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!

CHARLTON v QPR

Simeon: Charlton back to winning ways at Leicester last weekend, still not too far off the drop, the dropping three, drop zone three gone very tipping point now. QPR hit back to beat Coventry last week to get their playoff hopes back on track.

David: Yeah, it was certainly a weekend of… Charlton needed something, and it’s surprising, of course, given what we’ve seen broadly from Coventry, that QPR did what they did. But QPR, I think, certainly, we’re looking at dark horses, 43 points, just four off the top six. Charlton, we were chatting to Darren Ambrose about this the other week when he was on the show with us, this season’s about consolidation. I’m not saying that for one second dials down Nathan Jones’ motivation or ambition, but it was always going to be a tricky task back in the second tier. So I think if they finish where they are now, then it’s a rip-roaring success, given as well who you find in the bottom three and who’s between them and the relegation places. And as for QPR, on their day, they’ve shown they can beat anyone.

Simeon: I think with Charlton, the problem was they had that little spell where they probably overachieved a little bit, and I think it raised expectations. Whereas I don’t think there are many Charlton fans who wouldn’t have just been buzzing for anything above the bottom three this season, to be honest, once we get to May.

David: But then it’s a fan’s want, isn’t it, to get carried away, and without them getting carried away, it stops it being the spectacle that it is. Yeah, without getting carried away, it would be a very, very boring game.

Simeon: Charlton are unbeaten and they lost four in the league against QPR at home. The last time QPR won at the Valley was October 2007, nearly 20 years ago. Wow. To kick us off on Friday night, perhaps, what is the score going to be at the Valley?

David Prutton’s score prediction: 2-2 draw

DERBY v IPSWICH

Simeon: Derby flattened Bristol City 5-0 last time out. They’re heading into the weekend 2 points in a place off the playoffs. Ipswich were meant to play in midweek but didn’t. So it leaves them 7 points off Coventry and Boro with a game in hand. Derby of course really, really looking good. But probably better on the road than they are at home at the moment. So that will give Ipswich a bit more confidence. They’re probably at the moment probably playing this game away than at home based on what Derby have been doing on the road.

David: On the road, yeah. But only 6 points between the two. I think at a certain stage of the season you want to presume that to be the case. So I think it’s a cracking game in the offing. Given what Derby have done. Given what we saw from them last Friday as you say, demolishing Bristol City, their promotion credentials put to the test here. Given the fact that they’re just 2 points outside of the top 6. Wrexham, I’m sure we’ll talk about them in due course. But yeah, where Ipswich find themselves. I’m just looking at the table now. It’s just jogging you on with how well Hull City are doing as well. No, it’s a good lunchtime kick-off. Got a lot of time for John. I’ve got a lot of time for Kieran McKenna. And after the respective work that both did in the transfer window. Intrigued to see how it looks?

Simeon: Derby attacking options. Unbelievable. So let’s talk about Derby versus Ipswich. Ipswich have only lost on one of their last 12 trips to Pride Park. So they have a good record in that part of the Midlands. The East I believe. What’s the score going to be at Pride Park between Derby County and Ipswich Town?

David Prutton’s score prediction: 2-2 draw

NORWICH v BLACKBURN

Simeon: This is 19th versus 21st in the Championship. Norwich a point clear of Blackburn. Blackburn above the dotted line on goal difference early. Although they did lift themselves above the bottom three by beating Sheffield Wednesday in midweek. Just 1-0 Norwich. With Philippe Clement in charge of course still. I don’t know why that would change. Blackburn managerless apparently. After passing company with Valerian Ismael on deadline day. Big game this for two sides. In different places but similar places.

David: Bang in trouble. Two sides banging trouble even though it feels broadly more positive with Philippe Clement and Norwich City. Blackburn’s season has just meandered downwards hasn’t it really. You’ve got Damien Johnson in caretaker charge. You’ve got a good win as you say against another team that’s completely on its knees. Quite sad to see. It was quite dispiriting to see two huge football clubs in that position. And two sets of fans that aren’t remotely happy with the way either football clubs run. So Blackburn find themselves there. Norwich find themselves on the up and a point above them. I don’t think this looks like anything other than a home win.

