The Championship promotion saw no let up this weekend as the leaders in the race for automatic promotion all won.
With Leeds United having a weekend off, and Bristol City in the FA Cup, there was a chance for West Brom, Sheffield United and Norwich City to all take advantage.
All three sides won, and rather comfortably too.
The Canaries dispatched Bolton Wanderers, the Blades battered Reading and the Baggies disposed of rivals Aston Villa.
As ever, the EFL on Quest panel dissected the big talking points from the weekend’s key fixtures.
This Saturday, presenter Colin Murray was joined in the studio by former Rochdale defender Joe Thompson [JT] and regular pundit Dean Ashton [DA].
SHEFFIELD UTD v READING
Manager Chris Wilder decided to make a few changes against the Royals, that involved resting a number of key players.
Top scorer Billy Sharp made way for Gary Madine, who repaid his manager’s faith by netting.
JT : “Leaving Billy Sharp out might have been seen as a risk, but Gary Madine has come in and scored two goals and done really well, and Scott Hogan has come in and settled in really well, so... masterstroke!
DA : “Chris Basham and Jack O’Connell are [usually] so important in the way that they play and get forward. [Martin] Cranie has come in and [Enda] Stevens has come in and two clean sheets. As a manager, you’ve got to be delighted."
PRESTON v NOTTINGHAM FOREST
It was goalless at Deepdale as the Lilywhites entertained Forest.
The visitors, who still harbour hopes of finishing the season in the top six, did find the net here, but Joe Lolley’s strike was disallowed by the officials.
DA : “My first instinct is that it’s a foul by Ryan Yates... I still think it’s a free kick because he doesn’t get any of the ball. I think Martin O’Neill just feels a bit sorry for himself.”
IPSWICH v STOKE
The spoils were shared as the Potters visited the division’s basement club.
James McClean took advantage of a defensive mix up to give the away side the lead, but Will Keane equalised for Ipswich in stoppage time.
It’s another game without a win for the Tractor Boys, though.
DA : “There’s plenty of character in that Ipswich side and they keep trying and putting the effort in for their manager, but when you give teams goals like this what sort of chance have you got? Especially when you’re a side that doesn’t score many goals. And that is why I just feel like, for me, Ipswich are already gone.”
ROTHERHAM v SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY
In what was a hotly contested Yorkshire derby, the game here finished 2-2. Dominic Iorfa, on his Owls debut, rescued a stoppage time point.
There was controversy though, when Michael Ihiekwe only saw yellow for a nasty looking foul on Fernando Forestieri - the striker was then shown red himself for his celebrations in injury time.
DA : “It’s so obvious. He’s gone diving in with a straight leg at shin height - if that’s not a red then I don’t know what is.
“As soon as you’re off the ground with straight legs I think you’re almost asking for a red card.”
Villa 0 Albion 2
ASTON VILLA v WEST BROM
Hal Robson-Kanu and Jay Rodriguez earned the bragging rights for the Baggies with a goal apiece right before half time.
It was Albion’s seventh win in eight away matches and the pundits were quick to applaud the job Darren Moore is doing.
JT : “You would have thought that, with Darren being a defender all of his career, that... he would have gone in and built the defensive foundations first. But he’s gone in, gone front foot, but he’s got the balance now.”
Villa, though, are now facing a struggle to make the play-offs after two defeats in the space of four days.
JT : “I think they play-offs now are out of reach for Aston Villa, so for Dean Smith, he is going to have to re-group for the summer and start putting plans in place.”
DA : “It’s going to cost them [Villa’s home form], it’s what’s going to mean that they fall short at this moment in time.”
BOLTON v NORWICH
The Canaries were clinical as they tore apart Bolton on their own turf.
Teemu Pukki found the net once again as Daniel Farke’s side bounced back from their defeat at Preston midweek in comprehensive fashion.
Both Joe and Dean were left impressed as the Norfolk outfit regained top spot.
JT : “Quite a few people have been looking at Norwich following the defeat in midweek and it was a convincing win; fluid football, a masterclass with 70% possession.”
DA: “Most teams now know exactly how Norwich are going to play, but you can’t stop them. They’re so confident, comfortable in possession and they had a swagger about them today.
“Considering the result against Preston, you might have forgiven them coming out and being a bit cautious - they absolutely weren’t. The goals are a joy to watch and it’s that end product that they didn’t have last season.”
