Championship Gameweek 30 Review: Coventry slip up again Hull continue run to promotion.
Competition: Sky Bet Championship
Dates: [DATE RANGE – e.g., Friday 31st January – Saturday 1st February]
Total Goals: 26 goals from 12 matches
Hull City Result: 0-1 vs Blackburn Rovers (AWAY).
Gameweek 30 of the Sky Bet Championship is in the books. Coventry faltering at the top and Ipswich dropping points as Hull and Middlesbrough continue promotion push.West Brom annihilated at Fratton park and in trouble .
Gameweek 30 Results Overview
All Results – Goals vs xG Analysis
Championship - Matchday 30 Review
Season 2025-26 | Post-Match Analysis
Bristol City
Derby
Leicester
Charlton
Sheffield Wednesday
Wrexham
Stoke City
Southampton
Watford
Swansea
Ipswich
Preston
Millwall
Sheffield Utd
Blackburn
Hull City
Middlesbrough
Norwich
QPR
Coventry
Oxford United
Birmingham
Portsmouth
West BromGoals vs Expected Goals
Updated Championship Table
Championship Table After Gameweek 30
Championship Table
BTP Analysis & Talking Points
Key Talking Points
- Title Race Blown Wide Open: The biggest story of gameweek 30 is the complete reshaping of the Championship title race. Coventry’s ten-point cushion at the top has been entirely wiped out after their seventh winless away game in a row, leaving them level on points with Middlesbrough and separated only by goal difference. With Hull now just five points back in third and in the best form in the league, Frank Lampard’s admission that “it’s a race from now” feels like a significant understatement — the title is genuinely up for grabs.
- Koumas Makes Immediate Impact: Lewis Koumas announced himself to Championship football in the best possible way, scoring on his debut to hand Hull City a 1-0 win at Ewood Park and extend their winning run to four games. It was a composed, clinical finish that belied the pressure of a first appearance, and his rating of 8.36 was comfortably the highest on the pitch. If Jakirovic can keep him firing, Hull’s push for promotion just got a lot more credible.
- Blackburn’s Slide Continues: While the title race grabs the headlines, Blackburn Rovers find themselves firmly rooted to the bottom of the Championship after eight matches without a win. Valerien Ismael’s frustration was clear after the Hull defeat, pinpointing the failure to convert chances as the core problem. With Sheffield Wednesday visiting Ewood Park next, the pressure on Ismael and his squad is only going to intensify as the season hurtles towards its conclusion.
Match of the Week: QPR 2-1 Coventry
QPRCoventryThis was the standout game of the week for one reason above all: it completely reshuffled the Championship title race. Coventry’s ten-point cushion at the top was wiped out in a single afternoon, leaving them level on points with Middlesbrough and only ahead on goal difference. With Hull City sitting five points back in third, the race is now wide open, and this result will have sent shockwaves through every club still in contention.
Nicolas Madsen earned the man of the match accolade with a decisive and composed winner, smashing home from ten yards after Rushworth could only parry Vale’s low cross. But his influence stretched beyond that goal — he was also the creative force behind the equaliser, delivering the low cross that Kone converted to make it 1-1. QPR’s head coach Stéphan singled him out for the energy and character he showed after that equaliser, and it was that drive and intent that carried Rangers to a result that could have significant implications further up the table.
Hull City Review
BlackburnHull CityThe Performance: It wasn’t pretty, but it was effective — and right now, four straight wins is all that matters. Hull were not good on the ball for large spells, with the game drifting into a scrappy, stop-start affair for much of the first half. But defensively, the Tigers were outstanding, particularly in nullifying Blackburn’s threat from crosses, something Jakirovic flagged as a key game plan given the Rovers lead the league in crosses inside the box. The real credit goes to the substitutes, with Koumas and Joseph injecting the energy and quality that finally broke the deadlock.
Key Moments: The game was defined by a single moment — Lewis Koumas sliding home on 81 minutes on his debut to make it 1-0. It was a goal that summed up Hull’s clinical efficiency: Hadziahmetovic picked out Joseph with a through ball, who squared it for Koumas to finish from close range. Jakirovic’s decision to bring on both Koumas and Joseph at the 76th minute proved to be the decisive intervention. Joseph then nearly doubled the lead in the 89th minute, only to be denied by a smart Toth save, but by that point the damage was already done.
xG Verdict: On the balance of chances, this felt like a fair result rather than a generous one for Hull. Blackburn had more possession and the better spell after half-time, with Jorgensen’s header over the bar being their clearest opportunity. But Hull defended well and, crucially, took their chance when it finally came. In a game where neither side created much, a 1-0 scoreline reflects the reality on the pitch — Hull were simply more clinical when it counted, and that ruthlessness is exactly what keeps them in touch with the top two.
Lewis Koumas was the clear standout. Coming off the bench on his debut, he scored the only goal of the game and then nearly added an assist minutes later, showing he’s adapted to the Championship quickly. What made his performance so impressive wasn’t just the goal itself — which was well finished from close range — but the composure and awareness he showed in the box for someone making his first appearance for the club. His rating of 8.36 was the highest on the pitch by a considerable margin, and Jakirovic will be hoping he can make the same kind of instant impact on a more regular basis as Hull push for promotion.
xG Deep Dive
Goals vs Expected Goals Chart
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xG Overperformers
Bristol City , QPR and Portsmouth outperformed their expected goals .
xG Underperformers
Norwich,Ipswich Swansea and Stoke all under-performed on xG
Shock Result of the Week
It has to be this game again with QPR coming from behind to beat leaders Coventry and avenge a 7-1 away defeat in August.
Team Performance Ratings
Final Thoughts
Gameweek 30 Verdict
Great weekend for Derby , Hull and QPR not so much for Coventry and Ipswich
Hull, Middlesbrough , Derby .
Coventry , Ipswich, Oxford Unt.
Looking Ahead: Big game next week for Coventry City at Home to oxford , can they stop the rot?
For Hull City: Hull City play game in hand after controversial postponement against Watford at home , crucial in the promotion battle
Check out our Gameweek 31 preview for full stats and predictions!
