CHAMPIONSHIP THIS WEEKEND

PUKKI’S PUKKA

IT’S BEEN a great week for Norwich’s Teemu Pukki. The forward scored both winning goals as Finland beat Hungary and Estonia in the Nations League, then netted the only goal of the game as the Canaries ended Middlesbrough’s unbeaten Championship start. Pukki’s clincher was the first league goal Boro have conceded for 9hr 21min, and boss Tony Pulis fumed: ‘There is no excuse for the goal, the defending was bad.’

BEES’ PREMIER AMBITION

BRENTFORD’S fine start continued as Neal Maupay scored twice in a 2-0 home win over Wigan to lift them to second. Frenchman Maupay now has seven and he missed two league games through suspension for stamping on Aston Villa’s John McGinn. ‘It was a tough decision to bring him back in,’ said manager Dean Smith. ‘He had his misdemeanour and we hope that will stop it happening again.’

TRAVEL BUG BANISHED

READING boss Paul Clement will have enjoyed his Saturday night after getting rid of two unwanted streaks in the Royals’ 3-2 victory at Preston. Reading’s last league win was in April — also against Preston. And Clement hadn’t enjoyed an away win in his last 13 games as a manager — since September 2017. ‘We have not had the feeling of winning in the league that much recently,’ said Clement, though his side remain stuck in the bottom three.

ROUGH ON ROWETT

WHEN his Stoke side went 2-0 up in 22 minutes at Sheffield Wednesday, Gary Rowett must have thought his awayday misery in the Championship would end. But goals from Marco Matias and Barry Bannan earned Wednesday a draw — extending Rowett’s winless away run to 14. ‘We were in control and Wednesday must feel they’ve got away with one,’ lamented Rowett.