Simeon: Norwich aren’t particularly happy with the way the club’s being run either at the moment. Most fans aren’t at the moment. But that’s a conversation for more important people.

David: Kieran Maguire.

Simeon: Blackburn have just three wins in their last 16 in all competitions against Norwich. All three of those have come at Carrow Road. So they don’t have a very good record against Norwich but they do win at Carrow Road every so often. What’s the score going to be at Carrow Road?

David Prutton’s score prediction: 2-0 Norwich.

SOUTHAMPTON v WATFORD

Simeon: Southampton seven points off the playoffs heading into the weekend. A mini upturn of late under Tonda Eckert. They have lost Adam Armstrong to Wolverhampton Wanderers on deadline day I think it was. Watford without permanent manager. Charlie Daniels will be in charge. He led them to a goalless draw at Hull in midweek. But they look pretty good actually to be fair. They’re three points off the playoffs heading into the weekend. So two sides on the outside looking in. Southampton slightly further away. Both in need of victory for the same, ultimately the same reason. As is every team.

David: And a result that was needed last time out which came of course against Stoke City. Stoke, bless them, not at the races, running on fumes. Second best to everything. Those are the words of Mark Robins. And Watford once again, just when you thought it was all plain sailing and looking very balanced. Another change. So who knows what comes next for them. However, I do get the feeling that this smells a bit like a draw.

Simeon: Yeah, Watford were fourth in the league not too long ago. And it just shows how quickly things can change. They’ve fallen and now Javi Gracia has gone again. It’ll be interesting to see who they appoint next. Watford have just two wins in the last 21 against Southampton. Nor competitions perhaps. Although both of those wins have come away from home. What’s the score going to be at St Mary’s?

David Prutton’s score prediction: 1-1 draw

SWANSEA v SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY

Simeon: Swansea are undoubtedly improving under Vitor Matos. They also held on to Vipotnik who’s the Championship top goalscorer throughout the window. Which is good news for them. Sheffield Wednesday are 39 points adrift of safety. They can sadly no longer make the playoffs. Let’s talk about Swansea first. They are steadily improving under the new gaffer. Do you think there’s a late run of the playoffs in them potentially this season? Or do you think they’ve left it too late?

David: Well, I mean the gap’s not remotely insurmountable is it? Or is it just the eight points? I presume that’s why a change was made in the first place. As you say, broadly getting better. Has there been a huge improvement off the back of Alan Sheehan moving on? No. So yeah, I’ve got… There’s a hell of a lot of traffic between themselves and the top six. Teams in much better form as well. But they come up against the Sheffield Wednesday side that’s on its knees isn’t it? The bits that you’re reading today about permutations that could result in them getting relegated at Bramall Lane against Sheffield United is just something that I know for a fact Sheffield Wednesday fans will… find mightily hard to swallow. But we’re talking about the game on Sunday which is Swansea – Sheffield Wednesday and… Yeah, they’ve got an outside chance of knocking on the door of the top six. Of course, Wednesday looking doomed.

Simeon: I mean they’re more than looking doomed. They are quite literally doomed. The question with Wednesday I have for you is… They’ve been bad this season. We expect them to be bad this season for obvious reasons. Have they been worse than they should be still? They haven’t scored in eight games. They haven’t scored a goal in eight games. Is that beyond bad for how bad they could have been?

David: They haven’t scored… Well, yeah. Given the fact that they are completely hamstrung anyway by, of course, the point deduction. To not then replicate it on the field. Lose your best player, of course, in Barry Bannan. Have a squad that’s cobbled together with real youth. And older players with a bit more miles on the clock. With a manager who obviously knows about the club. But from a management point of view on his own out there. It’s not heaped in experience. It’s just been terrible from top to bottom, hasn’t it? There hasn’t been that real fight that you would expect sometimes to see from a team that just thinks sod it. Let’s go and express ourselves. It seems timid on the pitch. It seems callow. It seems resigned to what their immediate fate is going to be. And I’m not sat here in judgement saying that. Because it would be very tough for the players involved in that situation. A hell of a lot tougher for the fans who will still be there in five years, in ten years, in 15 years, in 20 years, when hopefully the club is still there. But it’s a sorry set of affairs. And it’s a sorry state of a football club at this moment in time. So, yes, they’ve been poor. Could they have been better? Infinitely, yes. Could it have been even worse? Yes.

