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It feels apt that after the final round of fixtures in 2025, the picture in this crazy Championship campaign got a whole lot murkier!

The top two both lost at home and failed to score, meaning there are now only two points separating Middlesbrough, Ipswich and Hull in second, third and fourth - albeit with Coventry still eight points clear at the top.

While from fifth to 12th, only five points separate a bunch of clubs in the hunt for the play-offs. Even go as far as Sheffield United in 17th, nine points adrift and the Blades will think a top-six push is not out of the question in 2026.

And if we take Sheffield Wednesday's place at the bottom as almost given, there is a scramble to avoid the two other places signposted 'League One'.

It's been crazy and breathless again tonight and we have only got 61 hours before we are ready to go again on Thursday lunchtime.

Happy New Year everyone, wherever you are seeing it in.

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There is little time to digest tonight's results because the Championship is back in action in about 62 hours!

• Blackburn v Wrexham (12:30 GMT)
• Bristol City v Portsmouth
• Charlton v Coventry
• Derby v Middlesbrough
• Hull v Stoke
• Ipswich v Oxford
• Preston v Sheff Wed
• QPR v Norwich
• Southampton v Millwall
• Swansea v West Brom
• Watford v Birmingham
• Sheff Utd v Leicester (17:30 GMT)

Stoke City

It's common for fans to show their displeasure for a manager or team when conceding a goal or at full-time, but it rarely happens for a substitution.

But that's what Stoke boss Mark Robins dealt with when he made four second-half changes in his side's 2-1 defeat to Sheffield United.

Robins told BBC Radio Stoke: “You can make changes, and by the way, the changes that I made, I don't like the booing, because we've got a limited squad and those players need the support as well as anybody else.

“I don't like that. They're all trying, regardless of what people think. For whatever reason, you know, I'll make those changes. When that happens, I don't expect my substitutions to be booed.

"You know, you don't expect that because it’s done at the right time for the right reasons.

“We're all on the same page, and we're all supportive, and we hate losing games of football, all of us, collectively, all of us.

"But you win them together, and you lose them together, and you draw them together, and in the second half, I know that that performance was much, much better and what the supporters expect."

Millwall

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Millwall are back in the Championship's top six with their win over Bristol City.

They will finish 2025 in fifth place.

Boss Alex Neil has told BBC Radio London:

"I thought it ebbed and flowed. First 30 minutes, I thought we were very good and then they got on top of the game right before half time for about 15 minutes.

"I thought we started well in the first couple of minutes of the second half and then they wrestled control of the game for the next 20-25 minutes at that point.

"The game really shifted in our favour when we brought the likes of [Thierno] Ballo on.

"It was nice to see Macca [Macaulay Langstaff] get the winning goal. I thought Camiel Neghli - the amount of ground that he covered in the game was incredible. [There were] A lot of good performances in there.

"What I can say for the players is they don't give up. They've got a lot about them."

Hull City

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Hull City pulled off a big win at Middlesbrough to move within two points of the automatic promotion spots thanks to Darko Gyabi's early goal.

Boro had 23 shots and 70% of the ball, but could not find a way through the Tigers defence and goalkeeper Ivor Pandur, leaving head coach Sergej Jakirovic delighted.

The Bosnian told BBC Radio Humberside: "We were almost perfect in the defensive phase because we knew Middlesbrough would have the ball and are really dangerous.

"They have the biggest possession [percentage] in this league, and that’s the reason we changed our system today so we had control in the middle zone to try to direct them on the sides and then when they had a cross in our box we had control there.

"We were very good in this and when we used our chance through Darko. At the end of the game I didn’t feel we were struggling. They try to put you under pressure with crosses or shooting, but if we didn’t stop it with the [outfield] players then Ivor made two saves.

"I cannot be unhappy today because we got three points in a very difficult place."

West Bromwich Albion

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After a tough few weeks, West Brom boss Ryan Mason can sleep easier tonight after his side saw off QPR 2-1 at the Hawthorns.

It was just a second win in six for the Baggies.

Head Coach Ryan Mason told BBC Radio WM: "Happy with the win, happy to respond because that was the most important thing today just to find a way to win.

"I thought it was really good value. We played a good game. We were disciplined. We created numerous chances to score more goals.

"Unfortunate to concede, but I thought the players played a good game and we deserved to win. The challenge now is to get ready to go again.

"I think you’re maybe nervous when you concede opportunities, but I don't think we were conceding anything.

"Maybe that's a feeling in the stadium at the moment because of where we are in the league but I felt really comfortable.

"If anything, I was a bit disappointed we didn't score a third or a fourth because the chances were there, we had opportunities."

Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough lost to fourth-placed Hull City as the gap between the sides narrowed to two points.

It is now three games without a win - and a goal for Boro - and head coach Kim Hellberg is disappointed at how the goals have dried up.

The Swede told BBC Radio Tees: “Making a game look like this and coming away without any points - that’s not good enough. At the moment we’re not scoring any goals, and we have to be honest with that - we’re not good enough in those moments.

“You can look at the last three games, not scoring a goal from something like 70 shots. That’s not good enough so we have to work with that part.

“Sometimes the ball just doesn’t want to go in, but you also have to look at the quality in the finishing, how we get players in the best positions to finish, and that’s what I have to look at.

“We had 23 shots, and they had one shot on target and made it count.”

Watford

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Watford manager Javi Gracia was pleased with his side's character as the Hornets moved into the play-off places for the first time this campaign thanks to a last-minute winner away at Norwich.

