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David Prutton’s Championship score predictions

David Prutton’s Championship score predictions have been revealed ahead of the next round of matches for the 2024/25 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 Coventry vs Oxford, West Brom vs Leeds, Derby vs Middlesbrough, Portsmouth vs Luton and Sunderland vs Sheffield Wednesday live across Sky Sports with highlights of the other EFL matches on Sky Sports News, ITV and YouTube.

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

Coventry vs Oxford

Simeon: Let’s start on Friday night. It’s Coventry City versus Oxford United live on Sky Sports football from 7:30PM, I believe. Kickoff, 8PM. Coventry, not the best of starts as they were beating 1 in the last 30 two games that was going on on the big screen behind you in case you weren’t quite sure. Mark Robins was disappointed afterwards, but they are often slow starters in this league, albeit whether they do or don’t play games. They’re generally slow starters in one way or another. Oxford, I mean, about as dreamy a dream return as dreams can be after 25 years away from the 2nd tier. Being Norwich, of course, what confidence boost that will give them that they can compete at this level after being predicted by many outlets to be finishing bottom or second bottom.

David: Really?

Simeon: It’s not by us okay. Because we didn’t do any preseason predictions because we liked everyone too much. Yes. But a lot of, people had them ticked for relegation, so that will make them feel good going into this trip to the CBS Arena, will it not?

David: Yeah. They were brilliant. I thought the way that they went about beating Norwich was pretty comprehensive. They managed to express themselves. Cameron Brannigan quite clearly, head and shoulders with everyone else. Mark Harris, of course, with maybe a bit of luck with the 1st goal going in. But across the board, yes, they made a lot of signings, but I think that was the start of 8 or 9 of the team that started on Saturday was playing in the playoff final.

Simeon: And, of course, lost Josh Murphy.

David: Yes. Of course.

Simeon: Almost single handedly won in the playoff final.

David: It was wonderful. But then they’re all if that was gonna be the case, they’re always gonna have to react to that, which is exactly what they’ve done. And I think the other part of it is what they did to the to the other team. Josh Sargent and Borja Sainz, 2 key men for Norwich City. Between them, 20 touches in the game. Only 20 touches, which goes to show how good they were stopping the opposition. And the celebration that came from doing that at that level for the first time in a very, very long time was wonderful to see, 1st game in the Championship, of course. So plenty to like about that. I’m planning to give, Mark Robins food for thought. It was just just a good story. But, again, it’s a very pertinent point you make about Coventry City and them not necessarily starting to well, that won’t worry Mark Robins too much. Of course, reacting to, say, Callum O’Hare moving out the door, but I’ve been been able to bring the likes of Brandon Thomas-Asante means that they once they get up and running, they’ll be ones to watch.

Simeon: Last time these two sides met, Coventry gave him the 6-2 rollicking in the FA Cup in January, so not even that long ago.

David: January of this year. I would have not have guessed that.

Simeon: No. Me neither, because I paid no attention whatsoever when it happened.

David: Nope.

Simeon: It’s also their first ever meeting on 2nd tier.

David: Right. Okay.

Simeon: What unit score is going to be at the CBS Arena on Friday night?

David: I’m gonna go for Coventry. The first one of the season, I’m gonna go to Coventry 2, Oxford 2.

Simeon: How predictable. How sadly predictable.

David Prutton’s prediction: 2-2

West Brom vs Leeds

Simeon: Speaking of West Brom Leeds, it was the Josh Maja show very much on Saturday. Magic at QPR. Got them an opening day win. His players always promised so much. Obviously, remember Sunderland a long time ago, and he’s very good. Has dithered since then. But, I mean, can can he make a real statement for a club that have been sort of crying out for a goal scorer for the last couple of seasons at the very least?

David: Yeah. At minimal minutes last year. I think, obviously, the goal return that they, expect from him, the standard’s been immediately pushed right up. It’s the first opening day hat trick for a West Brom player since 1913. It’s a joy to see. And the the we expect as we know, there’s there’s been an evolution in the squad, a turnover in the squad. It was an aging squad coming in the last season. They were well beaten in the in the playoffs. So something I had to give, a lot of attention on Carlos as ever. He’s always a highly sought after coach. So him taking on a team and a club that knows very, very well indeed is an intriguing one.

Simeon: Leeds, of course, that chaos 3-3 draw in the opener. They started slowly last season, still not completely sure what the makeup of the squad will be by September. We feel like they’re a little bit more settled than they were this time last year, but you expect there will be a few changes there. We, of course, have to keep, sight of that, I suppose, for the next few weeks. Leeds haven’t lost at the Hawthorns in the championship since 1988. They’ve lost them there in the Premier League. What’s the score gonna be with Hawthorns? Saturday lunchtime.

