Championship in Numbers – 23–24 October 2026

Latest edition · 23–24 October 2026

Burnley had the Championship’s highest share of shots on target this weekend and still lost 4–1. QPR ranked third by the same measure and beat Swansea 5–0. Burnley put four of eight attempts on target but scored once; QPR put five of 12 on target and scored five.

That contrast runs through this edition of Championship in Numbers. Middlesbrough’s 31 shots produced five goals and three points at Bolton, while Sheffield United’s 25 brought one goal and a draw. West Brom had 72% possession at Preston but also took only a point. Below, compare all 24 clubs and see how the figures translated into results.

Championship: highest share of shots on target

Burnley topped this ranking with 50% of their shots on target: four from eight attempts. But they scored only once and lost 4–1 at Lincoln, leaving with no points. Third-placed QPR had a lower on-target share of 41.7%—five from 12—yet scored five in a 5–0 win over Swansea and took all three points.

Southampton, second on 46.7%, put seven of 15 attempts on target and scored three in their 3–2 win at West Ham. Hitting the target more frequently as a proportion of attempts did not make Burnley the most effective finishers: their one goal and QPR’s five tell a very different story from the percentage ranking.

This is the share of shots that tested the target, rather than the share converted into goals. Burnley’s position in this ranking illustrates why it should not be used alone to judge a performance.

On-target share

1. Burnley · Lincoln 4–1 Burnley	50.0%
2. Southampton · West Ham 2–3 Southampton	46.7%
3. QPR · QPR 5–0 Swansea	41.7%

Click to reveal the rest of the table (21 more clubs)

4. Sheffield Utd · Sheffield Utd 1–1 Derby	40.0%
5. Middlesbrough · Bolton 1–5 Middlesbrough	38.7%
6. Charlton · Charlton 1–3 Norwich	37.5%
6. Swansea · QPR 5–0 Swansea	37.5%
8. Derby · Sheffield Utd 1–1 Derby	36.4%
9. West Ham · West Ham 2–3 Southampton	35.7%
10. Bolton · Bolton 1–5 Middlesbrough	33.3%
10. Lincoln · Lincoln 4–1 Burnley	33.3%
12. Blackburn · Blackburn 2–0 Wrexham	31.2%
12. Norwich · Charlton 1–3 Norwich	31.2%
14. Birmingham · Cardiff 1–0 Birmingham	28.6%
14. Portsmouth · Portsmouth 2–1 Millwall	28.6%
16. Cardiff · Cardiff 1–0 Birmingham	25.0%
16. West Brom · Preston 1–1 West Brom	25.0%
18. Preston · Preston 1–1 West Brom	21.1%
19. Wolves · Wolves 1–0 Watford	12.5%
20. Millwall · Portsmouth 2–1 Millwall	10.0%
21. Stoke City · Stoke City 0–0 Bristol City	9.1%
22. Wrexham · Blackburn 2–0 Wrexham	4.3%
23. Bristol City · Stoke City 0–0 Bristol City	0.0%
23. Watford · Wolves 1–0 Watford	0.0%

Championship: most shots

Middlesbrough took 31 shots at Bolton, put 12 on target and scored five to win 5–1 and collect three points. West Ham’s 28 attempts included ten on target, but their two goals brought no points in a 3–2 home defeat by Southampton. Sheffield United put ten of their 25 shots on target yet scored only once, taking one point from a 1–1 draw with Derby.

Wrexham took 23 shots at Blackburn but put only one on target, scored none and left with no points after a 2–0 defeat. Watford managed four attempts at Wolves, none on target, and also came away goalless and pointless in a 1–0 loss. Boro’s volume paid off; for West Ham and Wrexham, a busy afternoon in front of goal did not produce a result.

Shots

1. Middlesbrough · Bolton 1–5 Middlesbrough	31
2. West Ham · West Ham 2–3 Southampton	28
3. Sheffield Utd · Sheffield Utd 1–1 Derby	25

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4. Wolves · Wolves 1–0 Watford	24
5. Wrexham · Blackburn 2–0 Wrexham	23
6. Lincoln · Lincoln 4–1 Burnley	21
7. West Brom · Preston 1–1 West Brom	20
8. Preston · Preston 1–1 West Brom	19
9. Blackburn · Blackburn 2–0 Wrexham	16
9. Cardiff · Cardiff 1–0 Birmingham	16
9. Norwich · Charlton 1–3 Norwich	16
12. Southampton · West Ham 2–3 Southampton	15
13. Bolton · Bolton 1–5 Middlesbrough	12
13. QPR · QPR 5–0 Swansea	12
15. Derby · Sheffield Utd 1–1 Derby	11
15. Stoke City · Stoke City 0–0 Bristol City	11
17. Millwall · Portsmouth 2–1 Millwall	10
18. Bristol City · Stoke City 0–0 Bristol City	8
18. Burnley · Lincoln 4–1 Burnley	8
18. Charlton · Charlton 1–3 Norwich	8
18. Swansea · QPR 5–0 Swansea	8
22. Birmingham · Cardiff 1–0 Birmingham	7
22. Portsmouth · Portsmouth 2–1 Millwall	7
24. Watford · Wolves 1–0 Watford	4