He told BBC Three Counties Radio:

"I love working at Christmas! It's something I never thought that I could say, it's something amazing to get three wins in a row.

"This spirit, the team with all the players involved as well, it's something to be proud of.

"The most important [thing] is they believe they can do it, they believe the way they are training, they believe the way they are competing. This way they are much better as a team."

Bristol City

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Bristol City dropped out of the Championship play-off places with a 2-1 loss at Millwall.

They will finish the year in eighth place.

Boss Gerhard Struber has told BBC Radio Bristol:

"They had an X-factor that they win this game against us but we have to be critical with how we defended, it's not the standard where you can win here at Millwall.

"It's painful and very frustrating today - twice we weren't ready to defend and we controlled many times in the game and had enough moments in transition and possession and it's difficult to take.

"The boys invested a lot today and were outstanding in their fight but sometimes in our decision making we weren't ready and it changed the result and it feels terrible."

Blackburn Rovers

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Blackburn Rovers drew a second Christmas fixture 0-0 after sharing the points with bottom side Sheffield Wednesday, leaving boss Valerien Ismael frustrated at not turning one point into three.

He told BBC Radio Lancashire: "Second half, we are not hitting the target. We put ourselves in a position to shoot, to create chances, but we are hitting the target.

"It is something to work on. That is what we missed today, that goal to help us.

"It is now pressure on the next game, home against Wrexham. Win the game and it's an incredible run. Lose the game and it's tough."

Norwich City

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Norwich are four points adrift of safety as they lost to a 90th-minute Watford goal.

It's the Canaries eighth home defeat from 12 games this season.

Boss Philippe Clement has told BBC Radio Norfolk:

"It was a good game, not open and attractive as they were two teams who defended really well.

"We were dominating physically and technically and they were struggling to stay in the game.

"I think the big thing is we had more good opportunities than the opponents but we need to score one or two goals from that and you have a different game.

"They are things we can work on in the transfer window but also with the players here.

"We know there's still a long way to go - [we have] to be focused on the performance and then the points will come"

Leicester City

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Leicester ended a two-game losing streak and recorded a league double over Derby.

Head coach Marti Cifuentes told BBC Radio Leicester:

“In this league you need to grind it out, and definitely I’m happy. And I’m especially happy for the fans, they were outstanding today and I appreciate that for what has been a tough year for everyone.

“The players did a good job in a very difficult game, they fought and did their best during difficult moments in the second half.

“It’s always important [to win a derby game]. We played them a few weeks ago and managed to get three points after a good first half, and today the first half was very good again.

“It was disappointing to take the lead and to concede so soon after, but the guys showed the kind of mentality we ask them to have.”

Derby County

Derby County lost for the ninth time in their past 10 league games against Leicester.

Rhian Brewster had equalised for the Rams before Jordan James won it for the home side.

Derby boss John Eustace told BBC Radio Derby:

"Obviously very disappointed to lose the game - the lads put 100% effort in, we just lacked that bit of quality in the final third.

"They were two really poor goals [to concede] - it's disappointing but the effort was there for everyone to see.

"We got into some good areas but it's what we've got to keep working on and believing in - both goals are down to losing that bit of concentration and we're getting punished for it."

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A little over three weeks ago, Hull ended the weekend in ninth after being thumped at home by Middlesbrough.

They have put together four wins and a draw since then and are now two points and two places behind Boro in second.

Remarkably, the game they did not win was away to Sheffield Wednesday in typical Championship fashion.

Coventry City

Coventry remain eight points clear at the top of the Championship despite falling to their first home defeat of the season.

Boss Frank Lampard spoke to BBC CWR:

"It's disappointing but sometimes you just have to say we weren't quite at our usual best and the opposition are a really strong team and we lost the game.

"I think we can pat ourselves on the back as a whole group because of where we've managed to get to - if you'd asked people at the start of the season where'd you want to be at new year and then see where we are, you'd go 'wow'.

"The important thing now is the reaction behind the scenes, it's our job to analyse it pretty quickly because the next game comes in a few days and I'll be asking a lot of the players to go again.

"We had 20 minutes in the second half when we looked a bit more like ourselves but otherwise they played well so I'm not going to cry about a deflection [which put Ipswich in front], sometimes that happens."

Ipswich Town

Ipswich Town are now just two points outside the Championship's automatic promotion places as they became the first side to win a league game at Coventry this season.

It is also a league double for the Suffolk side over the Sky Blues.

Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna told BBC Radio Suffolk:

"In the first half, we took control of the game from the off, showed real confidence, belief, intensity - the quality of our play and connections through the pitch were really good and showed the growth in the team.

"We stuck at it in the second half and got the reward of the goals that the performance deserved.

"The second goal was one of the moments of the season, a special moment for Wes [Burns], a brilliant moment for the medical staff that have worked with him - even as a manager there are some goals that are more special and Wes scoring that one in the last game of the year was a top moment.

"Of course, it gives the group a bit more belief in themselves and the direction of travel - I know we work hard and work well but you want results to validate it and of course big results can validate it a little bit more."

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Coventry's defeat is not too costly as they remain eight points clear at the top but Middlesbrough's loss to Hull City is a blow for the Teessiders with the Tigers now only two points behind them.

Ipswich also move within two points of second-placed Boro with that victory at the Sky Blues.

Millwall are back in the top six and what an impact Javi Gracia is having at Watford who are into the play-off places for the first time this season.

Oxford's defeat and that late win for Portsmouth means the U's are back in the relegation zone while Norwich are four points adrift as a result of that late loss to Watford.