David: Do you know what? It feels like another 2-2 when I’ve already done one so far, but it does, don’t it. I mean does it feel like a 2-2?

Simeon: To me, it feels like a 1-1. To me.

David: That reflects your, like, your lack of flair, your lack of ambition, your lack of kind of maverick cutting edge, throw it over the side, see what happens 2-2.

Simeon: Yeah. Say that of a man who’s gonna be standing in front of 32 different screens tonight, screaming dogs. Praying for penalties on all of them.

David Prutton’s predictions: 2-2

Derby vs Middlesbrough

Simeon: Derby, good spells at Blackburn in the opener last Friday night, but ultimately beaten fairly comprehensively. Not an ideal start against a side that did struggle last season. You do worry for them a little bit early days. But what are we for if not immediate knee jerk reactions? Middlesbrough beat Swansea in their opener, created plenty. Only scored from penalty, but all three points got. Could they be a dark horse this campaign? kind of slipped under the radar a lot last season considering what they were like this season, potential.

David: Yeah. Well, that’s only because they didn’t do as well as they did they liked the season before.

Simeon: I mean, there was some other interesting stuff happening last season, wasn’t there? That was probably more worth talking about than the team in 10th in the league.

David: And, obviously, lost key players, but, early signs with, Emmanuel Latte Lath picking up where he left off. Seven games on the bounce, and the Championship they’ve scored. They could’ve killed the game off. Isaiah Jones had a couple of decent chances.

Simeon: Was this one of the games you caught up with on Sunday as well?

David: What I like about Michael Carrick is he’s got his feet firmly under the table there, aren’t they? You can see how his team wants to play, and exactly what, he expects from them. So I won’t say the dark horses. I said they were strong I mean, look at the top 10, top 12, potentially, or what where the teams envisage themselves there. There’s a very healthy portion of teams that quite rightly believe they should finish in the top six.

Simeon: 15 goals in the last 5 league games between these 2, but haven’t played for a couple of years because Derby have been in League 1, of course. Easy to forget already, Derby feels so championship championship that we forget it’s been in the camps for a lot of years.

David: Going off the back of what you said about the Blackburn game, maybe a bit of an eye opener. I think the score kind of maybe flattered Blackburn only a little bit because they had some very good counter attack in play, but they, for Derby, maybe it’s a good little dig on the doors to say this is literally what the Championship’s like. Let’s let’s make sure they’re ready for the next one, which, of course, is this one of the weekend.

Simeon: I think it’s just a realisation that if you do turn off for 10:15 minutes, you can be very, very quickly out of the game. What’s the score going to be at Pride Park?

David Prutton’s prediction: 1-2 in favour of Middlesbrough

Portsmouth vs Luton

Simeon: Discussed it, of course, already a little bit, but we can talk about from a Portsmouth perspective where they could have won the game, they could have lost the game, drew the game in the end, but brilliant result. Again, it showed another team coming up that they can really mix it with the bigwigs in this league. Of course, Leeds 90 minutes away from being in the Premier League last season. Luton thumped. Fairly comprehensively home by Burnley on Monday. Now I don’t think many of us were expecting that. Not a good way to start the season against a promotion rival, of course. We think they’re promotion rivals, still just one game. Early, as I said, we love an knee jerk reaction because they’re easy. Do anything that’s easy. So let’s have a can you jerk your knees and tell me something?

David: Let’s not let’s not dial down what Burnley are. They’re a squad that is relatively intact to the one that actually went up very, very comprehensively the year before last, and they’ve got a boss who’s done it twice. So they should be very much up there with the with the front runners. With Luton and Rob, maybe that slight bit of collateral damage fallen out of the Premier League because it was tough. They did they acquitted them. Then I said this without any condescension. They acquitted themselves amazingly well, but it’s just the sheer size of some of the clubs there was was what saw them off. So he is very pragmatic. He will take what he could find to be positives at that particular performance. He’ll nail down what he didn’t like even though he’s he’s a very charming and and charismatic fellow. You’re in no gray area with him. You know exactly where he stands, so he’ll get that sorted pretty sharpish with that. And for Pompey, with John Mousinho, again, as we were doing all the games on Saturday and watching that one as well, it was just utter carnage, which was just brilliant to watch. Great reaction to go in a goal down. The disappointment from John will be that they couldn’t see the game out. The relief will come from the fact that Leeds out an even better chance than the equaliser from Brendan Aronson for the same play just after that, and he put it wide. So there were as much as I played against them for different clubs and for Southampton, and that rivalry is absolutely bitter, the bitterest I’ve seen. They’re they’re just a wonderful addition to the 2nd tier because they will travel in great voice and great number and make a hell of a dim wherever they go. So that that come back to the Championship was quite befitting, I think, of Pompey. And this these 2 going at it, at the weekend is another mouthwater.

