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Andy Bishop takes a look at the top statistical feats and oddities after the latest round of EFL action
Sky Sports’ Andy Bishop takes a look at the top statistical feats and oddities after the latest round of EFL action.
Each week the statistician will run through top facts and stats from six of the standout games and provide expert analysis on the weekend’s results.
This week, we start with West Brom’s 7-1 thrashing of QPR at the Hawthorns. It was the first time the Baggies have scored seven goals in a league game since May 2007.
Darren Moore’s side have now scored 11 goals in their last two league games – which is one more than they scored in their final 12 Premier League games last season.
None of QPR’s starting XI were even born when they last conceded seven goals – a 7-1 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday in May 1987.
2:37 West Brom 7-1 QPR
Matt Phillips scored the game’s opening goal in the 29th minute, only for Joel Lynch to equalise within five minutes as the sides went in level at half-time.
Goals from Kieran Gibbs and Jay Rodriguez put the home side in control after the break, with loanee Dwight Gayle then scoring his first goal for the club before Jay Rodriguez doubled his tally.
Phillips added his second goal two minutes from time before substitute Hal Robson-Kanu completed the scoring in injury time.
It was Steve McClaren’s second-biggest defeat as a manager and means QPR have lost their opening three league games for the first time in their Football League history.
Elsewhere, Leeds beat Rotherham 2-0 as Marcelo Bielsa became their first ever manager to win his opening four games in charge.
Leeds have started the league season with three successive wins for the first time since 2009-10, when they won promotion from League One.
2:30 Leeds 2-0 Rotherham
Luke Ayling scored his first goal for Leeds in his 78th appearance for the club and it came more than three years after his last goal, for Bristol City back in April 2015. It almost wasn’t to be, however, with the goal only awarded after a goal-line technology intervention.
Leeds’ second goal was scored by Kemar Roofe, who has now netted four times in his last four Championship appearances.
Despite West Brom and Leed’s impressive results, it is Middlesbrough who are top of the Championship after their 2-0 win at Bristol City.
Tony Pulis’ side have won their last three league games without conceding. Bristol City, meanwhile, are still waiting for their first win despite having 18 shots to Middlesbrough’s 13 on Saturday and enjoying a 67 per cent share of possession.
With Bobby Reid and Aden Flint leaving the club over the summer and Famara Diedhiou currently serving a six-game suspension, Bristol City are missing three men who contributed 40 of their 67 Championship goals last season.
2:33 Bristol City 0-2 Middlesbrough
At Brammal Lane, Billy Sharp’s stoppage-time header clinched Sheffield United’s 2-1 win over Norwich. The Blades are unbeaten in each of their last 34 games league games when Sharp has scored.
2:04 Sheffield Utd 2-1 Norwich
Norwich’s goal was scored by Jordan Rhodes – the 200th of his club career. The striker has had more shots on target than any other Championship player this season with eight.
Rhodes has scored two goals in his last two appearances, and while Daniel Farke’s side are yet to win this season, they have averaged a Championship-high of 16 shots per game.
Bolton clinched a 1-0 win over Reading courtesy of Yanic Wildschut’s goal, giving manager Phil Parkinson his first win over his former club Reading at the sixth time of asking.
The win lifted Wanderers up to sixth – their highest position since being relegated from the Premier League in 2012.
1:14 Reading 0-1 Bolton
Reading, meanwhile, are left second bottom of the table without a point having lost their first three league games of a season for the first time since 1959-60.
Peter Crouch scored his 200th goal in senior English Club football in Stoke’s 2-2 draw away to Preston.
5:03 Preston 2-2 Stoke
It was his first goal in the second tier since scoring for Norwich in November 2003 and ensured Stoke went back to the Potteries with a point.
Unsurprisingly, Crouch’s 200th goal came from a set piece, and Stoke lead the way in aerial duels won this season.
Stoke have won 55.9 per cent of their aerial duels this season, according to Opta.
Earlier in the game Crouch’s Stoke team-mate Erik Pieters had scored his first goal for four years and 128 days.
That’s all for this week’s EFL Essential Stats. See you next time.
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