Blackburn held out for a 1-1 draw away to Burnley in the East Lancashire derby, despite playing the final 33 minutes of the match with 10 men.

Burnley opened the scoring after 10 minutes at Turf Moor after new signing Jaidon Anthony whipped in a perfect cross for Lyle Foster - who remains at the club following a potential move to Ipswich breaking down - to head home.

The home side dominated the early proceedings of the match and deservedly led until Blackburn struck against the run of play in the 23rd minute.

Forward Andi Weimann hit a sumptuous dipping shot from outside the penalty area, which looped over goalkeeper James Trafford, to level the scores.

Rovers thought they had retaken the lead soon after, but Tyrhys Dolan’s finish was disallowed for offside.

Makhtar Gueye was then sent off for a second bookable offence in the 57th minute, picking up his second yellow for dissent after making a card gesture at the referee following a heavy tackle from Maxime Esteve.

Burnley were unable to make their numerical advantage count, despite applying plenty of pressure in the late stages. Indeed, it was Blackburn who arguably came closest to winning the match, with Lewis Travis firing high and wide in the 96th minute after Dolan had played a loose ball to him.

The point leaves Blackburn and Burnley third and fourth respectively in the Championship.

Elsewhere in the early kick-offs in the second tier, Middlesbrough picked up their first league win since the opening day of the season as they beat Cardiff 2-0 on the road.

A second-half header from Matt Clarke and an Aaron Ramsey own goal secured the points for Michael Carrick’s side, although Ramsey did hit the post for the hosts. The win leaves Middlesbrough sixth, while Cardiff are bottom.

Norwich also claimed their first three points of the season, with a 1-0 victory away to Coventry.

Borja Sainz scored the winning goal after 49 minutes, with his shot taking a big deflection to wrong-foot the goalkeeper before landing in the goal.

Sunderland defeated Burnley 1-0 at the Stadium of Light to stop their opponents' winning start to the 2024-25 Championship season and maintain their own perfect record.

Both teams had won two games from two heading into Saturday's contest - Burnley scoring a combined nine goals - which was settled by Romaine Mundle's drive after 26 minutes.

Dan Neil was sent off late on for a second booking, but Burnley could not find a response as they tasted a first loss under manager Scott Parker.

Elsewhere in the late Championship kick-offs, Watford also made it nine points from nine as they recovered to beat Derby County 2-1.

Vakoun Bayo's superb strike cancelled out Ebou Adams' second-minute opener at Vicarage Road, before captain Moussa Sissoko grabbed a winner in the second half.

West Brom and Blackburn Rovers also remain unbeaten through three matches after beating Stoke City and Oxford United 2-1 respectively.

Karlan Grant and Josh Maja scored either side of Lewis Koumas's equaliser at the Bet365 Stadium, with both West Brom goals assisted by Tom Fellows.

Substitute Arnor Sigurdsson was the late hero for Blackburn, meanwhile, after Joe Rankin-Costello had earlier cancelled out Mark Harris's sublime opener.

In the other games, Tommy Conway's 90th-minute penalty denied Portsmouth a first win of the season as Middlesbrough snatched a 2-2 draw at the Riverside.

Norwich City and Sheffield United played out a 1-1 draw, meanwhile, and Preston North End beat Luton Town 1-0 in manager Paul Heckingbottom's first game.

Chris Wilder says he was pleased with Sheffield United's "attitude to adversity" after they came from behind to beat Wrexham 4-2 in the EFL Cup first round on Tuesday.

William Boyle gave the Red Dragons the lead just before the half-hour mark, but the Blades were back on level terms six minutes later thanks to Auston Trusty's equaliser.

Lewis Brunt's own goal, coupled with strikes from Louis Marsh and Anis Ben Slimane put United in a commanding position with five minutes remaining, meaning Sebastian Revan’s late goal was nothing more than a consolation.

Despite going behind, United were the dominant side, having 20 shots, eight of which were on target, as they inflicted a third-straight EFL Cup defeat on Wrexham.

And Wilder, who made 11 changes from their Championship opener against Preston North End last Friday, was particularly pleased with how his youthful side responded to the early setbacks.

"I liked the attitude to adversity in terms of losing a player early on [Femi Seriki went off injured] and missing a few chances early on and going a goal behind," Wilder said after the game.

"I thought we kept our shape and controlled the game. We had to be patient, and we kept that discipline, didn't force it, and I'm delighted we took our chances in the second half.

"[Resilience is] what we need. It's not going to be a straight-forward season. Regardless of the amount of changes we made, it was pretty much how I wanted it to look tonight. Play with a smile on your face, look out for each other, which they did, and if things happen that don't go your way, keep believing in what you're doing and that's what they did.