Simeon: 1995, the last time these two met at this level, Portsmouth and Luton. That game was a 4-0 home win for Portsmouth. What is the score going to be at Fratton Park?

David: There needs to be a reaction from Luton, but that this first game back in the Championship for Pompey. Do you know what? I’m a big fan of everyone involved in this, but I’m gonna lean on the blue team. I’m gonna go Pompey 2, Luton 1.

David Prutton’s predictions: 2-1

Sunderland vs Sheff Wed

Simeon: A complete contrast from what we saw from them [Sunderland] in the second half of last season. They were so flat second half of last season, but great stuff for them under their new manager, Regis Le Bris. Jack Clarke still there, of course, still doing Jack Clarke things. Sheffield Wednesday, very good. against Plymouth. We can say they’re very good, but Plymouth was so bad that it’s almost hard to judge really. But still, what a style it was for them. It took them 14 games to get their 1st win last season. They’ve done it on match day 1 this time. So they’re already that far ahead of where they were this time last season. Danny Rohl is the talk of the town. But, yeah, big game just between 2 teams has started very well Yes. On match day 1.

David: They were brilliant Wednesday. As you say, Plymouth, very poor. But what Danny did tail end last season, and it looked pretty comfortable by that final game this season, didn’t it, for for the Owls.

Simeon: Sauntering.

David: Sauntering to safety and hopefully something to build upon. As you say, a thumping 4-0 win helps that, helps the momentum going forward. And Sunderland, a very Jack Clark goal coming from a very Jack Clarke movement, and Luke O’Nien scoring possibly the easiest goal he’s ever gonna score in his life.

Simeon: New captain.

David: Yes and rightly so. He’s been a captain of sorts, hasn’t he, for quite a long period of time? There was something. He’s been very he’s been a good lad as well. So, again, it’s one I’m looking forward to because the progress that was made with Tony at Sunderland and on another note, wonderful to see him pitchside at Middlesbrough and looking better than he has done in a very long time. So wonderful to see Tony knocking back around. They made managerial appointments, of course, which didn’t work out. They’ve now got a manager who seems very early on to have got the gist of what the, remit is there. So now this is, again, another mouth watering. I think they all are because I missed it so much.

Simeon: What is the score going to be at the Stadium of Light?

David Prutton’s predictions: 2-3 in favour of Sheffield Wednesday

Bristol City v Millwall

Simeon: The rest of the Saturday at 3PMs now. We’ll start with Bristol City versus Millwall. Both looking for a win. Bristol City held at Hull. In their opening game. Millwall beaten at home by Watford. What’s the score going to be?

David Prutton’s predictions: 1-1

Burnley v Cardiff

Simeon: Burnley versus Cardiff City. Burnley thumped Luton at Luton on Monday night. Cardiff lost to Sunderland. Score at Turf Moor.

David Prutton’s predictions: 2-0 Burnley

Norwich v Blackburn

Simeon: Norwich City versus Blackburn Rovers. Norwich beaten Oxford, of course, in their opener. Rumblings of discontent there and bit of disquiet with players leaving, players wanting to leave. Blackburn thumped Derby at home in the opener, of course. What’s the score going to be at Carrow Road?

David: I don’t think Norwich can be that bad again. There’s tempting fate for you, Canaries fans, so I’m gonna go for Norwich 1, Blackburn 1.

David Prutton’s predictions: 1-1

Plymouth v Hull

Simeon: Plymouth, Argyle versus Hull City. Speaking of teams who had bad starts, it could have hardly got worse Wayne Rooney than it did. Hull nicked a point against Bristol City. Can Argyle bounce back at Home Park? What’s the score going to be?

David Prutton’s predictions: 1-2 in favour of Hull

Sheffield United v QPR

Simeon: And Sheffield United versus the Queens Park Rangers. Sheffield United eased past Preston, of course. QPR beaten at home by West Brom. What’s the score going to be at Bramall Lane.

David Prutton’s predictions: 2-1 in favour of Sheffield United

Swansea v Preston

Simeon: Swansea City versus Preston North End. Swansea lost at Middlesborough. Preston, now that’s a manager, Ryan Lowe much less. Has departed. Very early for the Championship, it was mutual, of course, which does make you wonder why he did the whole of pre-season and then left. But what’s the score going to be at Swansea.com Stadium?

David Prutton’s predictions: 2-0 in favour of Swansea

Watford v Stoke

Simeon: And to finish this off, Watford versus Stoke City. Watford won at Millwall, Stoke beat Coventry. What’s the score going to be at the Vic?

David: Bit of chaos about Watford as well, aren’t they? I’m gonna go 2-2.

David Prutton’s predictions: 2-2

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