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!

WEST BROM v MIDDLESBROUGH

Simeon: New manager at West Brom, Eric Ramsey has replaced Ryan Mason. He was previously in charge of Minnesota United, of course, and a coach at Manchester United as well. He’s just 34 years old, which is horrifying, really. West Brom 18th in the table. Obviously, that’s one of the main reasons Ryan Mason was sacked. Middlesbrough are second to third. It’s of course, have a game in hand. We’ll talk about them a little bit later. It’s West Brom versus Middlesbrough right now should be a good way to re kickstart the championship season. This is the official restart, the recurring race of the Championship after after we have the Christmas run and the FA Cup. I feel like this is the start of the real start the second half of the season perhaps.

David: A change of boss. I felt for Ryan. We did their game against Leicester where they were thoroughly dominant but couldn’t finish. They met an inspired goalkeeper who kept him out. And then obviously, Fatawu scored a worldie, which unfortunately put paid to Ryan’s tenure. Was it 10 defeats on the spin on the road? He was under no illusions that that couldn’t carry on. So change has been made. I’m intrigued to see what Eric does. A decent CV from a coaching point of view, of course, with some big clubs on there. So let’s see how that fits in with what the one of the Hawthorns. But up against a Boro side that have made a bit more of a seamless transition when it comes to changes in managers, hasn’t it, really? So very, very tough one to call. Interesting step from Minnesota United. I am not going to sit and pretend I’ve watched a lot of Minnesota United in the last couple of years.

Simeon: Middlesbrough got a big win against Southampton last time out to really kind of put to the sword the notion that they couldn’t they were struggling for goals before then. They put their own goal scoring woes to the sword, they haven’t scored in four games before that. And then tonked Southampton 4-0 four goals in the second half. Got it. Much needed. After it looked like they’d been a bit profligate before then. So yeah, spending goals here to managers with something to prove two teams who will be chasing the three points for their respective reasons, which happens in every football match that’s ever happened.

David: Of course, everyone wants to come away with all three points. But yeah, there’ll need to be a reaction to what to the decision that’s been made. As I said, you weren’t looking at a West Brom side, particularly that Leicester game that were all over the place that were just unable to see the game out and set the chances against the goalkeeper that was in good form. So that’s reflective of what we’ve seen from them on the road. Obviously, they get back to it here. And yeah, it’s a good test, isn’t it? For Eric, as his first game in charge after what he’s had from a timing point of view, we’ve seen on the training pitch who’s at his disposal.

Simeon: Boro won the last four on the bounce against West Brom, conceding just a single goal at that time. What’s the score going to be at the Hawthorns?

David Prutton’s score prediction: I’m going to go for a Boro win, 2-0.

COVENTRY v LEICESTER

Simeon: Coventry are our leaders in the Championship still, of course. Six clear of Middlesbrough heading into the weekend. More importantly, heading into Saturday, they’re eight clear of Ipswich in third, who of course have their game in hand. We’ll talk about when we talk about Ipswich in a second. Leicester, just about in the top half of the table, four points off the playoffs. Got that win, as we mentioned, at West Brom. A huge win against West Brom. Thoroughly undeserved, I think we can say. This is obviously Coventry on a minor blip themselves, just two wins and eight over December and early January, but they should be a little bit more fresh heading into this one after some recruitments and some FA Cup related rest, perhaps.

David: I mean, from Leicester’s point of view, let’s start with them. It was a massive win for them, given what Martin Cifuentes had experienced in a couple of games before. To say it’s undeserved, it seems that any goal that’s scored like that by Abdul is worthy of winning any game of football, isn’t it? It’s a bit churlish to say that they don’t deserve it, but an element of luck on their side. Against Coventry’s side, who have made such wonderful front running so far and Frank Lampard under no illusion that at some stage a potential run of results like this would have come up, gives them a chance to reassess where they’re going, maybe see what’s out there from a signing point of view between now and the end of the window, but it’s very, very nicely poised at the top of the division. I think this is a really good one to get us stuck into the Saturday swing of things again, because it seems like an awful long time since we’ve done it.

Simeon: Coventry have just two wins in their last 19 against Leicester, although one of those did come in their last home game against them in January 2024. What’s the score going to be at the CBS Arena?

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

IPSWICH v BLACKBURN

Simeon: Ipswich are in third heading into the weekend, two behind Middlesbrough in second with a game in hand. Blackburn are down in 20th, four above the bottom three. Ipswich looking good before their game was called off against Portsmouth. This feels a bit form bookie this one, doesn’t it? A bit with the league table. It absolutely stinks of it.

