Simeon Gholam’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 end to the season, with many soccer scores to keep an eye on across the world.
Sky Sports duo Simeon Gholam and Gary Weaver (replacement for 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!
LEICESTER v MILLWALL
Simeon: Leicester relegated on Tuesday night. It is just crazy that they’ve gone down, especially already considering it’s 10 years, 10 years after Premier League when it’s been covered a lot everywhere. Millwall, meanwhile, are up in third in the table. They’re briefly second again on Tuesday night after winning at Stoke. But it just took that spot back on Wednesday night, two games to go for the Lions. Autos still very, very much possible. They trail on goal difference and will be playing a Leicester side here that you imagine things will be a little miserable in. The home end will be fairly quiet at the King Power Stadium, you’d have thought, apart from maybe some occasional booing.
Gary: I know it was strange there the other night. Obviously Leicester City fans, understandably, a lot of them didn’t want to be there because of what was going on. You had the situation with Harry Winks. I was a bit, I mean, I’m going to ask Gary Rowett because I’m doing the game on Friday. I’ll ask Gary Rowett why he brought Harry Winks on. It’s not for me to question, obviously, you know, I’m a manager about the tactics. But because it was kind of like a buoyant-ish mood at that point and he brought Harry Winks on and it just changed the mood again because of obviously what happened at Portsmouth. It was a strange, it was a strange old place because we obviously may not have the interest for Blackburn on Friday. You saw Coventry City promoted Friday on Tuesday. You’re seeing Leicester City get relegated and how they are in that mess is just unbelievable really. But yeah, you consider that last season they were getting over £100 million in terms of TV money. Next season, League One, they’re going to get around about £2 million. I mean, the financial implications are absolutely massive. But look, the players haven’t been good enough. They should be good enough, but they haven’t been. You kind of need, in a relegation fight, you kind of need warriors’ aggression. Leicester City got good technical players and they haven’t got the players to withstand a relegation fight and that ultimately is what has gone on. Defenders set pieces, they can’t really do that because again, they haven’t got the aggression, they haven’t got the height. They concede to daft goals. Look at the first one the other night when Asmir Begovic, the experienced Asmir Begovic goes and does that and they don’t take the chances. So ultimately, I think the XG the other night was over three compared to Hull’s, which I think was around about one. So once again, they trebled the XG of their opponents. But yeah, just a strange place to be. And when we left the stadium the other night, Andy Hinchcliffe, very kind of him, was giving me a lift, forced into it. But we were told to go the opposite way from the way we normally go out because there were protests outside. But yeah, it’s humiliating and it shouldn’t have happened to Leicester City with the players, the squad they’ve got. But it has.
Simeon: Did you see the owner, Top, confronting… Well, he was confronted by the fans outside the stadium afterwards as well. There was some quite interesting videos there. It’s just all an absolute heap of a mess there.
Gary: It is, but you can understand the fury of the fans and you can understand that when… Obviously, he’s gone and said his point. But for Leicester City to be in this situation… And you know, look, I spoke to Gary Rowett and he said to me, as far as he’s concerned, the players have given everything in training. He couldn’t have asked for more in training. Box to box, he was fairly happy with the way they’ve been playing. I mean, you’ve got to say the other night, they didn’t really show any fight until that second half. Then they turned it around and then you felt the wave of optimism just for that game. Obviously, unfortunately, the situation they were in, they were always probably going to go down. But yeah, Gary is adamant that the players do care. The players have given him everything in training. Obviously, supporters have got their own ideas. But again, you looked at it the other night, Simeon, you saw Divine Mukasa, a teenage loanee, I thought was excellent, particularly in the first half. He was buzzing around the pitch. He was giving everything. Jordan James, we know, gives everything every single game. Another loanee. But yeah, Leicester City, just in a mess. And as I say, financially, that’s huge financial implications now. They’ve got an £85 million training ground, which is one of the best in world football.
Simeon: Beautiful place, the training ground. It’s absolutely stunning, the training ground, yeah.
