EFL Championship · Gameweek 4
Gameweek 4 completed
Championship Gameweek 4 Results & Review
Swansea went top, Wrexham won 3–0 and Jim called five of 12 result directions correctly in the completed midweek Championship round.
By Jim · Updated
Championship Gameweek 4 was a full midweek programme on Tuesday 1 and Wednesday 2 September 2026. Swansea finished it top, while Queens Park Rangers remained unbeaten and Wrexham recorded their first league win. The EFL fixture release confirms the 2026/27 calendar; the published ScoreSocial predictions were locked before the first active Tuesday kickoff.
The division had produced 98 goals across three rounds before this card, but Gameweek 4 again warned against turning one strong weekend into a fixed trend. Southampton and Wolves had scored five and four respectively in Gameweek 3; both then dropped points, while Stoke responded to three defeats with a clean-sheet win. That volatility is why the original calls remain visible instead of being rewritten after the results.
Final results and conclusion
Tuesday finished Lincoln City 0–0 Blackburn Rovers, Portsmouth 0–2 Derby County, Preston North End 1–3 Bristol City, Sheffield United 3–2 Bolton Wanderers, Swansea City 2–0 Watford, West Ham United 4–2 Wolverhampton Wanderers, Birmingham City 1–1 Southampton and Stoke City 1–0 Norwich City. Wednesday then finished Millwall 0–3 Wrexham, Queens Park Rangers 2–1 Cardiff City, West Bromwich Albion 1–1 Charlton Athletic and Burnley 1–1 Middlesbrough.
Jim's published calls got the result direction right for Derby, Bristol City, Sheffield United, Swansea and Queens Park Rangers. The final record is five correct result directions from 12 fixtures, with no exact scores and seven misses. Swansea's clean sheet, Wrexham's three-goal away win and West Ham's six-goal match were the clearest reminders that the early-season sample remained volatile. The EFL's round report verifies Tuesday's leading results, while Sky Sports' Championship reports record Wednesday's finals. The original prediction table below is unchanged.
Review all 12 published Championship predictions and their evidence.
What matters this gameweek?
Championship Gameweek 4 brings all 24 clubs back into action on 1–2 September, only two or three days after the previous round. The EFL's official fixture release confirms the midweek programme, and Tuesday's first active kickoff closes the complete ScoreSocial card. Charlton defend the division's only perfect start away to West Brom, while unbeaten Swansea host unbeaten Watford. Southampton's five goals and Wolves' four were the eye-catching weekend totals, but short recovery and likely rotation make those margins less reusable than the underlying result direction. Preston and Stoke remain without a point; Burnley have one and face a Middlesbrough side arriving from a 3–1 win. The official Gameweek 3 EFL review supports the table and form evidence below. With probabilities tightly grouped, confirmed club news now matters more than reputation or one emphatic scoreline.
Table before Gameweek 4
| Pos | Club | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charlton Athletic | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | +3 | 9 |
| 2 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | +5 | 7 |
| 3 | Swansea City | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | +4 | 7 |
| 4 | Queens Park Rangers | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | +3 | 7 |
| 5 | Southampton | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | +5 | 6 |
| 6 | Middlesbrough | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | +2 | 6 |
| 7 | Millwall | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | +1 | 6 |
| 8 | West Bromwich Albion | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | +1 | 6 |
| 9 | Birmingham City | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | +1 | 5 |
| 10 | Watford | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | +1 | 5 |
| 11 | Blackburn Rovers | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 12 | Bolton Wanderers | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 13 | Bristol City | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | -1 | 4 |
| 14 | Cardiff City | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 15 | Sheffield United | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 16 | Norwich City | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -1 | 3 |
| 17 | Portsmouth | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -1 | 3 |
| 18 | Lincoln City | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 3 |
| 19 | West Ham United | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | -1 | 2 |
| 20 | Wrexham | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | -1 | 2 |
| 21 | Derby County | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -4 | 1 |
| 22 | Burnley | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -5 | 1 |
| 23 | Preston North End | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | -4 | 0 |
| 24 | Stoke City | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | -6 | 0 |
This ScoreSocial snapshot was calculated from the first three verified league rounds. The official EFL Gameweek 3 report was the final check on 31 August.