David: Yeah. And given there were changes made, weren’t there, for the Blackburn Rovers game at Hull City, but I think to all intents and purposes, that sounds like possibly one of the worst games of football anyone’s ever seen anywhere. So whether that’s given anyone food for thought with regards to picking of a team, I doubt it. But yes, it does feel that they’re starting to look quite ominous, Ipswich, aren’t they? They’ve found defeat and I think Blackburn will find this very tough.

Simeon: Ipswich have lost just one of the last eight against Blackburn and have been beaten by Rovers at Portman Road since 1994 back in the Premier League days. What’s the score going to be at Portman Road?

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

WATFORD v MILLWALL

Simeon: It’s six versus fifth, two points between them. Although Watford have a game in hand. I’ve said that a lot today. Watford had a very, very good Christmas halted by that postponement at Hull, but still in very, very good shape after a really, really good winning run. Millwall ticking along as Millwall do not scoring many goals. They’ve scored the fewest in the top 16, but still picking up results. This should be a pretty close game between two sides with high ambitions and high expectations now this season.

David: Yeah, very much so. It feels like, again, that’s talking about Ipswich getting into gear, but Watford seemingly going about the business quite quietly for once, which is nice, isn’t it? I think what Millwall have done so far has been fantastic and Watford’s collection of players that can both absolutely thrill and frustrate, seemingly coming together now. So this is a cracking game, I think, in the offing, isn’t it? Two distinct styles, two distinct identities, but two teams battling to get out of the Championship.

Simeon: Yeah, the rise of Watford recently has been impressive, unexpected. I don’t think too many of us, I don’t think we really even talk about Watford in terms of playoffs until about two, three weeks ago. Now they’re sat there in sixth place with a game in hand. It’s quite the remarkable rise under Javi Gracia. Certainly not me or you or pretty much anyone else who I’ve spoken to until about two weeks ago.

David: But then saying that, Javi did very well broadly last time he was the boss, so maybe that’s what they’ve needed, just a bit of quiet calm, someone who knew exactly what the script was and get about with what the job is in hand, which is attempting to get somewhere near the playoff positions coming into the season.

Simeon: Watford have just one win in seven against Millwall though, and they’ve lost five of those games.

David Prutton’s score prediction: 1-1

CHARLTON v SHEFFIELD UNITED

Simeon: Charlton are five points above the bottom three. Sheffield United three points above the Addicks. What’s the score going to be at the Valley?

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

OXFORD v BRISTOL CITY

Simeon: It’s the first game for Oxford for Matt Bloomfield. They’re three points adrift of safety. However, Bristol City are two points off the playoffs. What’s the score going to be at the Kassam Stadium?

David Prutton’s score prediction: Lovely to see Matt back. We don’t just mean it’s good because he’s a good guy, but he’s a good coach as well. I’m going to go 1-1.

PRESTON v DERBY

Simeon: Preston are up to fourth heading into the weekend. Three points off second place. Derby are six points off the playoffs. What’s the score going to be at Deepdale?

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

SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY v PORTSMOUTH

Simeon: Wednesday, this was their only win of the season back at Fratton Park in September. Portsmouth one point clear of the bottom three, albeit with games in hand on all the sides below them. What’s the score going to be at Hillsborough?

David Prutton’s score prediction: 1-1

SOUTHAMPTON v HULL

Simeon: Southampton, no league wins in six now, and they were trumped 4-0 in Middlesbrough last time out. Hull outside the playoffs on goal difference. What’s the score going to be at St Mary’s?

David Prutton’s score prediction: You know what, I’m going to go for a Tigers win, 2-1.

STOKE v QPR

Simeon: Stoke City versus Queen’s Park Rangers. Stoke are one point off the playoffs heading into the weekend. QPR are three points off the playoffs heading into the weekend. What’s the score going to be at the Bet365?

David Prutton’s score prediction: 2-2.

WREXHAM v NORWICH

Simeon: Wrexham, four wins on the bounce now in the championship, all starting from that chaotic 5-3 win over Sheffield United on Boxing Day. Norwich, a point off safety, but have played more games than all the sides above them as well, which is not a good position to be in. What’s the score going to be?

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

SWANSEA v BIRMINGHAM

David Prutton’s score prediction: 1-1.

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