Gab Sutton's EFL Winners & Losers - October 25-26
Gab Sutton 
There was lots going on in the EFL this weekend, and we have the top stories from the Championship, League One and League Two.
Free Bets EFL expert Gab Sutton highlights the standout winners and losers from the latest round of fixtures.
Winners
Millwall
Under Alex Neil, Millwall seem to be blending the core ingredients that have seen them punch above their weight at this level in a previous era, with an aptitude for development.
And, after a 7th-place finish last season, followed by a youth-centred summer recruitment policy, the Lions are flying high in third thanks to a fourth straight victory, the South Londoners beating parachute club Leicester 1-0.
Casper de Norre’s vision is proving valuable in midfield and, after Romain Esse moved to Crystal Palace, Femi Azeez is providing plenty of pace and flair out wide, stepping up to his mantle with aplomb.
Burton
Burton looked in danger of getting cut adrift in League One after taking just five points from their first eight games, but Gary Bowyer’s side have responded superbly.
The Brewers responded to a 4-0 home thumping by Plymouth Argyle with a 1-0 victory at leaders Cardiff the following Tuesday, prompting a return of 10 points from their last five games, hauling them outside the drop zone.
Brad Collins has been in inspired goalkeeping form for the East Staffordshire outfit, the likes of Finn Delap and Alex Hartridge have been colossal at the back, while Charlie Webster is bringing the inspiration in midfield.
Burton remain short in certain areas, and January will dictate a lot for them, but they have smart people running the club now and look on the right track.
Crawley
Crawley have played better than results have suggested for much of the season so far.
So, although Scott Lindsey’s side currently find themselves languishing inside the bottom two, it wasn’t exactly a total surprise when they demolished Bristol Rovers 4-0, after Jack Sparkes’ red card, thanks to goals from Harry Forster, Scott Malone and Louis Flower adding to an own goal from Alfie Kilgour.
Malone, and midfielder Max Anderson, were among the stand-out performers for the Sussex outfit, who hope such an emphatic result can serve as a springboard for a surge up the table.
Losers
Southampton
Southampton are yet to settle on their best team.
The Saints wanted to freshen things up after relegation, and they made 10 senior additions to an already large squad, and it’s created a situation in which boss Will Still has already used 28 different players in the league so far this season, as well as flipping between a back-three and a back-four.
That instability is showing on the pitch, where the south coast side are languishing in 20th after successive defeats.
Peterborough
Peterborough parted company with the man owner Darragh MacAnthony described as the club’s greatest ever manager, Darren Ferguson, after a 2-1 home defeat to Blackpool left them bottom of the league.
Historically a free-scoring side at this level, the Posh are the division’s lowest scorers in the opening quarter of this campaign, having found the net just 10 times.
Since reaching the Play-Offs in 2023-24, the PE2 outfit have lost eight important first team players, and the subsequent recruitment has, at best, been too many players who aren’t ready to step up, and at worst, not been good enough.
To make matters worse, Peterborough’s record of managers under MacAnthony other than Ferguson has been patchy.
Harrogate
After showing some early promise, Harrogate have dropped into the relegation equation with four consecutive defeats, most recently the 3-0 undoing at home to strugglers Newport on Saturday.
There’s some positivity around Town’s recruitment in some areas this summer, but it could be undermined by issues up top, where Simon Weaver continues to turn to veteran Jack Muldoon, for his professionalism, with ongoing fitness issues for the likes of Shawn McCoulsky and Mason Bennett.
The Sulphurites might be competitive in other areas, but if they don’t have enough quality available up top, it could be difficult for them to sustain a strong attacking output.
