Simeon Gholam’s Championship score predictions

Simeon Gholam’s Championship score predictions have been revealed ahead of the next round of matches for the 2025/26 season.

The ex-Nottingham Forest, Southampton, Leeds, Swindon, Sheffield Wednesday, and England U21 footballer who currently works as a presenter, pundit, and commentator, has given his verdict.

Watch plenty of games live across Sky Sports with highlights of the other EFL matches on Sky Sports News, ITV and YouTube.

It’s set up to be another exciting season, with many soccer scores to keep an eye on across the world.

Sky Sports duo Simeon Gholam and Tommy Smith (late replacement for David Prutton) gave a preview heading into the next game of the regular season, predicting the results of every fixture; listen to the podcast below or via any of your regular podcast providers. Transcribed with the help of TurboScribe!

BLACKBURN v COVENTRY

Simeon: Coventry, of course, need just one more point to guarantee promotion. Blackburn still a bit of work to do to make sure they avoid the drop. They lost 3-0 at Southampton on Tuesday night. They’re four points clear of the bottom three. But they have now played a game in hand more than more than all the sides below them heading into the weekend. And of course, by the time this game’s done, they’ll play two more games than everyone else below them. But this game is obviously plenty of jeopardy at the top and the bottom. Coventry, very nearly there, but just need that little bit extra to get over the line.

Tommy: Yeah, Coventry are there. They’re done now. They need a point, as you’ve just said there. And they will get that. And they will finish the league as deserved champions. I think they’ve been excellent throughout. They’ve had little hiccups here and there throughout the season. But ultimately, they’ve been the most consistent team. When you look at the season and where we’re at now, the league table doesn’t lie. And Coventry are at the top of the league. And as I say, they deserve to be there. So whenever they get the job done, whether it be on Friday against Blackburn or whether it be the following week, I think they’ve got a game midweek as well, they will get the job done and they’ll celebrate. And they’ll absolutely deserve to be champions of the division. Just flipping the table on its head and going to Blackburn, do you know what? They’ve not actually been in bad form as of late. I know they got a good see-in to by Southampton, which on any given day can happen to any team in the league the way Southampton are going at the minute. But prior to that game, Blackburn have been in decent form. They’ve got a few draws, which I’m sure they would like to obviously turn into wins. But they are, as you’ve just said, they are still very much in the mix for relegation. And it’s not helped them that the teams around them are all sort of picking up points now. We’re at the stage of the season where any three points are massive for them sort of teams. I mean, you look at the result that Pompey had against Ipswich, what an unbelievable result that is for them. So because of that, Blackburn is still well and truly in the mix. So they’ll be looking for a positive outcome on Friday night as well.

Simeon: As we said with Blackburn, you said the team’s picking up points around. We’ve obviously also got the situation with West Brom that we don’t know what’s going to happen there in terms of potential points deductions and stuff, which could throw another spanner in the works. But we’ll get on to that later. We’ll talk about West Brom and all the other teams. But in terms of Friday night, if you’re Coventry, would you rather you just want to get this done? They’re almost over the line. Or do you want to wait and do it in front of your home fans if you can? But then there’s also obviously a situation where if they do lose on Friday night, they could end up getting promoted when they’re not even playing on Saturday or Sunday. So what would you prefer as a player?

Tommy: Do you want me to tell you something? I’ve thought this for years, right? I don’t know whether you’ve been to Ewood Park in recent times, but for some reason, I don’t know what it is, but Ewood Park always seemed to give the away side a huge allocation of tickets. I don’t know whether you’ve seen that or you’ve seen it on the telly but for the latter stages of my career, sorry, we always used to get a massive allowance of tickets at Blackburn. I’m talking like £6,000, £7,000 we had at Middlesbrough. So I imagine, I could be wrong, I imagine that on Friday night, that away end at Ewood will be absolutely packed to the rafters. So if you were giving me the option between what you just said there about potentially winning away from home and winning the league there or winning when you’re not even playing, I would much rather win on Friday night under the lights on the television at Ewood Park. Make no mistake about that. If there’s 6,000 or 7,000 Coventry fans there, it’ll be some occasion, believe you and me.