"It was a competitive game, and we had to match that and come out the other side. Nobody's going to bully us. Compete and play and win, and we did all three."

Elsewhere, the big upset of the round came courtesy of League Two Fleetwood Town, who came from behind to beat Championship side West Brom 2-1.

Blackburn Rovers claimed an emphatic 6-1 victory over Stockport County to book their place in the next round, with Sammie Szmodics scoring a first-half brace to set them on their way, while Watford also coasted through with a big win as Tom Ince's hat-trick helped them to a 5-0 victory over MK Dons.

Meanwhile, six of the ties ended with penalties. Grimsby Town triumphed in a thrilling shoot-out at Blundell Park against Bradford City after a 1-1 draw in normal time, winning 9-8 as 20 spot-kicks were taken. 

Sheffield United kickstarted their quest for an immediate return to the Premier League with a comfortable 2-0 win over Preston North End at Deepdale. 

Oliver Arblaster would net the Championship's first goal of the season with 12 minutes on the clock as his deflected effort wrong-footed Freddie Woodman. 

In a half that only saw seven attempts from either side, a moment of magic from Gustavo Hamer after the interval would secure Chris Wilder's men the win. 

Hamer, who scored nine goals in his last campaign in the second tier with Coventry, intercepted Woodman's throw out from the back, taking a touch before lobbing the North End goalkeeper. 

The Blades will be looking for an improved display when they face QPR next weekend, recording an expected goals (xG) total of just 0.19 from their 10 shots. 

Meanwhile, in the other game taking place, Blackburn recorded their biggest opening day win in 21 years after beating newly-promoted Derby County 4-2 at Ewood Park. 

Tyrhys Dolan gave the hosts the lead in the 19th minute, firing the ball into the roof of the net after the Rams failed to clear Makhtar Gueye's cross into the area. 

The visitors would draw level in the second half as Curtis Nelson powered a header beyond Aynsley Pears, but their joy was short-lived. 

Two goals in four minutes from substitute Andreas Weimann and last season's Golden Boot winner Sammie Szmodics put John Eustace's side back in the driving seat. 

Rovers' new signing Yuki Ohashi would put the game beyond doubt with a delicate chipped finish, with Kane Wilson netting a late consolation for the Rams. 

The Championship is always enthralling, and there is no reason why the 2024-25 season should be any different.

Since its rebranding in 2004, there have been 14 different winners in the second tier. Half of those former champions will be competing in the latest edition. 

Thirty-eight different teams have finished in the top six of the Championship. In that same period, the Premier League has only had 15, showing just how competitive this division is.

But of equal interest, the fight to remain in the second tier is always intriguing.

Here, we use Opta data to pick out the key storylines. 

Leeds out to rectify play-off woes

Leeds, who lost to Southampton in the play-off final, became the only team to accumulate 90 points in a season yet fail to secure promotion, with Leicester City and Ipswich Town finishing on 97 and 96 respectively. 

While the significant losses of Crysencio Summerville and Archie Gray will prove to be a bitter blow, Daniel Farke still has an abundance of talent at his disposal. 

Georginio Rutter remains a Leeds player, and was a crucial part in their (ultimately doomed) promotion push, ranking eighth for the most goals and assists in the division last year (22). 

But, relegated trio Sheffield United, Burnley and Luton Town will pose a significant threat to Leeds' title ambitions, as they hope to return to the Premier League at the first attempt. 

All three clubs have managed to keep the majority of their squads from last season intact, with the only significant change coming in the dugout at Turf Moor. 

Scott Parker returns to management following Vincent Kompany's departure to Bayern Munich, and boasts an impressive pedigree from his time in the second tier. 

Parker has won two promotions from the Championship with Fulham and Bournemouth, triumphing in 48 of the 92 games he has managed in the division (D25 L19). 

Norwich City also look strong contenders, having finished as the Championship's fifth-highest scorers last year with 79 goals, but the loss of Gabriel Sara is significant. 

Sara's creative flair saw him produce 121 chances, only bettered by Sorba Thomas (123) and Leif Davies (125), as he finished the campaign with 13 goals and 12 assists.

Mark Robins and Coventry City will also be right in the mix after finishing in the top 10 in the last two seasons, including a memorable FA Cup run last term. 

Rooney to keep the Pilgrims afloat?

At the opposite end of the table, all eyes will be on Wayne Rooney as he embarks on his latest managerial venture, this time with Plymouth Argyle. 

