David Prutton’s Championship score predictions

David Prutton’s Championship score predictions have been revealed ahead of the next round of matches for the 2024/25 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.

BLACKBURN v MIDDLESBROUGH

Simeon: Blackburn have bombed their way right out of the playoff race, haven’t they? No wins in five under Ismael. This is really last chance, last chance saloon for them. They’re five points off the playoffs heading into the weekend. Middlesbrough bombed their way back into the playoffs with, well, one win in a row. They came back to be Oxford last time out, and they’re heading to the weekend of seventh in the table. Level on points with West Brom in sixth. So this is a big game in the playoffs shake up Blackburn. If they’re to have any hope of rescuing or salvaging where they were just a few weeks ago, this is must win, and Middlesbrough can really pile on the pressure on the teams around them ahead of the rest of the weekend.

David: This time of year, normally happens a little bit earlier, but then pulling, themselves out of the race, given the run of form that they’ve been in. Boro, again, like you say, that little bit of a turnout over the past three or four games means that they are hovering just outside the playoff places. I think we’ll soon see, I mean, depending on where Derby end, how big a loss it was for Blackburn over for John Eustace to move on. And and then we’ll also see that consistent backing or support, shall I say, not necessarily backing, but that support from Michael Carrick over the broadly very good work he’s done at Boro over these last few seasons does pay off because that raise for fifth, sixth is absolutely fascinating, isn’t it?

Simeon: It is a 100%.

David Prutton’s score prediction: 1-0 Middlesbrough

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LUTON v LEEDS

Simeon: Luton gave themselves a big, big hoping hand, a hoping hand of survival with that win at Hull last weekend. It was a huge three points. Came in somewhat for truest circumstances, but you’ll take what you can get at any point really at this stage with the position they’re in still in the bottom three. Ahead of the weekend. Leeds, absolute disaster against Swansea last time out. We joked about Leeds having a disaster a few weeks after during West Brom, but it has actually turned into a genuine, I joke, you would never joke about such things. As always. They head into the weekend, two points off Sheffield United and level of points with Burnley. It’s a proper proper promotion race now. Leads are the team that aren’t in form.

David: Yeah. Very much so. Let’s take Luton first. Ten points in the last, five games. That comical way of winning a football match eleven seconds after the restart at Hull City showed just what they possibly needed as a bit of luck given the fact that they do find themselves where they do in trouble. But I think when you’ve got the likes of Elijah Adebayo and Carlton Morris not hitting the heights of last season or the season before thus far, then you knew you do need a bit of luck. They certainly got that. So you would, as we move further along, fear a little bit for Hull City being as close as they are to the bottom three. And for Leeds United, my word, this it’s hard in a game such as that where it’s a team game very much so, isn’t it? But when a goalkeeper makes mistakes such as that, it’s very, very tough. Meslier, I’ll be intrigued to see what his reaction whether he has got the ability to make a reaction if he’s played in. If he’s not, then that’d be the, take on it from Daniel Farke that you probably wouldn’t need to read too much into. But the fact that they allowed Swansea back into the game, so deep into the game, I think is one that has really set the count amongst the bridges with Leeds United fans. And if it’s Sheffield United vibe you’re looking at, then they did their business Friday, and I bet they’ve really enjoyed themselves over the weekend, haven’t they?

Simeon: As someone who knows what it’s like to be a, a weak link in a Leeds United promotion chasing team, do you think it’s time to drop in a Meslier, or would you be saying to your manager at this point, would you say drop me?

David: Oh.

Simeon: I’m slowing everyone down and holding them back?

David: Yeah. As per usual. Maybe it’s slightly different nowadays. There’s not many that I met that would go in and tell a manager to say, getting on the team. Broadly, I think it’s been good for Leeds United. I think at times, the the thing that doesn’t help in that position particularly, and it’s one that’s a very well trodden path is it it’s got in football in terms, it’s got catastrophic, conclusions, hasn’t it? If to me, if I was playing out wide right back in the mid noughties and lost the ball somewhere in the opposition third, you do well to win so they score from that. Whereas with a goalkeeper doing I mean, what you look at is fairly basic things and not getting right, then that really is no hard in place. So from the IQ level, you got a feel for him. It’s not the first time. And we saw, before where the reaction of his teammates, which is a natural reaction. We’ve all been in a position where something happens and you can’t help yourself immediately going, oh god. Throwing your hands up. But it’s one where we’re at the professional, very sharp end of this. And like I said, you’re looking at it from a human point of view. If the goalkeeper’s not doing his job properly and, allowing goals such as that, and then they’ve gotta be major questions asked. So I think there will be major questions asked, but does that then create a rock for Daniel Farke’s back where he takes him out and whoever comes in, whoever steps into that bridge has to be flawless, completely flawless. Otherwise it’s not a justified, decision to have been made. So would I would, as a player, not be asking to be taken out. I’d wanna prove the doubts as wrong. But then again, I’m not a goalkeeper at that level, and I’m not a manager with Daniel Farke.