Gary: Yeah, so you’ve got that. And I think I heard Andy Woodman of Bromley, and obviously people are on about the Leicester-Bromley game next season, when they will stand on a level playing field in League One. And Andy Woodman saying, Bromley just have one AstroTurf pitch and that’s it. Leicester City should not be in League One, but they are. And you can understand why the heart has been absolutely ripped out of that city.
Simeon: Bromley made the point that the season Leicester won the Premier League was Bromley’s first ever season in the National League, which shows the craziness of the game. Millwall, of course, buoyant. And they’ll be hoping to take advantage to get themselves back up to second spot to put the pressure on again. In terms of the race, they’ve got two really, really good fixtures to end the season. We still have real, real hope of, at the very least, taking this to the final day and then, you know, actually genuinely finish the second as well.
Gary: Yeah, a big home game, obviously, on the final day against Oxford to come. I know Alex Neil’s not a fan of playing at different times to his competitors, but they’ve got an opportunity to really put the pressure on by getting something at Leicester. Millwall’s away form has been excellent, best in the championship, 40 points this season. You know, they’ve won 23 of their 43 games this season, only Coventry City have won more. Alex Neil, I say it time after time, I think he’s so underrated, has gone under the radar. I think people are taking notice of him now and the way he builds a team, tactically magnificent. He really is Alex Neil. The way he switched things around against Middlesbrough because of Malanda’s positioning for Middlesbrough playing just in front of the two centre-backs and Alex Neil got to grips with it and did that. But yeah, Millwall will be hoping, obviously, to make sure that they set up a massive final big day, big final day at home against Oxford. So, but yeah, it’s going to be a strange situation because on Friday, because obviously Gary Rowett could deny or try and land a devastating blow to his former club and Millwall are going up to a club that is in a mess right now, but it’s the Championship, you never know. I mean, Leicester 1 winning 18 league games. You know, you just, you get some strange results at this time of the season.
Simeon: Millwall have won both of their last two Championship matches against Leicester and they’re both 1-0. They’re looking to complete their fourth ever league double over the Foxes.
Simeon’s score prediction: 2-1 Millwall
WEST BROM v IPSWICH
Simeon: West Brom have secured their safety after a brilliant run under James Morrison. Still a potential points deduction to come, but the feeling is they’ve done enough either way. Ipswich retook second in midweek after a comeback win at Charlton. They head into the weekend in second, as I said, may not be there by kickoff, as obviously Millwall are playing on Friday night. But yeah, West Brom really, really good stuff from what we’ve seen since Morrison’s come in for the second time this season to steer them to what should be safety either way, realistically.
Gary: Yeah, look, Albion, probably look at Leicester City and think that could have been us because of the situation that they were in. Obviously, Ryan Mason, the start of the season, I did his last game at Leicester when somehow they lost that game. Then obviously, Eric Ramsay, that didn’t work. James Morrison’s just been in the background, getting on with things. He’s quite understated, James Morrison. Then he’s taken charge again and he’s been brilliant. Unbeaten in nine games, not conceding at the moment, not conceding the last four. 4-4-2, Daryl Dike scoring goals. And as you say, Albion, brilliant because they’ve secured safety. Obviously, we’ll see what happens with the other. But Albion say they have complied as far as they’re concerned with the P&S rules. But yeah, this by no stretch is going to be easy for Ipswich on Saturday.
Simeon: Since 2000, West Brom are unbeaten all seven in the home games against Ipswich. Their last defeat to the Tractor Boys at the Hawthorns came in 1999.
Simeon’s score prediction: 1-1 draw
CHARLTON v HULL
Simeon: Charlton still not quite safe. They led Ipswich a midweek 4-2-1. They lead Oxford by six points with two games to go. So a point guarantees their safety. The goal difference between them is largely negligible in terms of you’d imagine that if Oxford won two and Charlton lost two, that I think mathematically Oxford would stay up. But Hull had dropped out of the top six after failing to win any of their last five. They’d been in those places in mid-December. So after four months in the top six, they are in seventh now for that draw with Leicester on Tuesday night. So yeah, lots to play for here in terms of Charlton just wanting to get over the line and Hull City wanting to get back above the line.
