Championship Gameweek 31 Review: Coventry Stumble as Ipswich Rise to Third
Competition: Sky Bet Championship
Dates: Friday 6th February to Monday 9th February
Total Goals: 21 goals from 11 matches (Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough Monday 9th)
Hull City Result: Hull City 2-3 Bristol City (Home)
Gameweek 31 of the Sky Bet Championship is in the books. It was a frustrating weekend for league leaders Coventry City, who were held to a goalless draw at home by 10-man Oxford United, opening the door for Middlesbrough to potentially go top with their Monday night visit to Bramall Lane. Ipswich Town took full advantage, climbing to third with a 2-1 win at Derby, while Hull City slipped to fourth after a chaotic 3-2 home defeat to Bristol City — a match that will be remembered as much for a pitch-invading squirrel as the football.
Gameweek 31 Results Overview
All Results – Goals vs xG Analysis
Championship - Matchday 31 Review
Season 2025-26 | Post-Match Analysis
Charlton
QPR
Southampton
Watford
Derby
Ipswich
Norwich
Blackburn
Birmingham
Leicester
Preston
Portsmouth
West Brom
Stoke City
Hull City
Bristol City
Coventry
Oxford United
Wrexham
Millwall
Swansea
Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Utd
MiddlesbroughGoals vs Expected Goals
Updated Championship Table
Championship Table After Gameweek 31
Championship Table
BTP Analysis & Talking Points
Key Talking Points
- Title Race Wide Open: Coventry’s failure to beat 10-man Oxford at home was a real stumble. Frank Lampard’s side dominated possession and created enough to win, but Jamie Cumming (8.28 rating) was outstanding in the Oxford goal. With Middlesbrough level on points and holding a game in hand heading into Monday night’s clash at Sheffield United, the Tractor Boys could move top. Ipswich are lurking just four points off the summit — this is a three-horse race now.
- Leicester’s Freefall Continues: The six-point deduction was bad enough, but Leicester are now winless in five and sitting above the drop zone on goal difference alone. Caretaker Andy King faces a mountain to climb with no permanent manager in sight, and having a player sent off in consecutive first halves is a worrying pattern of indiscipline. They’ve gone from Premier League to potential relegation candidates in the space of a season.
- Sheffield Wednesday Making Unwanted History: Nine consecutive league games without scoring — a club first in their 159-year history. 14 hours of league football since Bailey Cadamarteri’s goal against Hull on Boxing Day. Eight straight defeats and 39 points adrift of safety with only 15 games remaining. The numbers are grim and the 4-0 hammering at Swansea suggests there is simply no fight left in Henrik Pedersen’s squad.
Match of the Week: Birmingham City 2-1 Leicester City
BirminghamLeicesterMatch Statistics
This had everything — context, controversy and a late winner. Leicester arrived at St Andrew’s playing their first match since a six-point deduction for breaking spending rules, with no permanent manager and desperately needing points to stay above the drop zone. Birmingham flew out of the blocks and Ibrahim Osman gave them a third-minute lead after robbing Ricardo Pereira. Leicester showed fight to equalise through Abdul Fatawu’s half-volley, but Bobby De Cordova-Reid’s reckless studs-up challenge on Osman saw the Foxes reduced to 10 men for the second consecutive game. Chris Davies’ side piled on the pressure — 22 shots, six on target — but it took a moment of magic from Marvin Ducksch, threading a slide-rule pass for Jay Stansfield to end his 13-game barren run and fire home the winner on 67 minutes. Birmingham have now taken 14 points from six games and sit just two off the play-offs, while Leicester’s freefall continues — one point from five games and staring down the barrel of relegation.
Osman was electric from the first whistle. His pressing forced the opening goal inside three minutes, and his energy and direct running caused Leicester problems all afternoon. He earned an 8.28 average rating and was the spark that set the tone for Birmingham’s dominant display. At just 20 years old, he’s proving to be one of the signings of the season.
Ibrahim Osman - Recent Form
Birmingham
| Date | Opponent | Result | Goals | Assists | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Apr 2026 | Wrexham (H) | W 2-0 | 0 | 0 | 6.9 |
| 06 Apr 2026 | Ipswich (A) | L 1-2 | 0 | 0 | 6.9 |
| 03 Apr 2026 | Blackburn (H) | L 0-1 | 0 | 0 | 6.5 |
| 21 Mar 2026 | Derby (A) | L 0-1 | 0 | 0 | 6.5 |
| 14 Mar 2026 | Sheffield Utd (H) | D 1-1 | 0 | 0 | 6.3 |
Ibrahim Osman
Birmingham | Rating: 7.7
Hull City Review
Hull CityBristol CityMatch Statistics
The Performance: A hugely frustrating afternoon at the MKM Stadium. Hull started well and took the lead through Oli McBurnie’s calm finish — his 12th of the season — but then unravelled alarmingly. Sloppy defensive work gifted Bristol City two cheap goals before half-time, and when Riis made it 3-1 five minutes into the second half, the game looked over. Manager Sergej Jakirovic admitted his side made “a lot of crucial mistakes” and were “very soft” in key duels. The introduction of Millar and Koumas at half-time eventually paid dividends with Dowell’s close-range finish, but it was too little too late.