Simeon: Might be a few and stuck into the home end as well. Coventry unbeaten in the last 10 against Blackburn, winning five, drawing five. That’s not something we condone, of course, but there’s a possibility it might happen. They have also not lost at Ewood Park since 1997. So Tommy, you’ve got too much respect in the game to do this type of thing.

Simeon’s score predictions: 1-1 draw

PORTSMOUTH v LEICESTER

Simeon: It’s been a brilliant, brilliant week for Portsmouth. Two wins in a row against Middlesbrough and Ipswich. Not many people would have predicted that or seen that coming. And it’s lifted them four points clear of the bottom three, which is a really, really solid spot for them to be in. What Leicester would give for that. Absolute misery for them at the moment. Beaten home by Swansea last weekend and find themselves five points adrift of safety heading into the weekend, which is just, it’s a crazy position for them to be in. This is must-win for Leicester and it’s a good position for Portsmouth to be in, in terms of a chance to really, really almost take one big step into securing their Championship status as well. So it’s all to play for, Fratton Park, isn’t it?

Tommy: I mean, I’m covering the game Saturday. I’m really looking forward to it. It had all the makings of a real, real six-pointer, but based on what happened last night, I think now Portsmouth are in a position where they can actually go and take a point from the game. Leicester are in, I think Leicester are done. Sim, I’ll be totally honest with you. I don’t think Leicester have got enough in the team, in the dressing room to get three wins out of four. And I think that’s where they’re at right now. They need three wins out of four games because of the points the teams are picking up. As we’ve just spoke about Pompey, the sort of, the last four games they’ve had, the two wins, two draws against some real tough, tough opposition, you know, to get a point away at Norwich, to obviously win away at Boro, and then to win last night against Ipswich. That’s real good signs of life from a team who have been struggling for long periods of the season. And Leicester just haven’t had that. They’ve just not had that consistency. I mean, since Gary Rowett’s been in the club, they’ve had a lot of draws. They’ve won one game since he’s been in there, which is just not the sort of impact that he will have wanted to have had. Them draws at this stage of the season, Sim, they’re pretty pointless. They’re neither here nor there. I think you’d rather lose and win rather than draw three or four, you know. And I think that’s where Leicester are at. They just don’t seem to have enough sort of fight, certainly not as of yet. And the games are running out. Like I say, this game on Saturday against Portsmouth is a big one for them. But I do believe, because of the result last night, I almost feel like Leicester are done now. I really do believe that even if they go to Fratton Park and win on Saturday, I still feel like they’ve got to win two more games out of the remaining three. And that is not going to be easy for a team who are just not winning football matches. So really intriguing game on Saturday. But I do believe that Portsmouth have got a big amount of breathing space now with that fantastic win last night.

Simeon: May 2nd is the final day of the season. Leicester might not even make it that far, but 10 years ago on May 2nd, they were celebrating winning the Premier League title. That famous night where Chelsea got the draw against Tottenham and all the celebrations for the Leicester fans was also on May 2nd. It’s just amazing what’s happened to this club since. The last three meetings between these sides have all been 1-1 draws.

Simeon’s score prediction. I’m going for a Portsmouth win. I just don’t see Leicester having the fight or the result. I’m going Portsmouth 1, Leicester City 0.

DERBY v OXFORD

Simeon: Derby still with a shot of the playoffs, find themselves five points off sixth with four games to go. Oxford two points adrift of safety. Obviously, they will, as I’ve mentioned, the West Brom news could impact them, but we just don’t know what’s going to happen with that yet. So we can’t really speculate on it. They’re the side above Oxford as well. But Oxford have shown some real resolve with late. Derby, you know, keep winning and you never know what’s going to happen. Still, at this stage, a lot to play from three points to go a long way to helping Derby, especially with Hull slipping up last weekend as well.