Rooney endured a disastrous tenure with Birmingham City last season, winning two of his 15 games in charge (D4 L9), surviving just 83 days in the St. Andrew's dugout.

The 38-year-old has performed well in the Championship previously, though, almost keeping Derby County up during the 2021-22 season despite a 21-point deduction. 

But arriving at a side that won the second-fewest number of away games (three) and also shipped 70 goals last term, Rooney's task at Home Park is a tough one.

Rooney's former club Derby, along with Portsmouth and Oxford United, are the new boys, and they have been welcomed into the Championship with a difficult opening round of fixtures. 

While the Rams' start is slightly kinder, with an away trip to Blackburn Rovers followed by a home game against Middlesbrough, Portsmouth and Oxford were not so lucky. 

Pompey travel to Leeds for their opening encounter, and they face the three relegated Premier League sides in their opening seven fixtures. 

Oxford's 25-year wait for second-tier football sees them start at beaten play-off semi-finalists Norwich, with games against Burnley and Luton following soon after. 

Blackburn's upcoming season largely hinges on whether top scorer Sammie Szmodics remains at Ewood Park following his stellar performances in the division last year. 

Szmodics scooped the Golden Boot last season with 27 goals in 44 appearances, outperforming his expected goals (xG) by 4.6 while also creating 49 chances. 

The 28-year-old has been linked with a move away from the club and should Rovers lose his goals, it could prove to be a difficult nine months. 

Tyrhys Dolan and Arnor Sigurdsson offer a different kind of attacking threat, but the pair managed just 10 goals between them in the division last campaign. 

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Alfie Doughty - Luton

One of the standout performers for Luton last season was full-back Alfie Doughty, and he will be key again for the Hatters this season. 

Doughty registered two goals and eight assists and was one of many players expected to depart Kenilworth Road this transfer window, though for now he has stayed put.

The 24-year-old attempted the most crosses (340) in the Premier League, 89 of which were completed, which was the joint-highest alongside Pascal Gross.

Joe Rodon - Leeds

While Leeds have sold Summerville, Gray and Glen Kamara, they have strengthened with the arrival of one of last year's standout performers.

Joe Rodon made a loan switch from Tottenham permanent after helping Leeds keep 19 clean sheets in his 46 appearances.

The Welsh international won more aerial duels (132) than anyone in the Leeds squad last year, while 3,050 completed passes was a total only bettered by fellow defensive partner, Ethan Ampadu (3,138). 

Matt Grimes - Swansea

Matt Grimes has become a mainstay in the Swansea side after three consecutive loan spells and, under the guidance of Luke Williams, the midfielder perfectly fits the former Notts County manager's possession-based style of play.

Grimes attempted the fifth most passes in the Championship last year (3,714), completing 3,291 of those for a pass accuracy of 88.61%.

He also made 535 passes into the final third, a total only bettered by new Stoke City goalkeeper Viktor Johansson (641) during his time with Rotherham.

Macaulay Langstaff - Millwall

One player that will be looking to make his mark in the Championship this season is new Millwall striker, Macaulay Langstaff.

Signed from Notts County, Langstaff scored 28 times last season, claiming his third Golden Boot in as many years while averaging a goal every 143 minutes.

Despite underperforming his xG by 4.33 and missing the most big chances in League Two last year (29), should he be given the service, he should tally up the goals.

Jack Clarke - Sunderland

After being tipped for a move to the Premier League for much of last year, Jack Clarke could be the difference between a good season, or a great season for Sunderland.

Clarke netted 15 goals in 33 league appearances before an ankle injury halted his scoring streak, missing six games and failing to find the back of the net upon his return. 

The 23-year-old created the seventh-highest number of chances (91) in the division last season, while also completing the most dribbles (148 from 267 attempted), 47 more than Player of the Season Summerville (101).

Danny Rohl saluted Sheffield Wednesday’s ‘courageous’ performance after they beat Blackburn 3-1 to move out of the Sky Bet Championship relegation zone.

An exquisite Josh Windass lob in the sixth minute put Wednesday ahead but Sammie Szmodics equalised three minutes later with a clinical finish.

Wednesday took control when Marvin Johnson got on the end of an Anthony Musaba cross in the 58th minute before Rovers’ goalkeeper Aynsley Pears gifted them a third after slicing a clearance into his own net.

The visitors held on with something to space, rewarding more than 7,000 away fans who created an impressive atmosphere.

After climbing out of the bottom three for the first time in 246 days, Rohl praised the mindset of the players, saying: “The job is not done.

“We worked hard to be out of this (relegation) zone. Six months, we tried everything. Today we took the opportunity.

