Foxes pain and Burnley suffer hangover - Aaron McLean's EFL takeaways

What the report says

Former striker and BBC pundit Aaron McLean used his latest EFL round-up to highlight mixed fortunes for Leicester, Stoke, Millwall, Burnley and Swindon after Saturday’s Championship, League One and League Two fixtures. The BBC Sport Football article focused on five clubs and the early-season questions or momentum shaping their campaigns.

At Leicester, Russell Martin came under pressure after a 4-0 loss to Oxford United at the King Power Stadium, with the club aiming to bounce back to the Championship immediately after relegation. McLean argued the manager needs time to change the squad’s mentality after a difficult period and a major turnover of players, while still saying Martin is the right person for the job. In contrast, Stoke were praised for back-to-back wins, including a 4-0 home success over Charlton, which McLean described as a statement result after a slow start.

Millwall also earned positive notice after beating Bolton 4-0 at The Den, despite a season already marked by wins, defeats and late red cards. McLean said the team look capable of competing near the top end if they maintain consistency. Burnley, meanwhile, remain bottom of the Championship after Bristol City struck twice late at Turf Moor, and McLean said the newly relegated side need time, cohesion and a first league win to build confidence under new manager Nicky Hayen.

In League Two, Swindon continued their strong run under Ian Holloway, moving up to second after Aaron Drinan’s hat-trick sealed a 3-1 win over Colchester. McLean suggested they could be genuine promotion contenders if they carry over last season’s lessons.