Previous round results and form
- Wrexham 1–2 Birmingham City
- Derby County 0–3 Swansea City
- Middlesbrough 3–1 West Bromwich Albion
- Wolverhampton Wanderers 4–1 Stoke City
- Blackburn Rovers 1–2 Queens Park Rangers
- Bolton Wanderers 0–1 Lincoln City
- Bristol City 2–1 Portsmouth
- Cardiff City 2–2 Sheffield United
- Charlton Athletic 1–0 Preston North End
- Norwich City 4–1 Burnley
- Southampton 5–1 Millwall
- Watford 1–1 West Ham United
Charlton's third win created the clearest early table story. Southampton and Wolves delivered the largest margins, while Swansea's 3–0 away win was the strongest clean-sheet performance. The official EFL round review records every score. Three rounds are enough to identify what happened, not enough to assume those margins repeat 48 to 72 hours later.
Gameweek 4 fixtures
Tuesday 1 September: Portsmouth v Derby County; Preston North End v Bristol City; Swansea City v Watford; West Ham United v Wolverhampton Wanderers; Lincoln City v Blackburn Rovers; Sheffield United v Bolton Wanderers; Birmingham City v Southampton; Stoke City v Norwich City.
Wednesday 2 September: West Bromwich Albion v Charlton Athletic; Millwall v Wrexham; Queens Park Rangers v Cardiff City; Burnley v Middlesbrough.
The fixture card was checked on 31 August against the EFL calendar and ScoreSocial's operational schedule. The live in-app deadline remains authoritative if a kickoff changes.
Match-by-match preview
Portsmouth v Derby County
Both clubs lost in Gameweek 3, but Derby's 3–0 home defeat was the sharper warning. Portsmouth have the stronger early goal difference. The model should still treat this as a modest home lean rather than a claim that either defence is settled.
Preston North End v Bristol City
Preston are the only side without a point or draw, while Bristol City recovered to beat Portsmouth. That supports the visitors' direction, although Preston have lost all three by a combined four goals rather than being repeatedly overwhelmed.
Swansea City v Watford
Unbeaten Swansea have conceded only two goals and now return from a 3–0 win. Watford are also unbeaten after a win and two draws. Swansea's home advantage meets credible resistance, so the draw probability deserves more weight than the table gap alone suggests.
West Ham United v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolves have seven points and a division-leading positive goal difference among the early chasers. West Ham have drawn twice but have not won. Current evidence favours the visitors, yet a midweek away fixture after a four-goal display should not automatically become another high-margin forecast.
Lincoln City v Blackburn Rovers
Lincoln's first win came at Bolton; Blackburn lost narrowly to QPR after beating Middlesbrough in Gameweek 2. Both have mixed evidence and the table separates them by one point. This is a close fixture where a one-goal score range is more credible than a confident direction.
Sheffield United v Bolton Wanderers
Sheffield United have drawn all three matches. Bolton have one win, one draw and one defeat with a neutral goal difference. Neither side has produced a consistent attacking margin, making the draw a live result rather than a defensive default.
Birmingham City v Southampton
Unbeaten Birmingham host a Southampton side that have scored eight times in their two wins. The visitors' 5–1 result raises the attacking ceiling; Birmingham's three-match unbeaten record warns against treating it as a routine away selection.
Stoke City v Norwich City
Stoke have lost all three and conceded seven. Norwich recovered from two defeats with a 4–1 win over Burnley. That creates a reasonable away direction, but Norwich's own five goals conceded mean a clean sheet should not be assumed.
West Bromwich Albion v Charlton Athletic
Charlton's perfect start is the headline, while West Brom have six points after losing at Middlesbrough. The visitors have earned respect, but the first away test against a top-eight opponent is exactly where probability should be more cautious than the raw nine-point total.
Millwall v Wrexham
Millwall's strong opening two rounds were interrupted by a 5–1 loss. Wrexham remain winless but have drawn twice. The home side have the better baseline; the previous margin is a reason to check recovery and selection rather than write off their first two wins.
