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 MILLWALL

Simeon: Big, big game. Probably the biggest game of the day. Second versus fourth. Middlesbrough two points clear of Ipswich and Millwall. Ipswich don’t play on Good Friday. Middlesbrough win less than three before the break. Millwall obviously got that big point against Ipswich. So yeah, as we said, if Millwall win this one, they go into second above Middlesbrough. So it really, really is all to play for, isn’t it between these two. Very contrasting, but both incredibly fun teams to watch perhaps.

David: Yeah, very much so. Let’s not dial down Millwall at all. That first half against Ipswich, they were asked a lot of questions and in the second half, they answered the majority of them. They were very, very good. Good goal that they scored. There’s a lot to like about them. We’ve obviously got a soft spot for Alex Neil because we’ve spoken to him a lot and he’s worked with us a lot. I think he’s got a very good, solid defensive foundation. A part of the team that can attack as well. And maybe up against the Boro side, or the Riverside, where they can kind of go about them in their very Millwall type way and cause a bit of problems. But I think, take out any kind of preconceptions about what you think Millwall is as an entity. What Alex has done with them and the current incarnation is phenomenal. They’re a very likeable group of players led by a very imaginative manager. And there’s a lot to like about them. And Kim Helberg and his Boro boys have got a hell of a challenge on their plate.

Simeon: Struggling at home. I mean, they’re struggling away against Blackburn in the last game as well. Just struggling across the board.

David: Yeah, just struggling for goals at the moment.

Simeon: It won’t be lost to them, obviously, that Josh Coburn will be returning to the riverside for the first time. And he’s in good form at the moment. So that’ll be another subplot amongst the many plots.

David: They’re a good team. When we talk tactics and all that palaver, what Alex has done with the side is great. He’s built a very good side that can out-football and outwork the opposition. So brilliant work by our friendly Scotsman.

Simeon: And obviously Hayden Hackney missed their last game through injury. So we’ll have to see if he’s back in the fold for the Boro. So yeah, I mean, it’s going to be a hell of a doozy of a game. It’s going to be a brilliant way to kick things off on Friday. Ahead of what is my favourite weekend of the season in terms of the Friday and the Monday. And also, I mean, also in part because I get the Saturday off in between, which is very rare. But I also just like the amount of games all on and it’s all going on and it feels like it’s all swinging around. It’s good fun. Millwall have won just one of the last nine away league games against Middlesbrough. That came in August 2023, a 1-0 win. What’s the score going to be?

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

LEICESTER v PRESTON

Simeon: Leicester City versus Preston North End. Leicester are a point adrift of safety. Just one win in seven on the game route so far. Albeit just two defeats in that time. Preston alleviated what was a really, really poor run with a comeback win over Stoke before the break. That feels like a really long time ago now. But yeah, this game, where Preston are, this game is very much more about Leicester City and their current plight.

David: Very much so, yes. They are bang in trouble, I think is the phrase. And given what the second half of the season has brought Preston, it’s just important that they finish as strongly as possible for the PR perception of Paul and his staff and where Preston are going. But also if you’re playing a team in the bottom three, albeit a side that have massively bigger ambitions than being where they are. Without the points deduction, then it’s got to be seen as a decent trip on the road. Now, given who’s down there, given the teams that are fighting just above the bottom three, absolutely vital that Leicester get something from this.

Simeon: I mean, they’re playing a team with nothing to play for, kind of. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Are you playing a team at this stage? I mean, you can kind of flip it either way, can’t you? Where you look at it as if they might already be on the beach a little bit, but also they’re playing with the freedom of knowing they’ve got nothing really to fight for this season. So it could kind of go either way, I suppose. Depending on which way you want to flip the coin.

David: It could, and given what you’ve just said there, I can’t add to that any more succinctly. So I’ve got no idea what Preston’s team is going to send. No, we’ll have to wait and see.

Simeon: Leicester won their last two homely games against Preston. They lost the last four in a row before that. They lost 1-3 consecutively between 1937 and 1950. So there’s just no useful information there whatsoever. What’s the score going to be at the King Power Stadium?

David Prutton’s score prediction: 1-1 draw

NORWICH v PORTSMOUTH

Simeon: Norwich, ending the season strongly. They’re up to 10th. Probably left themselves too much work to do to get into the playoffs. Portsmouth heading the other way, just a point above the bottom three. Got trounced at QPR last time out. Absolutely trounced. Again, this is not a good trip for Portsmouth because Norwich are in all kinds of form at the moment and then Portsmouth are in whatever the opposite of that is.

David: But it just goes to show what a change of manager can bring. And obviously, we’ve got to not mention the dispatches, but pay respect and reference to the fact that Liam’s come away from Huddersfield for a little bit of time, hasn’t he? Bless him and I hope everything’s all right with that. But it puts into context that when you move away from one manager to another, that you get something different and what Philippe’s done with Norwich, maybe they needed all along. Doesn’t say Liam Manning was a bad manager for them. He found himself in a tricky spot at a good club with a group of players that were chronically underperforming and a manager will always pay the price for that. But Philippe’s come in and kind of, he feels more stick than carrot is the best analogy, against the Pompey side, that have frustrated everyone involved with them in recent weeks. So, it’s a tough one to come away from anything other than what Norwich have been doing under Philippe Clement, which has done very, very well. And like you say, it’s possibly too late. I mean, stranger things have happened. Given where they found themselves, terrible at home and very much in trouble, they’re going to end the season very comfortably indeed.

