Kevin Phillips names three Championship clubs that have surprised him this season

The 2026/27 Championship campaign is approaching its first quarter, and the league table is already revealing some unexpected stories at both ends of the division.

While several clubs have struggled to meet expectations, others have made impressive starts and put themselves in contention for promotion. Preston North End have endured a difficult run near the bottom, while Swansea City have emerged as early leaders under Vitor Matos.

Former Premier League striker and football pundit Kevin Phillips has been following developments closely. Having won promotion from the Championship on five occasions during his career, Phillips has plenty of experience when it comes to assessing the demands of the second tier.

Speaking to Best Betting Sites, he discussed the clubs that have caught his attention so far, including some that have disappointed him and others that have performed better than expected.

Kevin Phillips disappointed by Norwich City and Burnley

Phillips identified Norwich City and Burnley as two sides that have fallen short of his expectations during the opening weeks of the campaign.

Norwich were widely expected to challenge for promotion after narrowly missing out on the play-offs last season, particularly following their strong second-half performances under Philippe Clement.

However, their results have deteriorated this term, leaving them in a far less promising position than many anticipated.

Phillips admitted that he had expected the Canaries to be competing near the top of the table.

“The disappointing ones are obviously Norwich and Burnley,” he said.

“I took Norwich to be up there challenging, just to show you how much I know. But I wasn’t the only one; there were a lot of other pundits that did the same.

“So I’m very disappointed to see them sat where they are in the league.”

Burnley have also struggled to make the anticipated impact following their return to the Championship. After suffering relegation from the Premier League, the Clarets had hoped to mount an immediate promotion challenge, but their performances have raised further concerns.

Phillips added: “Burnley, of course, again, really disappointing. It looks like they’re not getting out of that too often.”

The Lancashire club now face the challenge of turning their fortunes around, with their slow start placing greater pressure on the team to deliver more consistent results.

Birmingham City among the clubs to impress Phillips

While Norwich and Burnley have failed to meet expectations, Phillips has also identified teams that have surprised him positively.

Birmingham City are among those to have caught his attention. The former Blues striker spent time at St Andrew’s between 2008 and 2011, giving him a personal connection to the club.

Birmingham will be encouraged by their progress as they look to establish themselves as serious contenders in the Championship. Their performances have offered reasons for optimism, with Phillips recognising them as one of the teams that have stood out this season.

Their challenge now is to maintain that momentum over a long and demanding campaign, where consistency will be crucial to any promotion ambitions.

Swansea City surprise as Vitor Matos leads the Championship

Swansea City are another club to have impressed Phillips, with Vitor Matos guiding the Welsh side to the top of the Championship standings.

Their position represents an encouraging start for a team hoping to compete for promotion, particularly with several established sides still trying to find their rhythm.

Swansea’s early-season performances have placed them among the division’s leading contenders, although the challenge will be to sustain that form as the campaign progresses.

With the Championship table already producing some unexpected developments, Phillips’ assessment highlights the contrasting fortunes of clubs such as Norwich and Burnley compared with Birmingham and Swansea.

There is still a long way to go in the 2026/27 season, but the opening weeks have already provided plenty of talking points for supporters across the division.