Championship: most shots on target

Middlesbrough turned 12 shots on target into five goals in their 5–1 win at Bolton. Sheffield United and West Ham both registered ten, but their returns were much smaller: United scored once in a 1–1 draw with Derby, while West Ham scored twice and still lost 3–2 to Southampton.

Southampton scored three goals from seven shots on target in that win at West Ham. Lincoln also recorded seven on target and scored four in their 4–1 victory over Burnley. The contrast is clear: United tested the target more often than either winning side, but finished with fewer goals and only a point.

QPR scored five from five recorded shots on target against Swansea. Bristol City and Watford both finished without a shot on target; Bristol City still took a point from a goalless draw at Stoke, whereas Watford lost 1–0 at Wolves.

On target

1. Middlesbrough · Bolton 1–5 Middlesbrough	12
2. Sheffield Utd · Sheffield Utd 1–1 Derby	10
2. West Ham · West Ham 2–3 Southampton	10

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4. Lincoln · Lincoln 4–1 Burnley	7
4. Southampton · West Ham 2–3 Southampton	7
6. Blackburn · Blackburn 2–0 Wrexham	5
6. Norwich · Charlton 1–3 Norwich	5
6. QPR · QPR 5–0 Swansea	5
6. West Brom · Preston 1–1 West Brom	5
10. Bolton · Bolton 1–5 Middlesbrough	4
10. Burnley · Lincoln 4–1 Burnley	4
10. Cardiff · Cardiff 1–0 Birmingham	4
10. Derby · Sheffield Utd 1–1 Derby	4
10. Preston · Preston 1–1 West Brom	4
15. Charlton · Charlton 1–3 Norwich	3
15. Swansea · QPR 5–0 Swansea	3
15. Wolves · Wolves 1–0 Watford	3
18. Birmingham · Cardiff 1–0 Birmingham	2
18. Portsmouth · Portsmouth 2–1 Millwall	2
20. Millwall · Portsmouth 2–1 Millwall	1
20. Stoke City · Stoke City 0–0 Bristol City	1
20. Wrexham · Blackburn 2–0 Wrexham	1
23. Bristol City · Stoke City 0–0 Bristol City	0
23. Watford · Wolves 1–0 Watford	0

Championship: highest possession

West Brom recorded the round’s highest possession share in their 1–1 draw at Preston. The hosts had 28% of the ball yet registered 19 shots to Albion’s 20, a reminder that possession alone does not describe the balance of chances.

Wolves and Stoke both had 63%. Wolves beat Watford 1–0, while Stoke drew 0–0 with Bristol City. Swansea’s 60% offered little protection from a five-goal defeat at QPR.

Possession

1. West Brom · Preston 1–1 West Brom	72%
2. Stoke City · Stoke City 0–0 Bristol City	63%
2. Wolves · Wolves 1–0 Watford	63%

Click to reveal the rest of the table (21 more clubs)

4. Norwich · Charlton 1–3 Norwich	62%
4. Sheffield Utd · Sheffield Utd 1–1 Derby	62%
6. Lincoln · Lincoln 4–1 Burnley	61%
6. Middlesbrough · Bolton 1–5 Middlesbrough	61%
8. Swansea · QPR 5–0 Swansea	60%
9. West Ham · West Ham 2–3 Southampton	56%
9. Wrexham · Blackburn 2–0 Wrexham	56%
11. Cardiff · Cardiff 1–0 Birmingham	52%
11. Millwall · Portsmouth 2–1 Millwall	52%
13. Birmingham · Cardiff 1–0 Birmingham	48%
13. Portsmouth · Portsmouth 2–1 Millwall	48%
15. Blackburn · Blackburn 2–0 Wrexham	44%
15. Southampton · West Ham 2–3 Southampton	44%
17. QPR · QPR 5–0 Swansea	40%
18. Bolton · Bolton 1–5 Middlesbrough	39%
18. Burnley · Lincoln 4–1 Burnley	39%
20. Charlton · Charlton 1–3 Norwich	38%
20. Derby · Sheffield Utd 1–1 Derby	38%
22. Bristol City · Stoke City 0–0 Bristol City	37%
22. Watford · Wolves 1–0 Watford	37%
24. Preston · Preston 1–1 West Brom	28%

Championship: highest expected goals

Expected goals (xG) adds up the estimated scoring probability of each recorded chance. Middlesbrough’s chances totalled 4.40 xG and they scored five in a 5–1 win at Bolton: a large chance total translated into a large score and three points. QPR scored five from 3.30 xG in their 5–0 victory over Swansea, finishing 1.70 goals above that modelled total.

