CHAMPIONSHIP THIS WEEKEND

SHOCK OF THE WEEK

HAVING not found the net in 756 minutes — almost 13 hours — Bolton Wanderers finally had a goal to celebrate when Sami Ameobi curled home against Sheffield Wednesday. But the six minutes of stoppage time at the end as Bolton clung on at 2-1 seemed longer for boss Phil Parkinson (right). He said: ‘I thought, ‘‘Where has he got six minutes from?’’. As the clock was ticking I was thinking, ‘‘Come on, blow that whistle!’.’’

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

WEDNESDAY boss Carlos Carvalhal scrunched up a £20 note the other week to make a point about his squad still having quality after they’d lost to Sheffield United. We await this week’s theatrics after some of the 4,800 travelling fans chanted ‘We want Carlos out’ following the defeat at Bolton. ‘I agree with them because I am unhappy,’ said Carvalhal. Anyone got a crisp £50?

HEROES OF THE WEEK

A crowd of 25,380 turned up at the Stadium of Light to support Sunderland on Saturday which, quite frankly, is remarkable considering they still haven’t witnessed a home win during 2017. Although Aiden McGeady earned them a 1-1 draw against Queens Park rangers, it’s now 17 games without success in their own backyard dating back to a 1-0 win over Watford on december 17, 2016. Sunderland remain firmly in the bottom three.

WELCOME BACK, TOM

WITH 13 goals and 12 assists last season, Tom Cairney was Fulham’s talisman as they reached the Championship playoffs. The fact that this season hasn’t really got going can be explained partly by their captain being sidelined since August with a knee injury. Cairney came off the bench at half-time and helped inspire a comeback from two-down against Preston, with Dennis Odoi getting a 90th minute equaliser.