West Ham United returned to the top of the Championship table after a resounding 6‑0 win over Lincoln City at the ProAmpac Stadium. The match was dominated by the Hammers from the first minute, as striker Tom Hamer was dismissed for a second‑yellow card after just three minutes, leaving Lincoln to play with nine men. A further red card came for Conor McGrandles twenty minutes later, reducing the opposition to eight players. West Ham took the lead at half‑time when Konstantinos Mavropanos headed past the keeper, and the hosts went on to score five more goals in the second half. Edvin Austbø, Jarrod Bowen, Pablo and Tomas Souček added to the tally, with Souček netting twice to seal the victory. Lincoln struggled to contain the Hammers’ relentless attack and were unable to keep the scoreline respectable.
Southampton’s campaign also saw a hard‑fought 1‑0 triumph, this time against Norwich City, their fourth consecutive league defeat. The Saints’ win came after a narrow victory over Portsmouth earlier in the week, and they were buoyed by the early goal from Kuryu Matsuki in the second half. With the result, Southampton remain comfortably positioned in the upper half of the table after ten games, despite beginning the season with a four‑point deduction. Norwich, on the other hand, continue to hover near the bottom of the standings following another disappointing outing.
At Fratton Park, Portsmouth managed a 3‑2 comeback against Sheffield United, who were reduced to ten men after Hamza Choudhury’s second booking. Portsmouth’s comeback was sparked by a stunning long‑range strike from Zak Swanson and a tap‑in from Adrian Segecic before Choudhury’s dismissal. Sheffield United’s Japhet Tanganga and Tom Cannon equalised, but Portsmouth’s Ebou Adams, who came off the bench, scored an 89th‑minute winner to secure the club’s third victory of the campaign. The win marked the first time the club has won back‑to‑back matches this season.
Meanwhile, Queens Park Rangers continued their strong start to the campaign with a 4‑1 victory over Derby County at home. The hosts opened the scoring with a goal from Alfie Lloyd, followed by a penalty converted by Nicolas Madsen and a third from Harvey Vale, all before the half‑time whistle. Paul Smyth added a fourth for QPR midway through the second half, while Derby’s Lars‑Jørgen Salvesen scored a consolation goal in the closing minutes. The result keeps QPR in a comfortable position as they look to maintain their momentum in the coming fixtures.