The Sky Bet Championship play-off race was blown wide open on Saturday, February 14, 2026, as Derby County moved into 6th place following a clinical 2-0 victory over Swansea City. Elsewhere, Millwall climbed to 3rd, while Blackburn Rovers enjoyed a dream start under new management.
Derby County 2-0 Swansea City: Set-Piece Mastery Fuels Top-Six Push
At Pride Park, John Eustace’s side proved the value of efficiency over possession. Despite Swansea dominating the ball in typical fashion, the Rams secured all three points through two second-half strikes.
- The Breakthrough (47′): Rhian Brewster opened the scoring shortly after the restart with a high-quality finish inside the box.
- The Clincher (62′): Patrick Agyemang doubled the lead, rising highest to power home a header from a pinpoint corner.
Derby boss John Eustace was full of praise for his side’s tactical discipline:
“We spoke about how we’d probably look to beat them on the set-pieces, and today was certainly a set-piece game. In the second half, our shape was much more connected, and we got the reward for that work.”
The win moves Derby into 6th place with 48 points, just ahead of Wrexham and Preston North End.
Championship Scores: Millwall, Blackburn, and Blades Secure Vital Wins
Millwall Move to 3rd Place
Millwall continued their promotion charge with a 2-1 comeback win against Sheffield Wednesday. Despite falling behind to a Jamal Lowe goal, an own goal followed by a Macaulay Langstaff winner in just two minutes propelled the Lions into the automatic promotion conversation.
Perfect Start for Michael O’Neill at Blackburn
In his first game in the dugout, newly appointed manager Michael O’Neill guided Blackburn Rovers to a vital 3-1 win at QPR. A double from Mathias Jørgensen helped Rovers climb out of the relegation zone and up to 19th, ending a dismal run of form.
Sheffield United Snatch Late Win
The “Blades” kept their play-off hopes alive with a dramatic 1-0 victory at Portsmouth. Andre Brooks struck in the 90th minute to hand Chris Wilder’s side their first away win in six attempts, leaving them just six points off the top six.
EFL Championship Table: The Race for the Top Six
(As of Saturday, 14 February 2026)
| Pos | Team | Played | GD | Points |
| 3 | Millwall | 32 | +5 | 56 |
| 4 | Ipswich Town | 31 | +22 | 54 |
| 5 | Hull City | 31 | +7 | 54 |
| 6 | Derby County | 32 | +8 | 48 |
| 7 | Wrexham | 31 | +5 | 47 |
