Preston North End relieved the pressure on their manager Darren Ferguson with two wins inside a week. In a game which they were perhaps second best they beat Coventry 2-1. Goals from Billy Jones and Iain Hume gave them the win. Coventry got a Consolation through Aron Gunnarsson. However Billy Jones did clear two off the line and Andy Lonergan pulled off a string of great saves too deny Coventry.
A Hat-trick from Jon Parkin managed help turn a 4-1 defeat into 6-4 win to continue their turn around. Preston raced into a 1-0 lead through Parkin, Leeds equalised with Becchio and took the lead when Alex Bruce headed home. Then a double from David Somma gave Leeds a 4-1 but then straight away the comeback started when Parkin got his second. Keith Tracey got another back and then a Callum Davidson penalty equalised, Jon Parkin’s third goal gave preston a 5-4 lead and Iain Hume scored his seconded goal in two matches secured a 6-4 win for Preston. Before the weekend Preston were in the relegation zone now they lie in 20th position.
Portsmouth also relieved pressure on themselves with two wins also. Doubles from Liam Lawrence and Dave Kitson helped Portsmouth win for the first time this season against fellow strugglers Lecister City to plie on the pressure on Paulo Sousa. Goals from Dave Nugent and Micheal Brown and a Consolation form Steve Howard gave Portsmouth a 6-1 win. Portsmouth then went on to beat Bristol City 3-1. Goals from John Utaka, Aaron Mokena and Hayden Mullins gave Pompey their second straight win. Bristol got consolation through Jonathan Stead. This pushes Pompey out of the relegation zone into 21st.
Nigel Clough also had the pressure relieved on him with two wins inside a week as well. First was a 5-0 win over Crystal Palace at home. Goals from Kris Commons, Paul Green, Shefki Kuqi and a brace from Alberto Bueno gave Derby their win. Then a great win against early season favourites Middlesbrough. A Kris Commons brace helped Derby to a 3-1 win over Middlesbrough. This win takes Derby up to 15th in the table.
Gordon Strachan’s time at Middlesbrough is running out after two terrible defeats inside a week. As I said above they lost to Derby away 3-1 and at the weekend they lost 3-1 to Watford. They have now lost to two teams they were expected to beat comfortably but have found themselves on the end of a loss. With dwindling attendance and poor results it cannot be long before the usually patient Middlesbrough board give Strachan his marching orders. These two poor results leave promotion favourites Middlesbrough in 19th in the table.
Paulo Sousa is also in big trouble after Leicester slipped to the bottom of the table after two more defeats. First on Friday they were hammered by Portsmouth 6-1. Then a 4-3 defeat to Norwich away. After a great season last campaign which saw them go to the play offs time has to be running out for Paulo Sousa as the Leicester fans find their patient wearing thin.
QPR continued their promotion hopes with a win and draw in two games. However their midweek game with Millwall was marred by violence before and after the game. The game though finished in a goalless draw to end QPR’s 100% home record. But at the weekend they won 3-0 with goals from Taarabt and a brace Gorkss gave them the win. These results keep them six points clear at the top of the table.
Crystal Palace continued to struggle and slipped into the relegation zone after a heavy defeat and a draw this week. They lost to fellow strugglers Derby 5-0. However they did get a great result away from home at Cardiff with a goalless draw. Crystal Palace fans always expected their team to struggle, so I don’t think there is too much pressure on George Burley yet. I think Crystal Palace fans are just happy that they still have a club after what happened in the summer.
Mixed fortunes for promotion contenders Norwich as the lost at the weekend and won in the week. At the weekend they lost to Hull City 2-0. But they beat ten men Leicester city 4-3 to keep their promotion hopes alive as they are now in 3rd in the table. Cardiff missed the chance to keep up with QPR after a poor draw at home with struggling Crystal Palace. But they did beat Millwall at home 2-1 at the weekend to keep them 2nd in the table.
Bristol City who were tipped for promotion at the start of the season are now in big relegation trouble after a draw and a defeat this week pushed them into the relegation zone. A good goalless draw at Burnley at the weekend but they suffered a bad defeat against Portsmouth in the week. After a managerial change at the start of the season the Bristol hierarchy must be considering another if this poor form continues.
Reading pushed themselves into promotion contention with two wins. Reading beat Barnsley at the weekend 3-0. Then beat fellow promotion contenders Ipswich 1-0 with a late goal. This pushes Reading in to sixth place in the table. Fellow promotion contenders Burnley drew at the weekend against Bristol. But they hammered fellow relegated Hull City 4-0. This moves them into fifth place.
Relegation candidates Watford continued their good form with a win over Middlesbrough 3-1. However they did lose at home to Swansea 3-2 in the week. But this does keep them in the playoff place’s which is good going for supposed relegation candidates.