Gary: Yeah, it’ll be interesting to see how Hull respond to that. I mean, Hull will say their performances haven’t changed recently from what they were doing in the first half of the season, but they were just more clinical, scoring at the right times in matches. Obviously, did they get the points at Leicester the other night, which made sure that they did go into this weekend’s level on points with Wrexham rather than being a further point behind. I mean, that from four, they’re quite impressive, aren’t they? With Belloumi, Gelhardt, Millar, McBurnie. How McBurnie is not on the Scotland squad, by the way, I’ve no idea. I’ve no idea the way he’s been. Yeah, the way he’s been scoring goals this season. I know he spoke to Steve Clarke. He rang him and asked him and Steve Clarke said I’m quite loyal to the strikers already, and they’ve been doing a job for me. So yeah, it’ll be interesting to see how Hull respond to that to make sure that they, as you say, are back in the top six by the time it goes to the final day of that game against Norwich. Charlton, I thought Charlton gave it quite a good go against Ipswich, to be fair, on Wednesday night in my humble opinion. I know Ipswich kind of penned them in around the box and they got the penalty. But yeah, they just need one point, another big performance to secure their survival. But yeah, this is going to be a difficult one to call, I think, Simeon.
Simeon: Charlton are unbeaten, they lost its home league meetings with Hull City. They haven’t lost at the Valley to the Tigers since November 1985, which was four years before I was born. Charlton, I feel like we’ve been saying for a while they just need that one big performance to get the job done and they’re kind of slinking into it. And you know, you get that team where that does happen. They do kind of slink into it and suddenly end up in a relegation battle on final day. But I don’t think that is going to happen because I think this is going to be a draw.
Simeon’s score prediction: I think this is going to be a 2-2 draw as well. I think it’s going to be an entertaining draw because both teams are going to be piling in for the win and then it’s going to be a draw.
MIDDLESBROUGH v WATFORD
Simeon: Middlesbrough all but booked their playoff spot in midweek. They still have an outside shot of autos but it has probably slipped away and they do need to win here at the very least to keep that dream alive. Watford are just kind of passing on to a fairly, fairly miserable end of the season. To be honest, it’s not been good the last couple of months. Yeah, so this is more about Middlesbrough trying to take their own top two dream into the final day of the season, Gary.
Gary: Yeah, I suppose there’s a strange feeling around the Riverside at the moment because of the situation they were in. I did them at Queen’s Park Rangers just a couple months ago and look, Rangers weren’t great in that game but that was the best team performance I’ve seen in flesh this season. That performance from Middlesbrough that particular day.
Simeon: I remember it well.
Gary: Obviously, they’ve tailed off since but it’s so important to get that win the other night against Sheffield Wednesday. Just the one goal. Could it be more? Which, you know, it’s Boro. They create so many chances. But just to get that…
Simeon: It’s not how they do things.
Gary: Look, it was important that the first win in eight games just to start winning again and feel that feeling again and just lift the tension away from the Riverside Stadium. Look, if there’s a team you maybe want to play towards the end of the season, it’s Watford, isn’t it? Because Watford just sent a tail off towards the end of the season. They’re not scoring. No wins the last six games. There seems to be a bit of a disconnect again between the supporters and the players. So yeah, Wofford are just kind of just limping towards the end of the season. So Middlesbrough, you know, they have had problems opening up teams and when they have opened them up, putting those chances away against deep-lying teams this season, there will be tension around the Riverside, I think, because Middlesbrough will back themselves still to try and get that second spot. So it’ll be an interesting day. Very interesting day. Incredibly interesting day.
Simeon: Middlesbrough have lost each of their last three league meetings with Wofford, which is their longest ever losing run against the Hornets.
