Norwich continued their remarkable ascent up the Championship table with a commanding 4-0 victory over a struggling Hull side at Carrow Road. Despite entering the match on the back of three consecutive wins, the Tigers were outclassed by a formidable home team that netted twice in each half, securing their fourth win in six games. Norwich capitalized on some woeful defending to score two quick goals through Marcelino Nunez and Josh Sargent early on, taking control of the match. Sargent missed a penalty but it mattered little as Kaide Gordon, on loan from Liverpool, scored his first goal for the club, and Borja Sainz added his eighth of the season to seal a comfortable win.
Meanwhile, Burnley missed an opportunity to claim the top spot as they were held to a goalless draw by Preston in a scrappy, often heated Lancashire derby. Preston earned a crucial point in their fight to escape the relegation zone, especially significant after striker Milutin Osmajic received an eight-match ban for biting. Preston felt aggrieved as Emil Riis's early goal was wrongly disallowed for offside. Riis had expertly finished off Ben Whiteman's low free-kick, but replays confirmed the Danish striker had timed his run correctly.
In another match, Louie Sibley came off the bench to score his first goal for Oxford, denying Portsmouth their first win of the season in a 1-1 draw at Fratton Park. Mark O'Mahony had given Portsmouth the lead with a header in the 58th minute, after Elias Sorensen's early penalty was saved. Sibley's brilliant finish from the edge of the area 128 seconds after entering the game ensured Oxford secured their second away draw in a week, following three consecutive away defeats to start the season. Portsmouth remain winless in their return to the Championship, marking their worst start since the 2009-10 season, which ended in relegation from the Premier League.
Portsmouth head coach John Mousinho apologized to assistant referee Bhupinder Singh Gill for an alleged discriminatory comment made from the stands during the match. Gill reported the offensive remarks to referee Lewis Smith, prompting a Tannoy announcement to warn spectators about unacceptable behavior. Smith confirmed that a discriminatory comment was made to the linesman, and Mousinho expressed his regret, assuring that the matter would be addressed appropriately.
