said, have got a lot to like under Alan.

Simeon: Southampton, as we’ve said, it’s not been brilliant so far. Still looking less than the sum of their parts. How long until Will Still have some real, real questions to answer? We’re not going to sit here and start questioning people’s jobs, and Southampton do tend to be slightly more patient than others. But it’s anything less than a certain position at a certain time, and he will start to come under more fire than he is right now.

David: Their remit is top six at least, I would say. I think if they’re still 17th, hovering around that position come the November break, then there’s more scrutiny being piled on him. And then if you’re entering to Christmas, still in the bottom third of the division…

Simeon: He won’t be there.

David: Then questions do need to be asked. But then it’s not an insurmountable challenge getting your team up the division, because you have a good week in the Championship, three games, three wins. Suddenly, it looks a lot, lot brighter. But in any season, in any quest for the Premier League, getting your work done early, meaning you’re up there with the chasing pack for the predominantly more of the sign than not, then it quite obviously gives you a fighting chance. But he’s still finding his feet in English football. There’s a lot to like about him. There’s a lot to like about what he does and the way that he approaches the game. And there’s still plenty of time and patience on his side.

Simeon: Swansea have won just one of the last 15 away league games against Southampton, and they failed to score at St. Mary’s. At St. Mary’s, the last three trips they’ve been there.

David Prutton’s score predictions: 1-1 draw

LEICESTER v PORTSMOUTH

Simeon: Leicester back to winning ways before the international break at Swansea, which ended a run of four straight draws. Portsmouth ended a run of four, that a win themselves at last time out as they beat Middlesbrough 1-0. Yang Min-hyuk, the lad on loan from Spurs, has scored two and has lost two, and he looks a real, real player, real young talent.

David: Both had good victories to get themselves. Big fan of John Mousinho. We’re always going to sing his praises, given what his first protocol, once again with Pompey, is consolidation and building on that. Leicester quite clearly have aspirations of a bounce back to the Premier League, and that win against Swansea off the back of, I mean, an absolute draw fest, as you quite rightly mentioned, mate, shows, again, what they’re capable of, and Pompey putting an end to that winless run. So, nicely poised, I think. I don’t think Pompey go there under any pressure at all. I think they go there without any fear either. And for a little Saturday night amuse-bouche, it’s decent, isn’t it?

Simeon: Leicester are third in the table heading into the weekend, which caught me a little bit by surprise. I didn’t quite realise they were that far up there, because they haven’t been great.

David: I think we all kind of scratched our heads going, oh, hang on, they’re actually doing really well.

Simeon: Yeah, brilliant. Unbelievable start to the season. A few too many draws, but yeah, no, it’s been a strange, strange old time. Portsmouth, as you said, it’s just, again, just kick on, really, haven’t they?

David: Yeah, and it’s not damning them with faint praise, is it to say, where they might be aiming for in the division. But given the fact that they find themselves just under halfway, I mean, it’s a win potentially that takes them into the top half and knocking on the door of the top six, given potential results around them. So, big football club, proud football club, noisy football club, always travel well, and it’ll be a cracking game.

Simeon: Portsmouth are unbeaten in the last two league visits to Leicester City, but they haven’t played there since 2011.

David Prutton’s score prediction: 2-1 Leicester win

BIRMINGHAM v HULL

Simeon: Just one win in six now for Birmingham. Hull beat Sheffield United 1-0 last time out. What’s the score going to be at the St Andrews?

David: I’m really enjoying what Hull City are up to at the moment.

David Prutton’s score prediction: 1-0 Hull win

CHARLTON v SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY

Simeon: Charlton beaten at Preston last time out. Sheffield Wednesday tonked 5-0 by Coventry City. What’s the score going to be at the Valley?

David Prutton’s score prediction: 2-0 Charlton win

COVENTRY v BLACKBURN

Simeon: Coventry are our Championship leaders. Blackburn, no wins in three. That’s not really that bad to be honest. But what’s the score going to be at CBS Arena?

David Prutton’s score prediction: 2-0 Coventry win

NORWICH v BRISTOL CITY

Simeon: The Liam Manning derby. Norwich, gloomy defeat at Ipswich last time that we spoke about earlier. Still not a point all season home, which is quite remarkable. Bristol City also in a bit of a rut themselves. No wins in four.

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

SHEFFIELD UNITED v WATFORD

Simeon: Sheffield United versus Watford. Sheffield United lost that hull last time out. Just one win in four under Chris Wilder. Watford have got a new manager. Javi Gracia is back at Vicarage Road after Paolo Pezzolano had the indecency to beat Oxford last time out, pick up seven points from his last three games.

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

STOKE v WREXHAM

Simeon: Three draws on the spin for Stoke. Three draws on the spin for Wrexham. What’s the score going to be at the Bet365 Stadium?

David Prutton’s score prediction: 2-1 Stoke win

WEST BROM v PRESTON

Simeon: West Brom squished 3-0 at Millwall last time out. Preston beat Charlton 2-0. What’s the score going to be at the Hawthorns?

David Prutton’s score prediction: 1-0 Preston win

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