“The last four-five weeks we’ve had the opportunity. But today all in all we connected our performance with a good result.

“I think when I look back to our performance against Stoke and Swansea, was good, but the result was not what we wanted.

“Today…a good reaction. I feel this the whole week. We trained well. I think today it was a courageous performance from my team.

“We forced them into mistakes, we played football how we wanted to play. It was a good togetherness on the pitch but also off the pitch with our massive support. They made an away game into a home game, so (a) big thank you to everybody.

“The performance of my team and especially the mindset and mentality is outstanding.”

Blackburn have not been in the bottom three all season but are just three points clear of it now and John Eustace said his team must bounce back.

He said: “First half I thought we were well in the game, I thought we bounced back from the early goal, showed great character. Felt we controlled the first half fairly well.

“Second half, the manner of the goals was disappointing. (We) lost the ball in midfield, didn’t chase back quick enough, and they punish us.

“The third goal, we can’t do much about that. It’s a mistake. It’s a tough one to take and it’s disappointing.

“However we’ve got a magnificent chance next week. Everything is in our own hands.”

He added: “It’s disappointing we’ve lost but it’s football. Last week we bounced back from a difficult defeat and showed that togetherness and got a great three points.

“Now it’s important we show that togetherness again and we bounce back again next week.

“Everyone is disappointed. This is football, we had the highs last week, we have the lows this week, nobody gets carried away.”

Sheffield Wednesday climbed out of the Championship relegation zone with a vital 3-1 win at Blackburn.

Roared on by a 7,321-strong away following, Danny Rohl’s men responded with a deserved victory on an edgy afternoon against fellow strugglers Rovers.

Josh Windass’ spectacular early lob was cancelled out in the ninth minute by Sammie Szmodics’ well-taken finish – his 31st of the campaign.

Wednesday took control with two goals in six second-half minutes as Marvin Johnson slotted in to finish a lightning break, before Aynsley Pears endured a moment to forget when he somehow sliced a clearance into his own net.

The win moves the Owls a point and a place clear of the bottom three after making it four unbeaten.

Blackburn were brought back down to earth after the win at Leeds and, aside from a second-half chance for Szmodics, barely threatened. They are just three clear of trouble.

Wednesday’s vociferous away support were rewarded with a sixth-minute opener as Pears was stranded after racing out of his box to head a ball clear but Rovers lost possession and when it fell to Windass, he brilliantly lifted the ball in off the crossbar from 35 yards.

The prolific Szmodics equalised within three minutes as he latched onto Callum Brittain’s pass and though his first touch was heavy, he confidently lifted the ball over James Beadle from eight yards into the bottom left corner.

Both sides were disjointed and untidy in possession, but Wednesday should have scored in the 37th minute when Windass turned Anthony Musaba’s low cross wide.

They went close again when Johnson set up Liam Palmer, who blazed over, while a simple long ball set Szmodics clear in first-half injury time but Bambo Diaby got back to thwart him.

Wednesday did regain the lead in the 58th minute after winning the ball on the right and Musaba raced down the wing before sending in an inch perfect cross for the onrushing Johnson at the back post who emphatically found the bottom corner from six yards.

The visitors registered a third six minutes later, but it was all Blackburn’s doing and a horror moment for Pears who, under no pressure at all, completely mis-hit his clearance from Dominic Hyam’s pass and it spun behind him and into his own net.

Rohl’s men were in control at this point but they were let off when Szmodics fired over from 12 yards, though Musaba went close to capping a superb performance with a goal but Pears somewhat redeemed himself with a terrific reaction save to palm away.

Will Vaulks’ powerful free-kick forced Pears to parry away in injury time but Wednesday had done enough to register a crucial victory.

Daniel Farke admitted the killer instinct of Blackburn’s Sammie Szmodics was lacking from his Leeds side after Saturday’s 1-0 defeat dealt a blow to their automatic promotion hopes.

Leeds dominated the Championship encounter at Elland Road but could not turn possession into goals.

Farke’s side remain third in the table when a win would have seen them seize the initiative from top two Leicester and Ipswich.

Farke said: “When you face a side like Blackburn with a player like Szmodics, he showed the quality which we didn’t show today and he needed just one chance to score.

“So many balls went through the box, but you also need to show the quality to put the ball in the net.

“If you don’t score you have so much more risk. There is also a danger there will be one moment for your opponent and they can score. It’s pretty disappointing and frustrating for us.

“We didn’t put the ball into the net. If you don’t score, you can’t win the game.”

