Championship Review: Pukki late show puts Canaries back on top, QPR end City Ground hoodoo
QPR recorded their first win at Nottingham Forest in 35 attempts, while Norwich City and West Brom kept up the pressure on Leeds at the top.
Teemu Pukki's 86th-minute winner against Blackburn Rovers sent Norwich City back to the top of the Championship on Saturday, while QPR triumphed 1-0 at Nottingham Forest to end the longest away hoodoo in English football.
Norwich looked set to endure frustration at Ewood Park, but Pukki's late strike - one of countless late goals for the Canaries this term - earned a 1-0 win and ensured they moved two points ahead of Leeds United, who host Aston Villa on Sunday.
West Brom kept up the pressure on the top two with a resounding 4-0 win at Rotherham United as Dwight Gayle scored a hat-trick, yet fellow promotion chasers Derby County and Sheffield United were each held to draws - enabling Middlesbrough to move fourth with a 1-0 win at Reading - who appointed Jose Gomes as Paul Clement's replacement after the final whistle.
QPR's victory at the City Ground, secured by Toni Leistner's 45th-minute goal, represented a landmark success. Rangers had never previously won in 34 visits to Forest - the longest run without ever winning away at an opponent in all English competitions.
A day after parting company with Jos Luhukay, Sheffield Wednesday won 1-0 at home to Preston North End, who had Ben Pearson sent off after just 26 minutes.
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In recent weeks, Pukki has scored a dramatic injury-time clincher against Millwall, a game-sealing third goal versus Rotherham with six minutes remaining and another last-gasp winner to sink Bolton Wanderers.
The Finland international once again came up with the goods late on at Blackburn, tapping home an Onel Hernandez cross to secure a precious three points.
TEEMU DOES IT AGAIN!!! December 22, 2018
RAMPANT BAGGIES BRING UP HALF-CENTURY
Third-placed West Brom are comfortably the highest scorers in the division and took their tally to 50 at New York Stadium.
Gayle was the star of the show, grabbing a treble inside 54 minutes to take his tally for the season to 13, while Harvey Barnes was also on target.
Need a goal?Call ... December 22, 2018
A miserable afternoon for Rotherham, who remain three points above the relegation zone, was summed up by Ryan Manning hitting the post with a 76th-minute penalty.
Out-of-form Wigan Athletic also suffered a heavy defeat on Saturday, going down 3-0 at home to Birmingham City, who sit eighth.
IPSWICH EDGE CLOSER
The only team in the bottom five to pick up a point was Ipswich - the Championship's bottom side following up last week's win over Wigan with an impressive 1-1 draw against Sheffield United.
Paul Lambert's men are now just four points from safety, with fellow strugglers Bolton Wanderers and Millwall suffering respective defeats to Brentford and Stoke City.
Full-time scores in the Dominating victories for and , whilst a late goal sends back to the top of the table.Who's going home ? December 22, 2018