Roundup of a huge matchweek of Championship action across the table.
Leeds met Yorkshire rivals, Sheffield United in a huge top-of-table showdown whilst Burnley and Sunderland looked to keep pace in the promotion race, whilst there were movement in the fight for play-offs and survival.
Weekend
Quick-fire goals from Ao Tanaka and Joel Piroe saw Leeds move five points clear at the summit with a 3-1 win at nearest rivals, Sheffield United, after Illan Meslier’s own-goal put the Blades ahead at half-time before Junior Firpo pulled the Whites level.
Burnley moved to within two points of the Blades with a ruthless 4-0 demolition of Sheffield Wednesday at Turf Moor, as Marcus Edwards netted the opening goal before Josh Brownhill, Conor Roberts and Manuel Benson wrapped up victory in the second half.
Sunderland slipped eight points behind the second automatic-promotion spot after Anthony Pattison’s own-goal handed Hull a surprise victory at the Stadium of Light, which marked the Black Cats’ first league defeat at home this season.
West Brom climbed to fifth on goal difference after Alex Mowatt and John Swift netted in a clinical 2-0 home win over Oxford United.
Blackburn consequently slipped to sixth after they suffered a 3-0 loss at Swansea, in which Zak Vipotnik, Myles Peart-Harris and Liam Cullen struck for the Swans.
Quick-fire goals from Jack Rudoni and Bobby Thomas saw Coventry move to just one point outside of the play-off spots with a 2-1 home win over Preston, despite Will Keane’s late consolatory strike for the visitors.
Down in the relegation zone, Luton remained rock bottom following a 2-0 Hertfordshire derby loss at Watford as Tom Dele-Bashiru’s first half penalty and Edo Kayembe’s tap-in proved the difference.
Derby slipped to second-bottom with a last-gasp loss at home to Millwall which saw Josh Coburn put away a close-range 95th-minute winner for the Lions.
Plymouth moved up to third-bottom with a 1-1 draw at home to ten-men Cardiff, who had led through Yousef Salech before Muhamed Tijani equalised for Argyle following Dimitrios Goutas’ early second-half red card.
Elsewhere, George Earthy’s second-half brace saw Bristol City come from behind to beat Middlesbrough 2-1 at Ashton Gate, after ex Robin – Tommy Conway had put Boro ahead at half-time with a 36th minute header.
Josh Sargent’s brace plus Lewis Dobbin’s opener and Junior Tchamadeu’s own-goal saw Norwich beat Stoke 4-2 at Carrow Road, despite Lewis Baker netting in injury-time of both halves for the Potters.
Josh Murphy and Matt Ritchie found the net as Portsmouth beat QPR 2-1 at home despite Jimmy Dunne’s consolatory lob for the Hoops.
Midweek
Middlesbrough ended their five-match losing streak with a 3-1 victory at Stoke through second-half goals from Finn Azaz and Tommy Conway, after Marcus Forss’ opener was cancelled out by Bae Jun-Ho on the stroke of half-time.
Callum Robinson’s 52nd-mintue volley saw Cardiff scrape a 1-0 win at home to Hull which lifted the Bluebirds above the Tigers in the fight for survival.
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