As we reach the first international break, three promotion favourites have enjoyed very different starts in the Championship.
West Ham and Wolves have both spent time near the top of the table. Meanwhile, fellow relegated side Burnley have struggled at the bottom.
Only eight matches have taken place so far. Therefore, it remains too early to draw firm conclusions about the season.
However, the early results offer plenty of clues. Here, Sports News Blitz’s Gabriel Mills looks at how the three sides have started.
West Ham – second (15 points)
Many expected Nuno Espírito Santo’s side to challenge for the Championship title. However, West Ham made a difficult start to their promotion campaign.
The Hammers led Burnley 2-0 away from home on the opening weekend. They then conceded twice in the final 10 minutes and settled for a 2-2 draw.
A week later, Charlton visited the London Stadium and took all three points. Taty Castellanos then missed a late penalty that could have earned West Ham an equaliser.
The Hammers also drew 1-1 at Watford. A fortunate own goal helped them rescue a point in that match.
Turning point
A huge Wednesday night clash against Wolves finally changed West Ham’s fortunes.
Nuno’s side scored four goals against his former club and claimed their first win of the season. The 4-2 scoreline did not show complete dominance, but the result gave West Ham valuable momentum.
The Hammers then won four matches in a row. They scored 16 goals during that run, including a 6-0 demolition of Wrexham.
Their key players also started to make a bigger impact.
Jarrod Bowen contributed four goals and two assists. Konstantinos Mavropanos also found the net regularly from centre-back.
West Ham’s winning run ended with a 2-2 draw against bitter rivals Millwall at The Den. The Hammers struggled during the first half but improved after the break.
Overall, West Ham have recovered strongly from their slow start. With such a talented squad, an automatic promotion place looks like the minimum target.
Burnley – 24th (four points)
Burnley sit bottom of the Championship after eight matches. That position represents a major surprise for a team many expected to challenge near the top.
The Clarets remain the only side without a league win. They are also one of just two winless teams across the EFL.
Burnley also lost their top scorer from last season. Ipswich signed Zian Flemming for around £20 million on deadline day.
The Clarets have struggled to protect leads. They scored first against Bristol City, West Brom, Wrexham and Derby.
However, they lost two of those matches despite taking the lead.
Tough run
Burnley have faced a difficult opening schedule. They have already played four of the current top five teams.
The Clarets showed greater resilience against a strong Middlesbrough side at home. They battled hard and earned a valuable point.
However, Burnley have not produced that level of performance often enough.
The squad has enough quality to climb the table. The players need to show that quality more consistently.
For now, their results reflect their difficult position at the bottom of the Championship.
Wolves – fourth (14 points)
Wolves have perhaps shown the most consistent form among the three relegated sides.
Their only defeat came at the London Stadium against West Ham. Even in that match, Wolves created enough moments to avoid looking completely outclassed.
Strong wins against Preston and Stoke highlighted the quality in the squad. Wolves scored seven goals across those two matches.
Fer López has also made a major impact. The 22-year-old Spaniard earned a nomination for the Championship Player of the Month award for August.
López has scored four goals and provided two assists in seven matches. His performances suggest that he can make a major difference in the Championship.
Wolves also have a game in hand over several other promotion contenders. A win in that match could take them to the top of the table.
Defensive concerns
Wolves have impressed in attack, but their defence initially caused concern.
The Old Gold conceded 10 goals across their opening five matches. They have since tightened up at the back.
Their first clean sheet arrived away at Sheffield United. Raúl Jiménez then scored an 89th-minute winner to secure all three points.
Wolves followed that result with another clean sheet in the Black Country derby against West Brom.
They also controlled the match and limited West Brom to just 0.27 expected goals.
Those defensive improvements could prove important. If Wolves maintain that level at the back, they could become a major threat in the promotion race.
READ NEXT: F1 news: Ferrari shut down Christian Horner noise and back Fred Vasseur