Simeon: If this was next season, they’d have a good shout on making the top eight, but it’s not next season, so it doesn’t matter. Portsmouth have won their last two away league games against Norwich, beating them 5-3 last season. They’ve never won three in a row against them before. While their two consecutive wins is more than they managed in their previous 15 visits to Carrow Road. Going to be at Carrow Road.

David Prutton’s score prediction: Norwich to win 3-1.

OXFORD v HULL

Simeon: A game with implications at both ends of the table. Oxford, obviously, a point adrift of safety. Hull in fifth, looking to bolster their playoff spot. Obviously, Oxford lost before the break, but they had been on a pretty good run before then. Hull just ticking along really nicely, still defying everyone’s predictions and beliefs of what they would do before the season to really, really kick on and push on in that playoff race. It’s remarkable what they’ve done, hasn’t it, so far? But obviously, Oxford with plenty to play for as well. This should be a big battle at the Kassam.

David: Yeah, very much so. It’s wonderful at this time of year where we get games which involve teams where it’s so pertinent at both ends of the table. And I think what Sergei has done with Hull, has been wonderful. And what my other boy, Bloomfield, has done at Oxford to give them a fighting chance has been fantastic. So, really does set it up very, very nicely indeed. Hull obviously looking over the shoulders, given the form of Southampton and the fact that Wrexham are on equal points with the Saints, but also the ability to catch Millwall as well. So, yeah, it’s a tough one on the road. And given Hull’s travails with regards to injuries in recent weeks, maybe a couple of weeks off gives them a clean bill of health and they go into this with full confidence.

Simeon: Obviously, Oxford, as I mentioned, lost before the break, but that was at Southampton. No shame in that. Before that, I think it was four wins in a draw, three wins in a draw before then. So, they’ve been in pretty good shape. I probably should have looked that up before I said that. Oxford have won just one of the last six league games against Hull, though that did come in this exact fixture last season. What’s the score going to be at the Kassam Stadium?

David Prutton’s score prediction: I’m going to go for a Hull City win on the road, even though I’ve got a lot of time for Matt, as we know, and what he’s done with Oxford. But I just think that they smell in the fact that it could be a very good end of season for the Tigers. So, I’m going to go Oxford 1, Hull City 2.

COVENTRY v DERBY

Simeon: Coventry City versus Derby County. Coventry are closing in 99.9% for promotion now according to Opta. Basically, they can’t go up this weekend, but they’re basically going to go up at some point. That’s the most important thing. Really, really big win at Swansea last time out, both literally and metaphorically. Derby, three points off the playoffs heading into Good Friday. Still all to play for, for both teams. Should be a good battle. There’s Coventry, obviously, good at home. Derby, obviously, very dangerous on the road as well.

David: Yes. Barring that aberration against Southampton, who really did battle for that three points at the CBS. It’s been good at home, hasn’t it, for Coventry? Even off the back of what we saw last season, the playoffs and the games that we saw towards the end of the season, they were fantastic. So it’s been a joy to watch. I think Derby very much in that hunt for the final-slash-fifth spot in the playoffs. It’ll be tough, but I just think Coventry at home, Friday night, under the lights and all the other cliches. The last time we were there on site, they played very well against Boro, put them to the sword, and I don’t think it’d be straightforward by any means whatsoever. But I just think the league leaders, given the form and the goal-scoring prowess that they possess, are favourites for this one.

Simeon: They really, really did put Swansea absolutely away last time. I mean, that was a Swansea team unbeaten beating a 10 at home before that game. They’d won eight of them and they were 3-0 up at half time. It was pretty remarkable what they did. But obviously Derby, lots and lots of work to do to get into the playoffs. The outsiders of those four teams aiming for those kind of final two slots, but you know, it’s not over until it’s over. Derby won this fixture 2-1 last season at the CBS Arena. They last won consecutive away league games against Coventry in 1988, the year before I was born. What’s the score going to be at the CBS Arena?

David Prutton’s score prediction: I’m going to go for a Coventry City win 2-1.

BIRMINGHAM v BLACKBURN

Simeon: Birmingham are mid-table. Blackburn now four points clear of the bottom three. What’s the score going to be at St Andrews?

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

CHARLTON v BRISTOL CITY

Simeon: Charlton are pretty much there in terms of safety. Bristol City have Roy Hodgson in the dugout. I don’t think many of us saw that coming this time last week. His return to Bristol City after 44 years away, which again, bizarre. What’s the score going to be at the Valley?

David Prutton’s score prediction: 1-1 draw

QPR v WATFORD

Simeon: QPR tonked Portsmouth last time out, and they’ll be looking to build on that. Watford still with slender playoff hopes, but needs to keep winning. What’s the score going to be?

David Prutton’s score prediction: Ooh, just three points between them. I’m going to go for 2-2.

SHEFFIELD UNITED v SWANSEA

Simeon: Nothing to play for here. What’s the score going to be at Bramall Lane?

David: Wow.

Simeon: Apart from, you know, the sheer importance and pride of their respective fan bases.

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

STOKE v SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY

Simeon: Nothing to play for here. What’s the score going to be at the Bet365 Stadium?

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

WEST BROM v WREXHAM

Simeon: There is stuff to play for here. West Brom have won back-to-back games to move four points clear of the bottom three. Really, really good stuff for James Morrison. And Wrexham can move into the playoff places here. What’s the score going to be at the Hawthorns?

David Prutton’s score prediction: Wrexham to win 1-0.

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