Despite his players missing the chance to steal a march on their rivals, Farke refused to put the blame on them.

He said: “It’s up to me if we don’t score – to find solutions. I have to work with them so that in the next game we create more chances.

“It’s up to us in training to work on our efficiency and create more chances. Today we have created more than enough chances to score. I’m not the guy to point the finger at the players when we don’t score.

“If a team fights to survive and fights against relegation, if they try to annoy us with time wasting and whatever, it’s nothing that I can influence.”

Szmodics dealt the killer blow with a cool finish eight minutes from time as the visitors went route one.

Sam Gallagher headed on a long ball from Aynsley Pears before Tyrhys Dolan turned and fed Szmodics and he did the rest with a composed finish past Illan Meslier.

The Leeds goalkeeper had saved from Szmodics with Blackburn’s only effort of the first period, while Pears had saved from Crysencio Summerville, Wilfried Gnonto and Connor Roberts as the home side failed to make their dominance pay.

Blackburn head coach John Eustace was full of praise for his side.

He said: “I was very proud of the effort the boys have given me since I came in, it has been outstanding.

“To come here and play like we did was great. We had a game plan without the ball. I am delighted with the effort and very proud of them.”

Blackburn bounced back from a 5-0 defeat at Bristol City in midweek and that resilience was what pleased Eustace the most.

He added: “Wednesday was a bit of a blip. That certainly wasn’t a team that I have been a part of. We have been very difficult to beat.

“It’s very important that we keep working hard, sticking together. We have three games left and we still need points.”

Eustace praised Szmodics, adding: “Sammie, without his goals this season, we really would have been in trouble. The rest of the group have created those chances for him.

“Since I’ve been here he has been magnificent. To score 30 goals in the Championship is a fantastic effort.”

Sammie Szmodics dealt a crushing blow to Leeds’ automatic promotion hopes as Blackburn claimed a late 1-0 Championship win at Elland Road.

Defeat stopped the home side going top of the table as Rovers defended for long periods of the game.

Crysencio Summerville, Wilfried Gnonto and Connor Roberts all tested Blackburn goalkeeper Aynsley Pears in a dominant first half for Leeds.

The home side also had chances after the break but were punished by Szmodics with eight minutes to go.

Leeds were on the front foot from the off as Joel Piroe’s shot was deflected for a corner.

Hayden Carter tripped Summerville and his free-kick from a narrow angle was saved by Pears, who also punched away the follow-up shot from Gnonto from the edge of the area.

The game was being played mostly in Blackburn’s half and Leeds forced two corners in succession with 20 minutes gone – but they were unable to break the deadlock.

Ethan Ampadu headed a Roberts free-kick off target as Leeds kept up the pressure with nearly half-an-hour on the clock.

Ilia Gruev missed the best chance so far but his near-post shot from Gnonto’s low ball following a corner did not trouble Pears.

Roberts was the next to test the Rovers stopper with a curling shot from outside the area which he saved high to his left at the expense of a corner.

Szmodics forced Illan Meslier into action for the first time from a Blackburn breakaway with the goalkeeper diving low to his left to keep out the shot, five minutes before the break.

Gruev fired at Pears with the first effort of the second half after Joe Rodon’s vital interception and surging run.

Gnonto shot wide across the face of goal but with nearly an hour gone, Leeds were still looking for the opening goal.

Meslier put his side under pressure when his throw went to a Blackburn player but luckily for him when the ball was passed to Joe Rankin-Costello, he fired wide.

Blackburn sensed a chance and Szmodics crossed low from the right but he could not find a team-mate with the Leeds goal gaping, with Roberts stretching to stop Tyrhys Dolan getting a touch.

Georginio Rutter’s shot into a crowded area saw Pears dive low to his left then claim the loose ball.

A cross from Gnonto spun onto the post and then the winger just failed to get a touch to a Dan James cross.

Substitute Patrick Bamford headed over as Leeds cranked up the pressure and they were made to pay when Szmodics struck the decisive blow, eight minutes from time.

Sam Gallagher nodded on Pears’ kick, Dolan turned and released his team-mate and Szmodics finished coolly past Meslier.

John Eustace admitted relegation-threatened Blackburn had let their travelling fans down by gifting Bristol City all five goals at Ashton Gate.

Tommy Conway capitalised on a bad error by Dominic Hyam to shoot City ahead in the 24th minute and doubled the advantage with a first-half penalty after the defender had brought down Mark Sykes.

Anis Mehmeti fired the third in the 73rd minute after another Hyam slip and two late Nahki Wells goals, the first another penalty, awarded for handball against Kyle McFadzean, completed mid-table City’s biggest Championship win of the season.