Sheffield United’s result went the other way. Their 2.55 xG was more than double Derby’s 1.15, but both scored once in a 1–1 draw. United finished 1.55 goals below their chance total and took one point, showing that creating the higher-rated set of opportunities does not guarantee a win.

Burnley provide the sharpest contrast: they scored one goal from 2.37 xG, while Lincoln scored four from 1.94 xG and won 4–1. Lincoln finished 2.06 goals above their modelled total; Burnley were 1.37 below theirs and left with no points. Those gaps describe the difference between the chance estimates and the actual goals, rather than proving that finishing alone—or luck—caused the result.

Expected goals

1. Middlesbrough · Bolton 1–5 Middlesbrough	4.40
2. QPR · QPR 5–0 Swansea	3.30
3. Sheffield Utd · Sheffield Utd 1–1 Derby	2.55

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4. Cardiff · Cardiff 1–0 Birmingham	2.40
5. Burnley · Lincoln 4–1 Burnley	2.37
6. West Brom · Preston 1–1 West Brom	2.09
7. Lincoln · Lincoln 4–1 Burnley	1.94
8. Wolves · Wolves 1–0 Watford	1.88
9. Preston · Preston 1–1 West Brom	1.83
10. Norwich · Charlton 1–3 Norwich	1.75
11. Wrexham · Blackburn 2–0 Wrexham	1.74
12. Blackburn · Blackburn 2–0 Wrexham	1.61
12. Southampton · West Ham 2–3 Southampton	1.61
14. West Ham · West Ham 2–3 Southampton	1.60
15. Derby · Sheffield Utd 1–1 Derby	1.15
16. Bolton · Bolton 1–5 Middlesbrough	1.02
17. Birmingham · Cardiff 1–0 Birmingham	0.91
17. Portsmouth · Portsmouth 2–1 Millwall	0.91
19. Charlton · Charlton 1–3 Norwich	0.87
20. Bristol City · Stoke City 0–0 Bristol City	0.79
21. Millwall · Portsmouth 2–1 Millwall	0.73
22. Stoke City · Stoke City 0–0 Bristol City	0.71
23. Swansea · QPR 5–0 Swansea	0.27
24. Watford · Wolves 1–0 Watford	0.15

Championship: the last-five form table

Points from each club’s five most recent completed league games, including this round. Equal returns share a form rank. The separate league-position column shows the overall table after this round.

Points from five games

Form rank · Club and result	League position	Points · last five
1. Middlesbrough · Bolton 1–5 Middlesbrough	1	11
2. Birmingham · Cardiff 1–0 Birmingham	7	10
2. Blackburn · Blackburn 2–0 Wrexham	10	10

Click to reveal the rest of the table (21 more clubs)

Form rank · Club and result	League position	Points · last five
2. Cardiff · Cardiff 1–0 Birmingham	16	10
2. Portsmouth · Portsmouth 2–1 Millwall	11	10
2. Southampton · West Ham 2–3 Southampton	6	10
2. Stoke City · Stoke City 0–0 Bristol City	9	10
8. Swansea · QPR 5–0 Swansea	2	9
9. QPR · QPR 5–0 Swansea	8	8
9. West Ham · West Ham 2–3 Southampton	3	8
11. Bolton · Bolton 1–5 Middlesbrough	18	7
11. Sheffield Utd · Sheffield Utd 1–1 Derby	12	7
11. West Brom · Preston 1–1 West Brom	5	7
11. Wolves · Wolves 1–0 Watford	4	7
11. Wrexham · Blackburn 2–0 Wrexham	17	7
16. Bristol City · Stoke City 0–0 Bristol City	14	5
16. Burnley · Lincoln 4–1 Burnley	22	5
16. Millwall · Portsmouth 2–1 Millwall	13	5
19. Lincoln · Lincoln 4–1 Burnley	15	4
20. Derby · Sheffield Utd 1–1 Derby	23	3
20. Norwich · Charlton 1–3 Norwich	20	3
20. Watford · Wolves 1–0 Watford	21	3
23. Charlton · Charlton 1–3 Norwich	19	2
23. Preston · Preston 1–1 West Brom	24	2

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