Coventry City Rally To Beat Leicester And Extend Six-point Lead In The Championship

Coventry City stayed clear at the top of the Championship table after a late comeback win over Leicester City, edging a tense East Midlands derby 2-1. The result restored a six-point cushion, after Middlesbrough and Ipswich Town had both increased pressure earlier on matchday 27.

Leicester struck first after 10 minutes, when Jordan James finished confidently from a precise pass around the corner by Bobby De Cordova-Reid. That early setback quietened the home crowd and briefly raised doubts around Coventry City’s recent form, with Frank Lampard’s team having dropped points several times in recent weeks.

Coventry City responded after the interval, levelling two minutes into the second half through Ellis Simms, who finished clinically from inside

the area. Soon after, Romain Esse shook the woodwork with a fierce effort. The pressure built, and the momentum swung firmly towards the Championship table leaders as Leicester retreated.

The decisive moment arrived five minutes from the end. Substitute Haji Wright reacted fastest when Jakub Stolarczyk blocked Tatsuhiro Sakamoto’s effort, forcing the loose ball over the line from close range. That goal sealed the derby comeback and ensured Coventry City preserved control of the Championship table despite Middlesbrough’s earlier win.

The goals that secured the DERBY DAY DUB. pic.twitter.com/B2gw8k3vbj Coventry City (@Coventry_City) January 17, 2026

All of the top five sides in the Championship table collected victories on matchday 27. Middlesbrough first closed the gap with a 3-2 home win over West Bromwich Albion on 16 January, moving within three points overnight and briefly increasing the pressure on Coventry City before the leaders responded.

Ipswich Town, sitting third in the Championship table, recorded a convincing 3-0 victory over Blackburn Rovers in an early kick-off. Eiran Cashin, making a debut for Blackburn, turned the ball into his own net before Jack Taylor doubled the lead inside 12 minutes. Later, Sam Szmodics scored against former club Blackburn.

Millwall also strengthened their position in the Championship table with a controlled 2-0 success at Watford. Both goals arrived after half-time, from Femi Azeez and Josh Coburn, as Millwall capitalised on spaces in transition. Hull City added another away win, holding off a late rally from Southampton to secure a 2-1 result at St Mary’s.

Match	Score
Coventry City vs Leicester City	2-1
Middlesbrough vs West Bromwich Albion	3-2
Ipswich Town vs Blackburn Rovers	3-0
Watford vs Millwall	0-2
Southampton vs Hull City	1-2

Red cards, injuries and relegation pressure in the Championship table

There was significant discipline and injury drama affecting the lower half of the Championship table. Sheffield United finished with nine players at Charlton Athletic, with Djibril Soumare and Japhet Tanganga both dismissed before half-time. Sheffield United never recovered, eventually losing 1-0 and missing a chance to move away from danger.

Soumare received a red card for a challenge that saw Harvey Knibbs carried off on a stretcher, after medical staff treated the forward for several minutes. Tanganga then saw red for leading with an elbow on Sonny Carey. Carey had a decisive influence, later scoring the winning goal for Charlton Athletic early in the second half.

Norwich City claimed a vital 2-1 victory over Wrexham that could prove important near the bottom of the Championship table. The match paused for around 20 minutes due to a medical emergency in the stands, with players from both sides waiting while the situation was handled, before returning to finish the contest.

City W pic.twitter.com/4oQA1jb3lI Norwich City FC (@NorwichCityFC) January 17, 2026

Data debrief highlights pressure at top of Championship table

Statistics underlined how important Coventry City’s derby win was for the Championship table picture. It was only Coventry City’s second victory in 10 recent meetings with Leicester City, having drawn five and lost three of the previous nine, so the result ended a difficult sequence in this specific fixture.

Coventry City also entered the match with just two wins from eight Championship games, yet produced strong attacking numbers. Coventry City attempted 19 shots, generating an expected goals value of 2.45. Leicester City managed 14 efforts with 1.41 expected goals, suggesting the leaders created the clearer chances across the 90 minutes.

There was one more statistical landmark elsewhere in the Championship table. Sheffield United became the first team this season to receive more than one red card in a single Championship match. Charlton Athletic needed only 59 seconds of the second half to open the scoring, and that swift strike proved enough for three points.