The result left Rovers just three points above the drop zone with four games left and head coach Eustace, who made four half-time substitutions, admitted: “I could have taken the whole team off.

“Tonight was so unlike how we have been recently. There wasn’t the fight we have been displaying and we gifted them all their goals.

“We have let our fans down. I said there would be highs and lows when I took the job and tonight is very much a low.

“I am very disappointed, but I know I have a good group of lads and we will go again against Leeds at Elland Road on Saturday.

“I expect a response from the players in that game and it’s important the supporters stay with us. We are all in this together and before tonight there have been a lot of positives.

“I don’t think the result will affect confidence. Individual errors have cost us, the first ones just as we seemed to be taking control of the game.

“All games are tough in the Championship and we will continue to take each one as it comes.”

City head coach Liam Manning was understandably buzzing.

“I’m delighted,” he said. “The togetherness and willingness to run, while staying focused and in control, was tremendous.

“Tactically, a lot clicked. We felt we could hurt them down the sides and that’s how it proved.

“The balls forward were good and our forward players were prepared to chase lost causes.

“Our front players need to be our first defenders. Two or three of Tommy Conway’s goals this season have come from being exactly that.

“The international break was hugely important for me in terms of working with the players on grass and we have seen the benefits in the matches since.

“Nahki Wells’ goals took him to 100 in Championship football, so it’s a proud night for him and his family.”

Tommy Conway netted a first-half brace as Bristol City increased Blackburn’s relegation fears with a thumping 5-0 Championship win at Ashton Gate.

The striker capitalised on a bad error by Dominic Hyam to race clear and shoot low past Aynsley Pears for his 10th goal of the season in the 24th minute.

Seven minutes later Conway sent Pears the wrong way from the penalty spot after a mistake by Callum Brittain had led to Hyam bringing down Mark Sykes inside the box.

Substitute Anis Mehmeti capitalised on yet more weak defending by Hyam to fire in the third in the 73rd minute and another replacement, Nahki Wells, drilled home a 78th-minute penalty after Blackburn substitute Kyle McFadzean had handled.

Wells completed the rout with a stoppage time tap-in from Harry Cornick’s cross and the thrashing left hapless Rovers just three points above the drop zone with four games to play.

City head coach Liam Manning made three changes, bringing in Ross McCrorie, Joe Williams and Conway for Matty James, Mehmeti and Wells.

They faced a Blackburn side featuring goal machine Sammie Szmodics, eager to show Ashton Gate fans his skills after a disappointing spell as a City player in 2019.

The hosts made a blistering start, Scott Twine twice going close in the opening six minutes. The midfielder shot wide from a short Haydon Roberts free-kick and then had an acrobatic volley blocked.

Blackburn flickered as an attacking force as City goalkeeper Max O’Leary dealt with two tame efforts from Dilan Markanday and one from Joe Rankin-Costello.

But the home side looked more threatening and Conway’s opening goal came as no surprise. They could have been out of sight at the break as Rovers continued to make sloppy defensive errors.

After the penalty, Conway was presented with a hat-trick chance by Harry Pickering’s short back-pass, but was denied by a sprawling Pears save.

Sykes had chipped wide when clear through the middle and Manning’s men looked altogether sharper than their mistake-prone opponents.

Blackburn head coach John Eustace reacted by making four half-time substitutions, sending on John Buckley, McFadzean, Andy Moran and Ben Chrisene for Markanday, Tyrhys Dolan, Scott Wharton and Rankin-Costello.

Still the next goal effort of note came from the home side after 69 minutes when Jason Knight shot wide at the end of a slick move.

A better chance fell to Szmodics two minutes later, but he could only shoot wide after good control on the edge of the box. Manning responded by sending on Mehmeti, Wells and Cornick for Twine, Sykes and Conway.

Within seconds Mehmeti had settled any doubt about the outcome and Wells’ two late goals put the icing on the cake of City’s biggest Championship win of the season.

Russell Martin acknowledged automatic promotion is now likely beyond Southampton after his side’s toothless display at Blackburn saw them stumble to a scoreless draw.

Having fought for a top-two finish in the Championship for much of the season, Saints’ profligacy in front of goal proved costly in the last-gasp Good Friday draw with Middlesbrough and even later loss to Ipswich on Easter Monday.

Those frustrating results were compounded by a lack of attacking spark on Saturday at Ewood Park, where fourth-placed Southampton created little against well-drilled Blackburn in a forgettable 0-0 draw.

“I was positive about the way we defended, about the clean sheet,” Saints manager Martin said.