Queens Park Rangers v Cardiff City
QPR are unbeaten with seven points. Cardiff are also unbeaten, but all three matches have been draws. The home side's two wins justify the directional edge, while Cardiff's repeated ability to stay level keeps a draw firmly in the score range.
Burnley v Middlesbrough
Burnley have one point and have conceded eight goals; Middlesbrough have six points and just beat West Brom 3–1. The current evidence favours Boro away, with the usual early-season caution around another short-turnaround fixture.
ScoreSocial fixture predictions
These are the recorded editorial-score-v3.1 calls from the provider-linked Championship Gameweek 4 card. V3.1 preserves the evidence-led result direction but uses expected goals, BTTS and the projected total to avoid forcing a 2–1 shape. The current-season sample is still developing, so the exact scores remain disciplined estimates rather than certainty.
| Fixture | Prediction | V3.1 evidence and editorial read |
|---|---|---|
| Lincoln City v Blackburn Rovers | 1–2 | H 28% / D 34% / A 38%; xG 1.30–1.50. A narrow away lean in a mixed-form fixture. |
| Portsmouth v Derby County | 1–2 | H 28% / D 34% / A 38%; xG 1.30–1.50. Derby receive only a modest edge despite Portsmouth's home advantage. |
| Preston North End v Bristol City | 1–2 | H 28% / D 34% / A 38%; xG 1.30–1.50. Bristol City's stronger start supports the away direction. |
| Sheffield United v Bolton Wanderers | 1–0 | H 43% / D 34% / A 23%; xG 1.30–0.90. The home lean is cautious and the low goal estimate favours a narrow score. |
| Swansea City v Watford | 1–0 | H 43% / D 34% / A 23%; xG 1.40–1.00. Swansea's form and venue create the clearer edge without strong both-teams-to-score evidence. |
| West Ham United v Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1–2 | H 28% / D 34% / A 38%; xG 1.30–1.55. Wolves' early attacking evidence earns a narrow away call. |
| Birmingham City v Southampton | 1–2 | H 28% / D 34% / A 38%; xG 1.30–1.50. Southampton's scoring ceiling edges an unbeaten Birmingham side. |
| Stoke City v Norwich City | 1–2 | H 28% / D 34% / A 38%; xG 1.30–1.50. Norwich are preferred, but neither defence supports high confidence. |
| Millwall v Wrexham | 1–0 | H 43% / D 34% / A 23%; xG 1.55–1.10. The model backs Millwall to respond at home in a lower-total game. |
| Queens Park Rangers v Cardiff City | 1–0 | H 43% / D 34% / A 23%; xG 1.50–1.05. QPR's two wins outweigh Cardiff's run of draws, while the goal model stays cautious. |
| West Bromwich Albion v Charlton Athletic | 1–2 | H 28% / D 34% / A 38%; xG 1.30–1.45. Charlton's perfect start earns a restrained away lean. |
| Burnley v Middlesbrough | 2–1 | H 38% / D 30% / A 32%; xG 1.50–1.35. This is the tightest home call and remains low confidence. |
The scores are frozen at publication. A confirmed postponement will be recorded as void rather than left as a required prediction.
Injuries and availability
No complete authoritative Championship-wide absence list was available on 31 August. With a 24-club midweek card, individual club updates on Monday and Tuesday are the reliable source for rotation and fitness. ScoreSocial will not name a player as unavailable without a direct club or competition source.
What the evidence suggests for predictors
- Charlton's perfect start deserves respect, not certainty. West Brom away is a stronger test than the points column alone shows.
- Swansea–Watford is the unbeaten matchup. Both have avoided defeat, making result separation more difficult.
- The Tuesday deadline arrives quickly. Players should enter before the first active kickoff rather than waiting for Wednesday's four matches.
The Gameweek 3 preview contains the preceding 12 verified results. The Championship prediction league guide links to the newest published round and explains how to join and follow the competition.
Sources reviewed
- Official EFL 2026/27 fixture release
- Official EFL Gameweek 3 results and table report
- EFL: Swansea go top as West Ham beat Wolves
- Sky Sports Championship scores and reports
Fact-check date: 2 September 2026. All 12 results and prediction outcomes are verified.