Scott Parker saw his Burnley side record another statement victory, beating Cardiff 5-0 in his first home game in charge since replacing Vincent Kompany as manager. The Clarets built on their impressive opening day 4-1 win at Luton with an assertive performance at Turf Moor, which started with Ethan Horvath’s mishap giving Burnley an early lead.
Horvath’s miscontrol of a back pass was followed by a first-half strike from Luca Koleosho, with Josh Brownhill, Zeki Amdouni and Johann Berg Gudmundsson netting after the break as Burnley look to bounce back from last season’s relegation.
QPR fought back from two goals down to secure a 2-2 draw at Sheffield United. Gustavo Hamer and Kieffer Moore put the home side 2-0 up inside 13 minutes as the Blades looked to make it three straight wins in all competitions to start the new season. But Rangers hit back with second-half goals from Jimmy Dunne and Lyndon Dykes, despite having substitute Jack Colback sent off when trailing 2-1 with seven minutes left.
Leeds’ winless start to the new season continued with a 0-0 draw against West Brom at the Hawthorns, but there were plenty of goals at Ashton Gate where substitute Scott Twine volleyed an 88th-minute winner as Bristol City edged out Millwall 4-3.
The hosts took the lead inside three minutes when Sinclair Armstrong got behind the Millwall defence on the right and his cross found Anis Mehmeti who netted with a right-footed volley. It was 2-0 in the 12th minute, the powerful Armstrong rising unmarked to net with a downward header. Millwall struck back after 51 minutes, Romain Esse burying a low right-footed shot past Max O’Leary. Three minutes later the Lions were level as Tom Bradshaw sent O’Leary the wrong way from the penalty spot after George Tanner had blocked a Duncan Watmore header with a hand.
Watmore then put Millwall ahead in the 64th minute with a quality strike, superbly steering a high right-footed volley beyond O’Leary’s dive from 12 yards. But back came City, substitute Fally Mayulu exchanging passes with Bird before sending a low drive just inside the far post with 12 minutes remaining.
Twine’s winner came the day after he completed a permanent move from Burnley, having been on loan at Ashton Gate last season. The midfielder got on the end of a Joe Williams cross from the right to score from the edge of the six-yard box. It was enough to settle a see-saw contest in which both teams attacked with gusto, but showed worrying signs of frailty at the back.
Summer signing Yuki Ohashi came off the bench to grab a dramatic late equaliser as Blackburn snatched a battling 2-2 draw at Norwich. The Japanese striker headed home in the 87th minute to rescue a point after his side had squandered a half-time lead, with Josh Sargent and Borja Sainz scoring twice in eight second-half minutes to turn the game on its head. Ryan Hedges had produced an assured finish to open the scoring on 20 minutes but Norwich were the better side for long periods and made it show after the break, only for Rovers to have the final say.
Managerless Preston slumped to their seventh successive league defeat as they were beaten 3-0 at Swansea. It was the first league game in charge for interim manager Mike Marsh and, despite a morale-boosting 2-0 Carabao Cup win over Sunderland earlier in the week, there was no change in fortunes in the league. Swansea enjoyed 63 percent possession in the first half and struck in the 39th minute when captain Matt Grimes hammered home from the penalty spot. Swansea doubled their lead just after the hour mark through substitute Azeem Abdulai before new striker Zan Vipotnik came off the bench to hit his first Swansea goal in the 83rd minute.
Watford continued their winning start to the season with a convincing 3-0 victory at home to Stoke. Both sides had enjoyed opening-day wins in the league plus Carabao Cup successes against lower-league opposition in midweek. However, two goals in two minutes early in the second half from Edo Kayembe and Ryan Andrews set up a straightforward victory for Tom Cleverley’s hosts, with Kayembe adding another later on.
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Wayne Rooney secured his first Championship point as Plymouth manager as the Devon side drew 1-1 with Hull at Home Park. Visiting captain Lewis Coyle scored a superb 63rd-minute leveller after on-loan Dutch Under-21 international Ibrahim Cissoko fired Argyle ahead in the 52nd minute.
Derby goalkeeper Josh Vickers produced a superb performance as his team dug deep to beat Middlesbrough 1-0 at Pride Park. Vickers made a string of outstanding saves after Kayden Jackson had punished a Boro mistake to give Derby a first-half lead. Boro dominated possession but a combination of Vickers and poor finishing left them empty-handed. For Vickers it was a statement display after Derby signed Swedish goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterström from Djurgarden on Friday.
Luton clung on for a 0-0 draw at Portsmouth despite being forced to play for an hour with 10 men after goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski was sent off following a moment of madness. Kaminski made a rash excursion from his goal on the half hour and collided in turn with Callum Lang and Connor Ogilvie to earn a deserved red having already been booked for time wasting. But in their first Championship home game in 12 years, Pompey failed to cash in on their advantage and Luton were ultimately comfortable in holding out for a morale-boosting point after their opening-day drubbing by Burnley.