Tommy: Yeah, I think Derby, whatever happens now over these next three games, I think you’d have to really applaud the job that John Eustace has done at Derby for them to be in contention. I mean, are they in contention? I think they’ve just left it a little bit… I think they’re going to come up short, Sim. I do think that the top six is probably a little bit too far away from now. Listen, we’ve seen stranger things happen and there is every chance that Derby might nick into it over these next three games, four games. But I just think the teams that are above them have got a little bit too much at this stage. But going back to what I’ve just said, I think the job that John Eustace has done to have them in that position that they are has been brilliant and make no mistake about it, they’ll go again next season. I’m absolutely convinced of that in terms of what they’ve brought into the football club and all that type of stuff. So they’ll go again next year. Tough game on Saturday for them because, I mean, Oxford have shown some resolve, as you’ve just rightly said. I think they’re unbeaten in three now in the league at a crucial time. I’ve seen a lot of Oxford these last few weeks and are they pretty to watch? No. Are they efficient in what they’re doing? Are they a little bit ugly and a little bit off the cuff? Yes. But they’ve got the results in the last three games and they’ve given themselves a hell of a chance of staying in the division. I think before Matt Bloomfield came into the club, when Gary was there, I think there was a feeling amongst a lot of people that Oxford were sort of done. They were in a position where they couldn’t really claw it back. But they’ve actually given themselves an unbelievable chance now. And listen, it might get to the end of the season and they might be one of the teams who actually fall soon. It could well happen. But I think to have given themselves a chance as well as they have is great. It’s great for the league. It’s great for the jeopardy we talk about. Because what we don’t want to see is we don’t want to see teams already relegated prior to the season ending. So I think that Oxford are well and truly still in the mix is a fantastic achievement. And I do genuinely hope that they stay up because teams like that who come into the Championship from League One, it’s great that they can compete. We don’t want to see teams get promoted and relegated straight away. So the fact that they’ve given themselves a chance, fair play to them.

Simeon: Derby have just one win in their last five against Oxford. So not the best record against them. Obviously a few of those games happening down in league one.

Simeon’s score prediction: I want to say 0-0 but I can’t bring myself to say 0-0. I just think Derby struggle at home against teams that play deep. And Oxford have had some really, really good results away from home against sides at the higher end of the league.

Tommy: But Sim, sorry to interrupt, but can Oxford play deep at this stage of the season? This is the only problem, isn’t it?

Simeon: I think it’s just the way they play regardless. I think they’ll go for it. They’ll attack. But I say deep, I don’t, I mean they’ll play, you know, try and win set pieces, that kind of thing. I don’t think it’ll be a pure play for nil. I don’t think they’ll play for 0-0, but I think it will be 0-0.

MILLWALL v QPR

Simeon: Millwall drew at West Brom last time out to follow a defeat at Norwich. They’ve slipped up a little, but they’ve been given the incentive obviously of Ipswich slipping up in midweek. So they are just two points off them still, although they have played a game and panned more. QPR mid-table, so we really need to sort of approach this from a Millwall perspective. But a game that’s for Millwall and a big chance for them to put some pressure on Ipswich again in second.

Tommy: It’s a huge one for Millwall. Again, I think you’re right. You’re definitely right in saying from a QPR point of view, it’s sort of neither here or there really. They are mid-table now. Interesting because when you are mid-table like that, you can look at it from both sides. You see them get absolutely walloped in one game and then you go and see them put six past it in another. So it’s a bit of a strange one being mid-table when you’re a team like QPR because there’s nothing really to play for and sometimes that gives you the element of freedom to go and play, but also gives you sometimes a little bit of like, oh, do we need this game type of mentality? So that’ll be an interesting one from QPR. But just to flip it back to Millwall, this is a real, real big incentive for Millwall this Saturday being the early kickoff at home at the Den. The atmosphere, as you’ll imagine, will be absolutely amazing, I’m sure. And it gives them a chance to go second in the league again before anyone else has played. So that’s a big incentive for Millwall and I think from a psychological point of view, it’ll be a really good one from their point of view if they can do that. I think, you know, when you actually strip it back, Sim, as well, and you talk about Millwall, you know, we’re 42 games into a season now and I think the majority of people, myself included, would have not have had Millwall down as where they are right now. And I think when you actually look at the bigger picture and think how well they’ve done as a football club to be in this position, you know, the job that the whole football club, the manager, the players, everyone has done to be where they are right now and they are still swinging, by the way. You know, there’s there’s no element of them dropping out now or, you know, like they have done in previous years where they sort of get to a level and they just sort of fade away. Make no mistake, they have not faded away. They are still well and truly in the mix for automatic promotion. And I think irrelevant of the style, irrelevant of what people may think of the football club or how they play or whatever it is, they are in the mix and fair play to them because, as I say, they could win on Saturday at half 12 and go second in the league. And I think at this stage of the season, you’ve got to take your hat off to them. You really do.

