Championship: Stoke and Middlesbrough continue perfect starts as Coventry put seven past QPR

Stoke City maintained their perfect start to the season after holding on for a 2-1 victory over Southampton.

Mark Robins' side made it three wins from three to stay at the top of the Championship table, despite playing the final half an hour at St Mary's with 10 men.

Lewis Baker put the Potters ahead early in the second half, before Divin Mubama was dismissed for a second bookable offence.

Nevertheless, Sorba Thomas doubled the visitors' lead in the 75th minute, rendering Taylor Harwood-Bellis' later effort a consolation for the hosts, who suffered their first defeat of the season.

Middlesbrough also made it nine points from nine after edging out 10-man Norwich City 2-1.

Finn Azaz and Tommy Conway scored late in the first half to put Rob Edwards' side in control at Carrow Road.

The hosts' task became even harder when Jacob Wright was dismissed for a rash challenge on Aidan Morris, while Josh Sargent's strike came too late for them to salvage a point.

Coventry City climbed to third place following a 7-1 rout of Queens Park Rangers.

Haji Wright, Jack Rudoni and Victor Torp all scored a brace, while Brandon Thomas-Asante was also on target at the Coventry Building Society Arena, hours after the club announced their purchase of the stadium.

The Sky Blues moved above West Bromwich Albion, who dropped their first points of the season after a 1-1 draw with Portsmouth at the Hawthorns.

Birmingham City also remain unbeaten this term after Paik Seung-Ho's first-half goal secured a 1-0 win over Oxford United, who have now suffered three straight defeats.

Sheffield United are also still searching for their first point of the season following a 1-0 defeat to Millwall.

Lee Cundle scored the only goal at Bramall Lane, where Ruben Selles' side were booed off at the end of both halves by the home fans.

Meanwhile, Wrexham registered their first point of the campaign, despite surrendering a 2-0 lead against Sheffield Wednesday.

Kieffer Moore bagged a first-half brace - his first goals since moving to SToK Cae Ras - put Phil Parkinson's side in control, but Barry Bannan pulled one back before Bailey Cadamarteri's late strike rescued the Owls a share of the spoils.

Data Debrief: Three in a row for Boro and Oxford

Middlesbrough have won each of their opening three games of a league season for the first time since 1994-95, while they have gone unbeaten in five straight EFL meetings with Norwich for the first time.

Meanwhile, after putting seven past QPR, Coventry have gone unbeaten across their first three league matches in a campaign, last achieving the feat in 2019-20.

The season before that was the last time Oxford lost each of their first three league games in a season.

As for Millwall, they have won their opening two away league matches for the first time in 30 years.