Simeon’s score prediction: 1-0 Middlesbrough win
COVENTRY v WREXHAM
Simeon: Coventry are our champions. They secured the title with a 5-1 win over Portsmouth in midweek. They host Wrexham, who started the weekend in sixth. May not be there by kickoff, as they’re already ahead of Hull on goal difference heading into the weekend, and I’ve just predicted Hull to draw. So I think if my always accurate predictions come to fruition, then Hull are going to be a point ahead of Wrexham and back in sixth. Heading into this one, obviously a big question is whether Coventry City are going to be on it after they’ve got both of their jobs done in the past week. And we’ve seen the owner, Rob Mac of Wrexham, jokingly offer Coventry a trip to Las Vegas, all paid for to get back early on Sunday morning. So they’re clearly hoping the same thing, that Coventry will have been busy partying and won’t be focused for this one.
Gary: And the fact that they’re talking about this will only, I’d imagine, add a bit of steel and fire to Coventry City. Because look, that could easily be an ask to them on Tuesday, because obviously we had the EFL Awards on Sunday and, you know, the celebrations from the Friday night and getting that job done, unbelievable at Blackburn, where the celebrations are magnificent. And we were privileged to be there for that. And I stood in the tunnel in the end, just watching the away end going crazy for a good 45 minutes, an hour after the full-time whistle. But yeah, but it’s trophy lift day, Simeon. You want to end the season, at the home season, when you’re getting that trophy in style, you don’t want to lift it on the back of a defeat. I mean, look, nothing is going to ruin the Coventry City party, but Coventry, Frank Lampard, they will obviously make sure that they are absolutely on it for this. And I don’t think they’ve taken up the invitation to go to Vegas and back in 24 hours. 24 hours in Vegas, imagine that. Of course they haven’t taken up that invitation, but you know, they’ve got the best time record in the Championship. They are the champions. They deserve to be the champions. They’ve been brilliant. They want to end the season on home soil in style and lift that amazing, fantastic, legendary trophy high up into that Coventry sky on the back of a win. For Wrexham, mate, they’ve just obviously got to stay in that hunt. They beat Cov in October, didn’t they? Kieffer Moore with a hat-trick. Wind assisted, Windass assisted with those three assists for Kieffer Moore. So thank you. It’ll be, I know I keep saying that every game, but it’ll be some game because Wrexham need the points to make sure they stay in that top six. Coventry, as I say, want to end on home soil in style and lift that trophy and have the perfect party. Nothing’s going to ruin that party anyway. And they deserve to have a party because they’ve been brilliant.
Simeon: Coventry City have won all four of their previous home league games against Wrexham by an aggregate score of 13-3. But this is actually the first time they played at Coventry since 1963.
Simeon’s score prediction: I think there’ll be an element of nerve for Wrexham because obviously, in a way, they’ve got more to play for. And I think there’ll be goals and I think there’ll be a lot of them. I’m going to go for a very, very… I’m actually going to go Coventry to win this 4-2.
OXFORD v SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY
Simeon: Oxford could be relegated by 3pm if Charlton get a point at 12.30 on Saturday against Hull City. But if Charlton do lose, then Oxford can get to within three points on the final day by beating Sheffield Wednesday at home, which would make things very, very interesting. I think they will just about beat Sheffield Wednesday at home.
Simeon’s score prediction: 1-0 Oxford. But I’ve also said earlier that I think Charlton are going to get the point and they’ll relegate Oxford anyway.
QPR v DERBY
Simeon: Derby County can keep their play of hopes alive, slightly alive anyway, depending what happens elsewhere. If they win at QPR, I think they will. As I’ve said, I predict the Hull City’s draw. So that dream will stay alive until at least Sunday when Wrexham play Coventry. And I’ve also said Wrexham are going to lose. So I think with Derby win, we’ll keep them in the play-off race until the final day, which will make things interesting.
Simeon’s prediction: Derby win
