The new Championship season is underway, and the opening round of fixtures has already delivered plenty of drama. Early markers are already being set as the campaign gets off to a fast start.

Here is the Championship Lowdown’s Team Of The Week: 

GK – Max O’Leary – West Bromwich Albion

O’Leary had a solid performance as West Brom beat Norwich City 2-1 away from home, with the Irish shot-stopper pulling off numerous key saves. He also managed to assist Jimmy Jay-Morgan’s winning goal, showcasing his long-range passing ability. 

RB – Adilson Malanda – Middlesbrough

Malanda was strong at the back with the joint most defensive contributions in the game; he remained cool on the ball with his side having plenty of possession whilst providing  as they secured a last-minute winner against Lincoln City.

CB – Sean McLoughlin – Blackburn Rovers

In a difficult game away at newly relegated Wolves, McLoughlin pulled off a man-of-the-match-worthy performance where he scored and provided a solid defensive display as Blackburn Rovers secured a 2-2 draw in what is being tipped to be a difficult season for Tony Mowbray’s men.

CB – Lloyd Jones – Charlton Athletic

In an impressive display for Charlton Athletic, which saw them overcome Derby County 2-1 at The Valley, Jones was impressive, scoring the equaliser to inspire the comeback, giving Charlton a critical opening three points.

LB – Josh Tymon – Swansea City

Tymon was everywhere down the Swansea City left-hand side with 72 touches and a heat map covering the whole of the touchline; he also provided an assist for Adam Idah’s 66-minute equaliser as they beat Stoke City 2-1.

CM – Sebastian Berhalter – Middlesbrough

Berhalter was cool at the heart of Middlesbrough as they overcame newcomers Lincoln City 2-1, with 76% of the possession. Berhalter was at the key of the display for Kim Hellberg’s team as they showed their quality in possession.

CM – Ilias Chair – QPR

The Moroccan scored two goals as QPR beat Portsmouth 3-1 away from home, with Chair being a danger throughout with a lot of the ball. He will be hoping for a more solid campaign after already doubling his goal record last season.

CM – Jimmy Jay-Morgan – West Bromwich Albion

The Chelsea academy graduate was solid on his debut for West Brom, scoring the winner against Norwich City following on from his Carabao Cup brace against Rotherham United, showcasing why he is one of the EFL’s most talked-about talents.

RW – Zian Flemming – Burnley

A brace for the Dutchman helped Burnley come from 2-0 down against fellow relegated side West Ham to a well-fought point; his hold-up and link-up play was also excellent, being a key highlight in the Burnley attack. 

ST – Will Lankshear – Middlesbrough

Following a big-money move from Tottenham Hotspur and a debut goal against Wrexham in the Carabao Cup, Lankshear once again proved why he has been well regarded as a brace against newly promoted Lincoln City, with a 91st-minute winner propelling Middlesbrough to a solid start

LW – Josh Coburn – Millwall

Josh Coburn was outstanding as Millwall beat Bristol City 2-0 away from home. Coburn’s display showcased a solid away performance and shows exactly why Millwall will be hoping for another strong season

Manager – Alessio Dionisi – Watford 

In his first Championship game as Watford manager, Dionisi showcased what fans can expect from their first showcase in their 2-1 win against Southampton. The team looked confident out of possession whilst tenacious, and when the opportunity arose, they were able to carry out quality counter-attacks.