The weekend that was: ten nuggets from this weekend’s EFL action (17th & 18th December 2022)

The weekend that was: ten nuggets from this weekend’s EFL action (17th & 18th December 2022)

#1 Championship leaders Burnley came from behind to beat Middlesbrough 3-1 at Turf Moor. After 23 games last season, Marco Silva’s Fulham had 45 points. They won the Championship with a total of 90 points from their 46 games. After 23 games this season, Vincent Kompany’s Clarets have 47 points…

#2 All is not well at Norwich City. The Carrow Road faithful turned on boss Dean Smith during their 2-0 defeat against Blackburn Rovers. The Canaries have already lost more games this season (8) than in either of their last two Championship-winning campaigns (6 & 7).

#3 Since losing Carlos Corberan’s first match in charge, West Brom have won five games in a row. Albion’s latest win was a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Rotherham United. Prior to Corberan’s arrival, the Baggies had won two of their first 16 league games.

#4 QPR recorded their first victory since 22nd October to get Neil Critchley’s reign off to a winning start. Jimmy Dunne’s second half strike was enough to give the R’s all three points at Preston.

#5 When your team are 3-0 up at home, having only conceded three goals in their last nine hours of football, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the points were in the bag. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case for Coventry, who conceded three goals in the space of 16 second half minutes to draw 3-3 with Swansea.

#6 Plymouth regained top spot in League One after they beat Morecambe 2-1 and Ipswich lost 1-0 to Wycombe. After an incredible start to the season, the Pilgrims had been without a league win since 31st October.

#7 Michael Duff’s Barnsley racked up their fifth league win in a row after they beat Burton 2-0 at Oakwell. The Tykes are nine points behind Ipswich in 2nd with two games in hand.

#8 You wait just under 19 years for your first professional hattrick and then two come along in a matter of months! After notching three times against Bristol Rovers at the end of October, Derby’s David McGoldrick repeated the trick against Forest Green on Saturday.

#9 In League Two, Leyton Orient moved seven points clear of Stevenage in 2nd and a whopping 16 points clear of Swindon in 4th with a 2-0 victory over Sutton United. The Orient Express is well on its way to League One.

#10 Finally, 15 fixtures were postponed in the EFL this weekend; including ten games in League Two. Credit to all of the ground staff up and down the country who did their best to beat the big freeze!

(Photo Creds – Alex Taylor)