Simeon: Millwall have lost just one of the last six games against QPR, winning four in that time as well. Yep.

Simeon’s score prediction: I’m going to go for Millwall to bounce back here and get a win. I’m going to say Millwall 2-0 QPR.

IPSWICH v MIDDLESBROUGH

Simeon: Ipswich beaten at Portsmouth midweek, still in control of second spot heading into the weekend, might not be there by Sunday. But they also, as I’ve said, missed a really, really big chance to open that gap at Pompey in midweek. They head into the weekend, as I said, two points clear of third place of a game in hand might not be there by Sunday. I reiterate that point. Middlesbrough are on a really, really, really miserable run. You’ll be as aware of that as anyone, Tom, dropped to fifth in midweek as well. But this is a real, real chance for them to get in the right direction. It’s an incentive to try and right the wrongs. They’ve kind of got nothing to lose now, haven’t they, in terms of where they found themselves?

Tommy: Yeah, I would agree with the majority of that. There’s no denying that it’s not been a great run. The evidence is there in terms of the results. At this stage of the season, you’ve almost got to look at results over performances, unfortunately. As I’ve said on numerous occasions now, I watch every game that Middlesbrough play and from a performance point of view, it’s not been far off. It really hasn’t, and that’s just me being truthful. Yes, there’s been elements that have not been as good as they have been over the course of the season, but largely the performances have been relatively good. Now, we’re in a stage of the season where results are the most important thing. I don’t think I’m alone in saying that. I think at this stage, you need results, you need wins, and Middlesbrough haven’t got enough of them in recent games. But when you look at the table in terms of the teams that are above and the teams that are below, Middlesbrough are still in there as well, just as I’ve said about Millwall. It’s a big game on Sunday, there’s no denying that. It really is a big game for both teams, really, certainly with Millwall playing the day before. So, there’s still a lot to play for and it just shows how competitive the league is, when you look at it, because the run that Middlesbrough have been on in this last sort of 9, 10, 11 games, they are still very much in the mix for automatic promotion. Obviously, Ipswich getting beat by Portsmouth, as we’ve just spoke about, Millwall getting beat by Norwich last week. All these teams are taking points off each other, so it really does make for a fascinating end to the season, because there’s three or four teams. You have to throw Southampton into the mix as well, which I’m sure we’ll come on to, but there’s Millwall, there’s Middlesbrough, there’s Southampton and there’s Ipswich. You’re all going for that sort of second spot. So, a really interesting game on Sunday. Obviously, I’m really hoping for a turnaround in form for my team and I hope that Middlesbrough can go there and do a job. It’ll be tough, of course it will, but at this stage of the season, every game’s tough. So, yeah, I’ll be watching that one with one eye shut, for sure.

Simeon: Ipswich have just one win in the last 10 against Middlesbrough and they’ve lost six at that time as well.

Simeon’s score prediction: I am not going to look at you when I say this, Tom. I’m going to cover you on the screen because I can’t bring myself to look you in the eye when I say I think Ipswich are going to win. I think it’s going to be Ipswich 2, Middlesbrough 1.

BRISTOL CITY v NORWICH

Simeon: This is mid-table, so I’m just going to tell you what I think the score is going to be, Tom. I think it’s going to be 1-1.

HULL v BIRMINGHAM

Simeon: Hull start the weekend in sixth, four points off Wrexham in seventh. Wrexham, of course, lost to Birmingham last time out. Birmingham, nothing to play for. Hull still in control of that sixth spot. Do you think they’ll still have that spot by the end of the season, Tommy?

Tommy: That’s a good question, Sim, because at one point I did feel like Wrexham would be the team who could sneak in. I really did feel that. I thought that Hull would be the team who dropped out and I thought Southampton had obviously solidified their spot already. But again, results are dictating outcomes at the minute and to be fair to Hull, they’ve hung in there. Wrexham are still only four points adrift of them, so it’s still in Hull’s hands, but Wrexham are close behind. So any sort of slip-ups, I’m sure Wrexham will be there ready to pounce. But interesting one. I’ll go with Wrexham because I did say Wrexham a few weeks back and I’m not entirely sure. I like the idea of changing my mind within the space of a week just because of a couple of results. So I will stick with Wrexham getting in there at the expense of Hull.

