West Bromwich Albion moved to the top of the Sky Bet Championship table after a 3-2 win over Preston North End at Deepdale.
Leeds United were held to a 1-1 draw by Yorkshire rivals Sheffield Wednesday on Friday evening at Hillsborough.
Middlesbrough failed to take advantage of Leeds’ dropped points, having only picked up a point away at Hull City.
Ipswich Town also moved a point clear of the bottom of the table side Preston North End, after picking up a 2-2 draw at the St Andrew’s Trillion Trophy Stadium against Birmingham City. Ipswich could have won the game, after being two goals ahead at half-time, but Lukas Jutkiewicz inspired a comeback from the hosts as they rescued a point for Garry Monk’s side.
Using match rating statistics from WhoScored.com, here is who makes this season’s tenth Championship Team of the Week.
Formation: 3-4-3
Goalkeeper: Ben Amos (Millwall) 7.96
Millwall are now two points adrift of safety, after falling to a 3-2 defeat at home to Sheffield United.
Despite conceding the joint-most goals of any goalkeeper in the division over the weekend, the Lions’ star player was Ben Amos.
In the first half, Amos dived to his right to tip Billy Sharp’s penalty onto the crossbar, to keep the tie goalless.
Amos made four saves during the match and claimed the ball on five separate occasions.
Defender: Aristote Nsiala (Ipswich Town) 8.22
Despite being unable to help Ipswich make the most of their two-goal advantage away at Birmingham, Aristote Nsiala was the Tractor Boys’ star player at the weekend.
The Congolese defender won 13 aerial duels in the West Midlands, nine more than any of his teammates.
He also made 19 clearances, only two less than the entire Birmingham team.
It was the centre-back’s first away match for his side since he scored and got sent off during a 2-1 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday last month.
Defender: Connor Roberts (Swansea City) 8.92
Wing-back Connor Roberts scored for Swansea City as their 3-0 victory over Queens Park Rangers at the Liberty Stadium moved them level on points with the play-off places.
The 23-year-old got the Swans’ second goal of the match with less than 15 minutes remaining in South Wales, with a well-taken left-footed shot past Joe Lumley.
Roberts completed 78 passes during the match, second to only teammate Tom Carroll (113).
He also had 7.8% of the total match possession, with again only Carroll (10%) having more.
Defender: Jack Hobbs (Bolton Wanderers) 8.14
Bolton Wanderers defender Jack Hobbs excelled during their 1-0 victory at home to Derby County.
Hobbs won six aerial duels, equal to Derby’s best player Bradley Johnson and only bettered by his home teammate, Josh Magennis (14).
He made four interceptions, the joint highest in the match alongside centre-back partner, David Wheater.
The ex-Liverpool defender also made 11 clearances, two more than the whole of Frank Lampard’s Derby side.
Midfielder: Josh Brownhill (Bristol City) 8.30
Josh Brownhill scored early for Bristol City during their 1-1 draw with Aston Villa at Ashton Gate on Friday night.
His goal in the 16th minute came after his drilled half-volley was too much for Orjan Nyland to keep out.
Brownhill (2) was one of only two of the Robins’ players to make multiple key passes during the match, with Niclas Eliasson also completing two.
He also made five of his six attempted tackles, completing only two fewer than all of Steve Bruce’s side.
Midfielder: Mark Duffy (Sheffield United) 8.38
Mark Duffy created two of the Blades’ three goals and was heavily involved in the other during their 3-2 victory in South East London.
Shortly before half-time, Duffy’s cross from the right side was met by the head of Sharp, who guided the ball into the bottom corner to open the scoring.
Duffy was fouled in the penalty area by Shaun Williams to earn United their second penalty of the match with just four minutes remaining, which was converted by David McGoldrick, to make the tie 2-2.
He then saw his low cross in the 88th minute converted by McGoldrick to secure three points for Chris Wilder’s side.
Midfielder: Bradley Dack (Blackburn Rovers) 8.21
Bradley Dack was imperative for Blackburn Rovers as they fought back from a goal down to hold Nottingham Forest to a 2-2 draw at Ewood Park.
He created Adam Armstrong’s equaliser midway through the second half; his set-back preceded Armstrong’s audacious lob, which nestled over the giant frame of Forest goalkeeper, Costel Pantilimon and in.
Six minutes later, Dack put the hosts ahead from point-blank range after being found in the penalty area by Danny Graham’s pass.
Dack has scored five and created two of Blackburn’s 13 league goals this season, a percentage of 53.8%, only Lukas Jutkiewicz (Birmingham City), Neal Maupay (Brentford), Oliver McBurnie (Swansea City) have been more directly involved in their side’s league goals this season.
Midfielder: Joe Lolley (Nottingham Forest) 8.31
The star man in that match was not awarded to Dack but was given to Forest winger, Joe Lolley.
He made six tackles during the match, the most of any player in Lancashire.
Lolley also embarked on three dribbles, the same amount mustered by Forest’s entire starting side.
His key passes total amount of two was the joint-second highest out of Aitor Karanka’s side, only substitute Ben Osborn provided more.
Striker: David McGoldrick (Sheffield United) 8.54
After scoring once and creating one more during last week’s win over Preston, United striker McGoldrick continued his recent run of form with a last-gasp brace at The Den yesterday.
He firstly levelled the match in the final five minutes from the penalty spot after Duffy had been bundled over by Williams. It was the visitors’ second penalty of the match, with Sharp’s first-half effort saved by Amos.
McGoldrick got the winner two minutes from time, tapping in Duffy’s low cross from close range.
The 30-year-old has started in four of Wilder’s side’s last five matches, where they have picked up nine out of a possible 12 points. He will be hoping that his recent run of form should help to cement a regular starting spot in the team.
Striker: Oliver McBurnie (Swansea City) 8.6
Striker Oliver McBurnie created two of the Swans’ goals during their convincing victory over QPR.
After 16 minutes, McBurnie headed Kyle Naughton’s cross into the path of Courtney Baker-Richardson, who half-volleyed the ball past Lumley for his first senior goal for the club.
He also had a hand in the hosts’ third goal of the match, with Jay Fulton firing a deflected first-time effort goalbound after being sent clear on goal by the Scottish forward.
McBurnie (4) won the second most aerial duels out of Graham Potter’s side, only Joe Rodon (7) won more aerial battles.
Striker: Lukas Jutkiewicz (Birmingham City) 9.10
At half-time, Birmingham looked destined for their third league defeat of the season, but striker Jutkiewicz netted a brace to clinch their seventh league draw of the campaign.
Four minutes after the interval, Jutkiewicz got his first of the afternoon with a composed left-footed finish past opposition goalkeeper Dean Gerken, after being put through on goal by Jota’s pass.
He then met a Jota cross, only for his looping header to be denied by the crossbar.
Jutkiewicz’s second came after efforts from himself and Harlee Dean were blocked on the end of a free-kick by Jota, before the 29-year-old eventually bundled the ball home. It was a third WhoScored star man award of the season for Jutkiewicz, making him the only player to win that many so far this season.