“We’ve looked so dangerous and creative going forward recently but conceded too many goals, so we did a lot of work on that side of game.

“(I’m) pleased with that side of the game, pleased with the aggression in the team on that side of the game because it was a tough game and big credit to Blackburn.

“They’re fighting with everything they have but I’m really disappointed with the side we have been so good at recently, the creativity, the attacking flow. It wasn’t there today at all.”

Southampton’s inability to win in Lancashire further dented their hopes of automatic promotion, leaving them 12 points behind second-placed Ipswich with seven league games to go.

That run includes trips to Leicester and Leeds, with Martin looking for Saints to build momentum and peak again for the play-offs as they seek an immediate Premier League return.

“The guys still have a brilliant chance to get as many points as possible, so we can all look at each other at the end of the season and go ‘well, we did our bit, it just wasn’t to be this season’,” he said.

“We don’t deserve, none of them deserve, for the season just to finish flatly ahead of what is looking likely to be the play-offs.

“I think it’s really important we build some momentum and we go into it feeling good about ourselves, with a spring in our step and energy, and then the rest will take care of itself I’m sure.”

Saturday’s point was important for Blackburn, who dug deep having started the week with a fantastic 5-1 win at Sunderland.

The result edges John Eustace’s outfit closer to Championship survival, with Callum Brittain producing a key block to deny Kyle Walker-Peters with 10 minutes remaining.

“I thought it was an excellent game, really exciting game, good Championship game,” the Rovers boss said. “Two good teams going at it.

“I was really proud of the boys’ efforts. I thought we were outstanding with and without the ball, just disappointed that we couldn’t be a little bit more clinical in the final third.

“I think that’s the first time Southampton haven’t scored for 30 odd games, so that’s something very pleasing. It’s all the work that the boys are putting in on the training field.

“We were disappointed not to get a clean sheet on Monday but the boys have thrown their bodies on the line.

“Today, you could see that, you could see the commitment of the whole squad, the togetherness of the whole squad, which is vital at this stage of the season.”

Blackburn edged closer to Championship survival as Southampton’s faint automatic promotion hopes took another blow as these sides returned from Easter Monday blockbusters with a goalless draw.

John Eustace celebrated his first official win as Rovers boss in style with a 5-1 triumph at Sunderland at the start of a week that saw Saints stunned in a 3-2 stoppage-time defeat at fellow high-flyers Ipswich.

But there was no such drama as the teams met at a blustery Ewood Park on Saturday afternoon, with Rovers further easing their relegation fears in a 0-0 draw against fourth-placed Saints.

Russell Martin’s men dominated first-half possession but failed to create clear-cut chances, with Joe Aribo’s header off the crossbar the closest they came.

Rovers star Sammie Szmodics nearly saw an audacious effort from distance come off and the hosts continued to pose problems after half-time as Eustace searched for his first home win.

Both teams had chances to win it but a flat-looking Saints came closest, with Kyle Walker-Peters seeing a late shot cleared by Callum Brittain.

The first league meeting between these sides at Ewood Park in 19 years began with Sam Gallagher having an early chance against his former club.

That was swiftly followed by Adam Armstrong – one of three former Rovers players in the Saints line-up – striking wide a good chance from a driven David Brooks cross.

But things tailed off after that lively start, with a drab encounter briefly coming to life in the 25th minute when Aribo saw a header from Jack Stephens’ cross hit the crossbar.

The ball hit goalkeeper Aynsley Pears as it came off the woodwork and, after Rovers’ Ryan Hedges went off with a hamstring injury, the hosts went close through the Championship’s top scorer.

Jan Bednarek was breathing a sigh of relief after Szmodics picked up his loose pass and tried an audacious clipped effort from 30 yards that landed on the roof of the net.

Saints captain Stephens headed over as play limped towards half-time in Lancashire, where play resumed with Ryan Fraser striking wide in front of the 2,499 away fans.

Tyrhys Dolan saw a low shot saved by Gavin Bazunu at the end of some slick Blackburn build-up, with Saints’ backline having to make some important interventions after that.

The Ewood Park faithful were beginning to increase the volume so Martin turned to his bench, with freshly-introduced Che Adams curling just wide soon after coming on.

Blackburn kept knocking at the door and Taylor Harwood-Bellis threw himself in front of a Szmodics strike.

At the other end Walker-Peters wriggled free in the box only for a block by Brittain – sent off in the reverse fixture – to deny Saints in the 80th minute.

Joe Rankin-Costello was then stopped by Bazunu as the match ended scoreless.

