Birmingham City and Preston North End secured stunning victories over Blackburn Rovers and Leicester City in the Championship. Birmingham’s late show at Ewood Park saw them snatch a 2-1 win, while Preston defeated Leicester 2-1 at Deepdale. Other results included Stoke City’s 3-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday and Swansea City’s 1-0 victory against Sheffield United. Data Debrief revealed that Birmingham extended their impressive away record, while Leicester’s defeat ended their unbeaten run against Preston. Sheffield United failed to register a shot on target against Swansea.
The Championship witnessed a day of unexpected results and late drama as Birmingham City and Preston North End secured memorable victories over Blackburn Rovers and Leicester City, respectively. These results sent shockwaves through the league, underscoring the unpredictable nature of the competition. As the 2025/26 season unfolds, these upsets are bound to be remembered for their thrilling finishes and significant implications for the teams involved.
Birmingham City's triumph at Ewood Park was a testament to their resilience and determination. Facing Blackburn Rovers, the Blues found themselves trailing for much of the match after Todd Cantwell's well-taken volley in the 50th minute. As the clock ticked down, it appeared that Rovers were on course to secure a hard-fought victory. However, Birmingham had other ideas.
In the dying moments of the game, Ethan Laird was brought down in the box, earning his team a crucial penalty. Jay Stansfield stepped up and coolly converted the spot-kick, leveling the score and injecting new life into the visitors. But the drama was far from over. Deep into stoppage time, Demari Gray delivered a pinpoint pass to Lyndon Dykes, who expertly guided the ball past Blackburn's goalkeeper Balazs Toth, sealing a dramatic 2-1 victory for Birmingham. The scenes that followed were jubilant, as the Blues celebrated their first win back in the Championship in the most extraordinary fashion. This result not only secured three valuable points but also demonstrated the team's fighting spirit and ability to perform under pressure.
Meanwhile, at Deepdale, Preston North End delivered a stunning blow to Leicester City's promotion aspirations. The Foxes, who were hoping for an immediate return to the Premier League, suffered their first defeat of the Championship season in a tightly contested match. Preston took an early lead through Tottenham loanee Alfie Devine, who capitalized on a mistake by Leicester's goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk to slot the ball into an empty net. This early setback put Leicester on the back foot and forced them to chase the game.
Leicester managed to find an equalizer in the 67th minute through Jeremy Monga, who etched his name into Championship history by becoming the youngest goalscorer in the league's history at just 16 years and 37 days old, surpassing Jude Bellingham's previous record. Monga's goal injected fresh hope into Leicester's game, but Preston quickly responded with a decisive goal from Milutin Osmajic five minutes from time. Osmajic's confident finish secured a 2-1 victory for Preston, leaving Leicester to reflect on a disappointing performance and a missed opportunity to gain ground in the promotion race.
The Championship also witnessed other significant results on Saturday. Sheffield Wednesday's return to Hillsborough ended in disappointment as they were soundly beaten 3-0 by Stoke City. Million Manhoef's early goal set the tone for the match, and second-half strikes from Divin Mubama and Manhoef again sealed a comfortable win for the Potters. Meanwhile, Sheffield United suffered a 1-0 defeat away to Swansea City, with Ronald Pereira's goal proving to be the difference between the two sides. These results further highlighted the competitive nature of the Championship and the challenges faced by teams looking to establish themselves in the league.
Data Debrief revealed that Birmingham's late turnaround extended their impressive away record, remaining unbeaten in their opening away game for the last seven seasons. However, Leicester's defeat against Preston ended their five-game unbeaten run against Preston, and away from home they were unbeaten in seven. Despite having one more shot than Preston, Leicester struggled in front of goal, registering just 1.1 expected goals (xG) total to the hosts' 2.3. Finally, Sheffield United failed to register a shot on target against Swansea, the first time they had done so since October 2024.
The Championship season continues to provide drama and excitement, with unexpected results and thrilling finishes becoming the norm. As the teams battle for promotion and survival, the competition is sure to intensify, and the outcome remains uncertain.