Just like riding a bike - five things to watch in the EFL

WHAT HAPPENED
Momentum — or a lack of it — is defining the early weeks across the English Football League. Some clubs have carried the form that kept them up or earned promotion into the new season, while others have slipped and are searching for answers.

Notable recent developments include West Brom’s surge under interim boss James Morrison, a Derby defeat that highlighted managerial storylines, and Leicester’s troubling start to life in League One, all of which set up intriguing fixtures this weekend.

KEY CONTEXT
James Morrison took interim charge at West Brom in February, when the club were near the foot of the Championship. A run of 10 league matches without defeat helped them avoid relegation last season, and six matches into the new campaign they sit top of the table. Under Morrison they have recorded nine clean sheets in 18 league games.

West Brom’s recent 1-0 win at Derby featured Albion playing with 10 men for more than an hour and was only their second victory at Pride Park in 107 years. They host QPR on Saturday; QPR have lost once so far this season (to Middlesbrough) and are two points behind.

John Eustace, who had previously been Birmingham manager and was dismissed in October 2023, moved to Blackburn then to Derby, where he both steered the Rams clear of danger at the end of 2024-25 and pushed for the play-offs last season. Derby have won only twice at home to Birmingham in recent memory, and Eustace returns to Pride Park to face his former club. Birmingham boss Chris Davies is in his third season and, despite promoting the club back from League One in his first year, the team have taken seven points from six matches so far.

Leicester, playing in League One this season, have picked up just five points from five games and sit 18th. They already trail leaders by seven points.