Simeon: Fair enough. Wednesday have just two wins and 17 against Swansea in all competitions. Although they did win on their last trip to South Wales in February last year. But they were a very, very different looking outfit to the one this season. What’s the score going to be at the swansea.com stadium?

David Prutton’s score prediction: 2-0 Swansea.

SHEFFIELD UNITED v MIDDLESBROUGH

Simeon: Sheffield United hit back to beat Oxford in midweek. They need to keep going to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. It feels like there’s about eight or nine teams all in that exact same situation. Middlesbrough are flying at the moment. Five wins on the bounce. Are they now the favourites for promotion? Let’s start with Sheffield United and then move on to Boro, as is the correct thing to do in this situation. The Blades, I feel like I’ve asked this question a lot, playoffs still alive, do you think? Or have they again, like so many other teams, left themselves too much to do at this point?

David: I think they’ve still got an outside chance of getting somewhere near it. As I said, the traffic in between them and the top six is heavy. They’ve done some very astute work, I think, in the transfer window. Obviously, a lot of keen-eyed Leeds fans discussing whether the Blades are rebuilding the 2019-20 team. Getting the band back together. I suppose time will tell with that, because Kalvin’s got to make up for lost time, hasn’t he? Hopefully, he’ll hit the ground running. I don’t think they’ve left themselves too little time. They’ve given themselves a hell of a job, given how stop-start this season has been, off the back of Ruben Selles going and Chris coming back in. But they face a Boro side, as you quite clearly say, and can see, in ridiculously rude health and in the type of form where they’ve been hunting down Coventry for so long, you get the feeling that sense of momentum may carry them past the Sky Blues.

Simeon: Are they now the favourites for promotion?

David: They’re one of two favourites, yes.

Simeon: I knew you were going to say that. Sheff Utd have won 5-0, lost 7-0 against Middlesbrough, losing 2-0. They have a pretty good record at Brown Lane against the Borough. What’s the score going to be on Monday night?

David Prutton’s score prediction: 2-2 draw.

BIRMINGHAM v LEICESTER

Simeon: Birmingham won at Oxford last time out. Leicester still without a manager and no wins in four. Still without a manager as we record. Of course, Andy King still set to take interim charge at St Andrews. What’s the score going to be at St Andrews?

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

COVENTRY v OXFORD

Simeon: Coventry back at home after two frustrating defeats on the road. Oxford beaten by Sheffield United in midweek. This is a huge game for Frank Lampard and co. Anything but a win and they could lose top spot for the first time since September. What’s the score going to be at the CBS Arena?

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

HULL v BRISTOL CITY

Simeon: Hull were held to a goalless draw by Watford in midweek. Four points off the top heading into the weekend. I should say the top two. Bristol City trounced 5-0 Irvine by Derby last week. We spoke about that quite a lot earlier. What’s the score going to be at the MKM Stadium?

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

PRESTON v PORTSMOUTH

Simeon: Preston were held by Ipswich last time out. But that point did end their losing run. Portsmouth start the weekend in 20th. A point clear of the bottom three with two games in hand on all the sides below them. After a clash with Ipswich was postponed again in midweek for the second time.

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

WEST BROM v STOKE

Simeon: West Brom have slipped into the bottom three which is just wild. Eric Ramsey just a point in his four games in charge so far. Stoke have slipped five points off the playoff places. So lots of slipping going on here this one at the Hawthorns. What’s the score going to be at the Hawthorns?

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

WREXHAM v MILLWALL

Simeon: This is 6th vs 5th as we head into the weekend. What’s the score going to be?

David Prutton’s score prediction: I’m going 1-1 between those two.

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