Simeon’s score prediction: I respect that. I think it’ll be Hull because I think they’ll win 1-0 against Birmingham City.

PRESTON v WEST BROM

Simeon: Preston are in mid-table. West Brom start the weekend two points clear of the bottom three. And with recent news that we’ve touched upon several times, they need points as well. Regardless, they’re in a position of real jeopardy, Tommy, West Brom. They’ve kind of felt like they were getting out of it a little bit, and now they’ve really dropped back into it. Points deduction or no points deduction, potentially.

Tommy: Well, I’ll tell you one thing, Sim. It’s a good job since James Morrison’s come in that they’ve actually had some good results because if this points deduction does go through, I mean, I’m not fully equipped enough to know exactly where it’s at, how many points it’s going to be, if it’s going to happen, whatever is going on at the football club, I don’t know. But what I can comment on is the results that they’ve had since Morrison’s been at the football club. They’re on a decent run of form, really decent run of form. Probably had a little bit too many draws if we’re nitpicking. But they’ve given themselves points on the board, which is all they could do because at some point before James Morrison was appointed as the manager of the football club, they were in real trouble. They were in real, real trouble in terms of the performances, in terms of the results. So, James Morrison coming in and steadying the ship and giving them a platform to sort of go and push on. He’s done great and they’ve given themselves a fighting chance. So, they’ll just be hoping that they don’t get any sort of deductions at all between now and the end of the season.

Simeon’s score prediction: Not enough goals in their team at the moment, though. I’m going to go for a 1-0 Preston win here.

SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY v CHARLTON

Simeon: Sheffield Wednesday up to minus four now after that draw at Coventry last weekend that stopped the Sky Blues from getting promoted. Four points off getting to zero and that is something for them to really aim for now. They don’t want to be the first team in history to finish the season on minus points. Charlton win this and they are safe, realistically.

Simeon’s score prediction: I think this will be a Charlton 1-0 win and it won’t be a pretty watch.

SWANSEA v SOUTHAMPTON

Simeon: Swansea are mid-table but in decent form, especially at home. Southampton are just absolutely relentless right now in how they’ve charged into the automatic contention. A win here and they move level on points of Ipswich for 24 hours, which is just absolutely wild. Southampton, Tommy, can they finish second this season?

Tommy: Of course they can. Of course they can. If you’d have asked me this question four or five weeks ago, I would say no, too much to do. But it just shows what can happen when you get momentum, when you get consistency. I mean, to think that they are actually, like I’ve just said before, they’re actually three points off second is absolutely wild, as you’ve just put it. The run that they’ve been on, they are blowing teams away, not only in the league. We’re talking about the beating teams in the FA Cup. They’re in an FA Cup semi-final, which is just incredible, really. I did think that the previous round that Southampton were in against Arsenal might have hampered them a little bit in the league, but it’s done anything but they’ve just continued that momentum. So can they finish in the automatics? Yes, they absolutely can. Do I want them to? Absolutely not, no. But all shall be revealed in the next couple of weeks. But a hell of a run that they’ve been on and brilliant achievement from all of the football club.

Simeon’s score prediction: I’m going for a Southampton 3-1 win.

WATFORD v SHEFFIELD UNITED

Simeon: I’m going for a Sheffield United win here, 2-1.

WREXHAM v STOKE

Simeon: Wrexham, four points off the top six, need a win here against the mid-table side. You’ve already told me that you think Wrexham are going to get into the top six, Tommy. So I imagine you think Wrexham are going to win here. Do you want to offer us a prediction to finish this off or shall I do it?

Tommy: Yes, no, do you know what? I think it’ll be a home win. I think Stoke, they’ve rid of the buffers haven’t they, let’s be honest. They’ve not been competitive enough this season, throughout the course of the season. They started the season very well and again, probably needed that based on how they’ve been post-Christmas. So yeah, I think Wrexham will win. I think they’ll have too much for a Stoke team who are not really playing for anything at the minute. They’re not going down. They’re certainly not going to threaten the playoffs. So yeah, very mediocre season for Stoke and I do think Wrexham will win the game 2-0.

Simeon’s score prediction: I would have said 2-1

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