Key Moments: McBurnie’s opener (25′) was a well-crafted goal built through Regan Slater’s good work. But Atkinson’s equaliser from a corner and McCrorie’s blast after a failed clearance turned the game on its head before the break. Riis’ composed finish early in the second half was the killer blow. The squirrel’s double pitch invasion around the hour mark disrupted Hull’s rhythm at a crucial time, and despite Dowell making it 3-2, the hosts couldn’t find an equaliser despite 10 minutes of stoppage time.
xG Verdict: Bristol City deserved their win. They created the better chances throughout, with Riis missing a clear one-on-one early in the game when it was still 0-0, and debutant Horvat dragging a shot wide. Hull’s goals came somewhat against the run of play — this wasn’t a hard-luck story for the Tigers, it was a deserved defeat.
McCrorie’s 8.46 average rating tells the story. He controlled the midfield battle, scored a stunning goal, and helped Bristol City weather everything Hull threw at them in the final half-hour. For the Tigers, Regan Slater (5.61) was the best of a below-par bunch — his build-up play for the opening goal was the one bright spot, but the defensive frailties around him let the side down badly.
Ross McCrorie - Recent Form
Bristol City
| Date | Opponent | Result | Goals | Assists | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Apr 2026 | QPR (A) | D 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 6.9 |
| 03 Apr 2026 | Charlton (A) | W 2-1 | 0 | 0 | 6.3 |
| 21 Mar 2026 | West Brom (H) | L 0-1 | 0 | 0 | 7.2 |
| 14 Mar 2026 | Middlesbrough (A) | D 1-1 | 0 | 0 | 6.6 |
| 10 Mar 2026 | Leicester (A) | L 0-2 | 0 | 0 | 6.3 |
Ross McCrorie
Bristol City | Rating: 7.7
xG Deep Dive
Goals vs Expected Goals Chart
Please specify a team.
xG Overperformers
Swansea City (4 goals) — Vipotnik’s double and a clinical display made the most of their dominance. Millwall (2 goals from minimal chances) — won at Wrexham with an own goal and their first shot on target in the 85th minute, a classic smash-and-grab. Bristol City (3 goals) — ruthless finishing, particularly McCrorie’s screamer, made the difference at Hull.
xG Underperformers
Coventry City (0 goals) — created more than enough to beat Oxford, with Sakamoto, Grimes and Esse all going close. The xG will have told a story of wastefulness. Wrexham (0 goals) — had numerous efforts on goal at home including Sam Smith spurning two huge chances in the space of a minute, yet failed to score at home for the first time this season.Charlton Athletic also amongst the underperformers
Shock Result of the Week
The league leaders, at home, against the team 23rd in the table who had a man sent off with 13 minutes remaining — and they still couldn’t find the net. Jamie Cumming was superb in the Oxford goal (8.28 rating), but this was a golden opportunity missed by Coventry. Frank Lampard’s side had nine first-half shots (three on target), Esse had a curling effort brilliantly saved, and Oxford’s low block proved impenetrable. For Matt Bloomfield’s Oxford, it’s a heroic point that keeps hope alive — they remain four points from safety. For Coventry, it’s the kind of dropped points that can define a title race.
Team Performance Ratings
Final Thoughts
Gameweek 31 Verdict
A gameweek that proved the Championship’s unpredictability is its greatest asset. The title race took a twist with Coventry’s slip-up, while the bottom of the table continues to look bleak for Sheffield Wednesday, who seem destined for League One. The play-off picture is as congested as ever — just seven points separate 5th and 13th — and we’re heading into a midweek round that could reshape everything. Oh, and a squirrel became the most talked-about performer in the division.
🏆 Ipswich Town — back on track with a gritty win at Derby, up to third and just four points off the top. Leif Davis with a brilliant winner.
🏆 Bristol City — what a response after that 5-0 Derby humiliation. Three goals at Hull moves them to 8th, just a point off the play-offs.
🏆 Millwall — the ultimate away performance at Wrexham. An own goal and a late Coburn strike sealed a 12th clean sheet and opened a six-point gap over 7th.
❌ Sheffield Wednesday — 39 points adrift, nine games without scoring, and an 18-point deduction. The epitome of a season from hell.
❌ Leicester City — winless in five, no permanent manager, and now relying on goal difference to stay out of the bottom three. The six-point deduction stings even more now.
❌ Hull City — dropped from 3rd to 4th after a sloppy defeat they’ll struggle to explain. “A lot of crucial mistakes” was Jakirovic’s honest assessment.
Looking Ahead: A packed midweek Gameweek 32 is on the horizon, with key fixtures across the division. Tonight’s Monday game sees Sheffield United host Middlesbrough at Bramall Lane — a win for Boro would send them top of the Championship. The midweek round then includes Birmingham vs West Brom in a Midlands derby, Oxford vs Norwich in a relegation six-pointer, and Leicester vs Southampton.
For Hull City: The Tigers need to regroup quickly. A return to the defensive solidity that powered their rise into the top three is essential — three goals conceded at home to Bristol City is not promotion form. The midweek fixtures offer a chance to bounce back, but Jakirovic needs to address those “crucial mistakes” on the training ground sharpish.
Check out our Gameweek 32 preview for full stats and predictions!