John Eustace hailed an “all-round perfect performance” after Blackburn eased their Championship relegation worries with a 5-1 hammering of Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

The Rovers manager was also full of praise for his “unplayable” front four of Sam Gallagher, Sammie Szmodics, Tyrhys Dolan and Ryan Hedges.

Szmodics’ double – his 22nd and 23rd goals of the season – set Blackburn on their way in the first half, with Dolan and Hedges then putting the game out of sight of the hosts within 10 minutes of the restart. Substitute Andrew Moran wrapped up the convincing win after Chris Rigg’s consolation.

It was Eustace’s first win at the 10th time of asking in charge of Rovers, who are now five points clear of the drop zone.

“It was an outstanding performance,” he said. “It’s been coming. The performances have been excellent over the time I’ve been here. You could see the togetherness was there.

“We’ve had some really difficult games but been competitive and rolled our sleeves up. The most important thing was we won playing our style of football but we also showed that level of commitment and desire to defend the box.

“The front four were awesome, they were unplayable at times and the most important thing for me was what they did without the ball, that was outstanding and was the platform.

“It was an all-round perfect performance.”

Furious Mike Dodds hammered his Sunderland players after what he described as a “pathetic” display.

The Black Cats ended a seven-game winless run with a 2-0 win at Cardiff on Good Friday but failed to build on that showing and were booed off at half-time and full-time by the home supporters.

Hopes of another top-six finish have disappeared in recent weeks and Sunderland are now 13 points shy of the play-off places.

Dodds said: “It’s a bad result and an even worse performance. It’s completely unacceptable and I don’t say that lightly. That’s probably the best word I can find.

“Blackburn were deserved winners and I don’t like saying that on our own patch.

“As head coach I have to take responsibility for it, when they’re back in for training there are going to be some uncomfortable conversations but they need to be had if we’re to move forward.

“The players haven’t had much of a chance to talk in there, they’re under no illusions as to my thoughts: if they want to play for this football club then they’re going to have to deliver a better performance than that. If they don’t, they won’t play.

“I could have subbed the whole team when I made the changes in the second half. We’re going to have to reflect and use it as motivation, use it as a huge learning curve – it’s completely unacceptable.”

John Eustace’s wait for a win as Blackburn boss came to an end in emphatic fashion as relegation-threatened Rovers hammered Sunderland 5-1 at the Stadium of Light.

The Championship’s top scorer Sammie Szmodics set Blackburn on their way with a quickfire first half double – his 22nd and 23rd goals of the season – before strikes from Ryan Hedges and Tyrhys Dolan early in the second half wrapped up the points.

Chris Rigg came off the bench to score a consolation for Sunderland 13 minutes from time but Blackburn added a fifth four minutes later through substitute Andrew Moran.

After seven draws and two defeats from his first nine games in charge, Eustace’s first win lifts Rovers five points clear of the relegation zone.

Sunderland ended a seven-match winless run at Cardiff on Good Friday but failed to build on that victory and were booed off at half-time and full-time.

Eustace was dealt a blow early on when left-back Harry Pickering suffered an injury and had to be replaced by Ben Chrisene, but Rovers steadily got a grip, started to impose themselves and broke the deadlock just before the half-hour mark.

Patrick Roberts, making his first start after a two-month lay-off with a hamstring injury, slipped in his own half and Blackburn made the winger pay. Dolan played a neat one-two with Chrisene before sliding in Szmodics, whose crisp finished flashed low past Anthony Patterson and into the bottom corner.

Just seven minutes later, Szmodics scored his and Blackburn’s second, turning in Joe Rankin-Costello’s cut-back from six yards out after good play again from Dolan in the build-up.

It could have got even better for Blackburn, with Rankin-Costello forcing a good save out of Patterson. Sunderland desperately needed the half-time whistle and were booed off by the home supporters at the break.

And plenty of the home fans were heading for the exits early after Blackburn added two more goals to put the game out of sight within 10 minutes of the restart.

Hedges started and finished the move for the third, winning possession with a tackle inside his own half before receiving the ball back off Sam Gallagher and finishing calmly from inside the box.

The fourth came just seven minutes later when Dan Neil lost possession and Dolan’s clinical finish went in off the post.

Black Cats boss Mike Dodds immediately turned to his bench and made a triple change, with star forward Jack Clarke one of those introduced alongside Rigg and former Blackburn attacker Bradley Dack.

When Dack’s header was saved on 77 minutes, Rigg was on hand to tap home the equaliser, but Blackburn responded and Moran wrapped up the scoring after a miscued finish from Szmodics.