EPL Promotion Watch: Watford Defeats Boro, Leicester Nets 4 on Road
This week in the Championship, two of the top six clubs in the league played a strong match at the Riverside Stadium, while Leicester City thrashed the worst club in the league.
Middlesbrough hosted Watford in a top-six clash on Saturday, which ended in a 2-1 victory for the visitors.
Matěj Vydra gave Watford the lead with a goal at the end of the first half before adding a second goal in the 83rd minute to clinch the victory.
Scott McDonald scored a late goal for Boro, who dropped down to fifth place with the loss.
Watford's win kept them in sixth place for yet another week, and it also brought them closer to the trio tied at 47 points that includes Middlesbrough.
The club that leads the three-way tie at 47 points is Leicester City, who crushed bottom feeders Bristol City at Ashton Gate.
The Foxes' 4-0 win was highlighted by a Chris Wood hat-trick and an early second-half goal by Matthew James.
Wood, who joined the club on loan from West Brom at the beginning of the month, has scored six goals in his first three matches for the Foxes.
The other club with 47 points in the Championship is Crystal Palace, who failed to earn a positive result on the road at Burnley on Saturday.
Palace held their hosts scoreless for 80 minutes before Junior Stanislas netted the winner for 10th-placed Burnley.
As for the top two in the Championship table, Cardiff City shot a blank at home against Ipswich Town while Hull City were defeated at home.
League leaders Cardiff played to a 0-0 draw with Ipswich Town at the Cardiff City Stadium, a result that extended their lead to eight points after Hull fell to Sheffield Wednesday at home, 3-1.
The Tigers received a 83rd minute equalizer from Robert Koren before their visitors were helped by an Eldin Jakupović own goal before finishing the match off in stoppage time by way of a Michail Antonio goal.
Before the showdown between Leicester City and Middlesbrough on Friday at the King Power Stadium, seven clubs from the Championship will play in FA Cup third-round replays, including Crystal Palace and Hull City.
Here is how the Championship table looks after 27 matches, the top two clubs win automatic promotion to the EPL, while the clubs who finish third through sixth will play in a four-club playoff for the third and final promotion spot.
| Club | Points | Goal Differential |
| Cardiff City | 57 | 19 |
| Hull City | 49 | 8 |
| Leicester City | 47 | 25 |
| Crystal Palace | 47 | 15 |
| Middlesbrough | 47 | 9 |
| Watford | 43 | 12 |
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