Sky-Bet Championship: 5 talking points from Matchdays 6 and 7
Who needs the EPL or Champions League? This week’s Sky Bet Championship featured two rounds of matches and we’ve managed to condense the best of it right here so there is plenty to talk about and review.
We look at some of the shock results of the week and also how former Premier League side and huge North East Club Newcastle United performed. We focus on rock-bottom Blackburn Rovers and how one man managed to make a marathon trip of over 3000 miles to appear and score for the league leaders!
If that’s not enough, we also have a stat-attack on wasteful Aston Villa. Should they be scoring more than they are?
Town still top – just!
Huddersfield Town maintain their place at the top of the Championship despite losing on the Matchday 7. Their lead has been cut to just a single point after going down 1-0 to playoff hopefuls Brighton Hove Albion. Danny Ward, the Terrier’s goalkeeper made a mess of what should have been a routine save at the near post after a deflected shot from Anthony Knockaert.
This was Town’s first defeat of the season and Manager David Wagner held no hard feelings toward his keeper. “I spoke to Danny and told him there were no complaints from my side. Unfortunately, if a goalkeeper makes a mistake, it’s a goal. But he is strong enough and knows that everyone backs him”
Previous to this, during Matchday 6’s weekend fixtures, Town beat Yorkshire rivals Leeds United 1-0 away at Elland Road to maintain their then unbeaten run. Australian international Aaron Mooy scoring the game’s only goal with a fierce 25-yard strike into the top corner.
It was a remarkable feat given that Mooy had only just recovered from a 3,521-mile return trip to play two World Cup qualifiers for his national side.
Leeds Manager Gary Monk was annoyed that Mooy was still on the field in order to score the winner, suggesting he should have been sent off after a nasty-looking lunge on United’s Liam Bridcutt.
“Two-footed, off the ground and totally out of control.” Said Monk of the tackle. “I don’t want to talk about referees. But if you see that and you can’t tell me that’s a sending off, I don’t know what is. It was a horrendous tackle that he made”