David Prutton’s score prediction: 2-1 Leeds

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COVENTRY v BURNLEY

Simeon: Coventry beaten at Sheffield United last time out fairly comprehensively. I think we all thought was gonna be a lot closer than it was. It was a hell of performance from the Blades. Yeah. Their student pole position for the playoffs heading into the weekend might not be there by this time this one kicks off. We don’t know, of course, what Middlesbrough gonna do on Friday night. Burnley are just relentless. Another 1-0 winner of the Bristol City last time out. Level of points of Leeds, two high leaders Sheffield United. They are right up there, Burnley, but it still does feel like they don’t have quite the same pressure on them as the other two sides do because they have been kind of hovering around third for most of the season.

David: Yeah. Quite again the work done. 1-0 win against Bristol City showed that. Flemming doing what he’s done so many times for Scott Parker’s team this season? Could have been a lot easier, couldn’t it, if Jaidon Anthony had finished the chances that he had at his disposal. So I like this. But I think, yeah, it’s a really good matchup with this. I’m sure Scott Parker’s sick to the back teeth people pointing fingers at his side saying they just get the job done. But if the job isn’t getting them done and dusted in the back of the Premier League, then I’m sure he won’t care one jot. And as we’ve said many, many times, the transformation, of Coventry City, the fact that they’ve now got had you right back in the ranks to hopefully boost their, ability between now and then the season to finish in the top six is a bonus. So, yeah, it’s got all the makers of a very good game, this.

David Prutton’s score prediction: 2-2

Credit: shakapero

WEST BROM v SUNDERLAND

Simeon: West Brom beaten last time out at Norwich just opens things up a bit in the playoff race. They start the weekend as sixth. They might not be there by kickoff with Boro playing on Friday night. Of course, we don’t know. Sunderland, good win over Millwall last time out. Really kind of allayed any fears. They might be just sort of coasting effortlessly and aimlessly towards the playoffs. They have kept that momentum really going, which is what they need to do, and this is a good chance for them to pick up more points here because West Brom not in the best of form at this moment in time.

David: I like the the term coasting aimlessly towards the playoff. I mean, to get into the playoffs aimlessly, I think he’s it may we don’t wanna we don’t wanna get in.

Simeon: This is the closest you can be to aiming coasting aimlessly towards the playoffs.

David: Don’t bother about getting him to stay. We’ll just whatever. If we if we get there, whatever.

Simeon: There’s almost nothing they can do to not finish fourth this season. Like, genuinely, almost not. Yeah.

David: Unless we have a global pandemic. I think no win in three, that’s something that’s a bit of a head scratch, I think, for Tony and his team. But that well timed victory for Sunderland against Millwall sets them up nicely for this one. I’ve got the I’ve got a a bit of a feeling leaning towards West Brom for this one even though there is a slight discrepancy in the points and, obviously, the placements in the Championship.

David Prutton’s score prediction: 2-1 West Brom

OXFORD v SHEFFIELD UNITED

Simeon: Oxford beaten at Middlesbrough on Saturday, still hovering uncomfortably close to the bottom three. Sheffield United are top of the league, although they might be third by the time this one kicks off with Burnley and Leeds playing at 12:30PM. So it’s just Saturday is going to be drama, drama, drama from the start to finish.

David: Drama filled.

Simeon: There’s just no real games enough to play for, especially not this one with Oxford needing to claw their way further from the bottom three and Sheffield United wanting to potentially claw all the way back to the top of the league.

David: Yeah. I mean, again, clawing the way to the top of the leg is, not being done there. But that that run that they find themselves up, Sheffield United is, it’s pretty telling, isn’t it? Given the fact that it’s it came off the back of that defeat, Bramall Lane against Leeds United and the ability to to move as they have done just get the noses in front. And again, with that point of deeduction, I don’t think enough’s made of that from Chris Wilder, and his Sheffields side. And I think I think the job that Gary’s done at Oxford has been a good one. I think a team that’s spent a footballing generation outside of this level of football, all they need to do is make sure they stay up the better change because of that. And given the fact that they now have a just a few points outside of the bottom three, If they like that at the end of the season, then it’s happy days. It’s celebration time all around. And even Gary said when he went in just to kind of temper expectations that they weren’t gonna be knocking on the door of the playoffs, and he’s he’s been exactly right. So good game, for Oxford United at home. A good matchup between two very good managers. I just feel given the firepower that Sheffield United have got, this could be a very, very tough one for the heart team.

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

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BRISTOL CITY v WATFORD

Simeon: Bristol City have won just two of the last 11 league games against Watford, which was a 2-0 win in January 2013 and a four and a away victory in December 2023.

David Prutton’s score prediction: 2-0 Bristol City

MILLWALL v PORTSMOUTH

Simeon: Millwall have won the last three league games against Portsmouth, and they’ve won each of those matches exactly 1-0.

David Prutton’s score prediction: 1-1

PLYMOUTH v NORWICH

Simeon: Plymouth have lost five in the last six league games against Norwich, winning the other two six two at Home Park last season. Terrible run apart from that one remarkable win.

David Prutton’s score prediction: 1-0 Norwich