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Sports Mole's Championship Team of the Week

Sports Mole chooses its best XI for gameweek nine in the Championship, with the biggest numpty and best goal also highlighted.

We have a new leader at the top of the Championship after the ninth round of fixtures over the weekend.

Norwich City have gone one point clear at the summit by coming from behind to defeat now-bottom Blackpool, with previous leaders Nottingham Forest held to their second straight goalless draw at home to Brighton & Hove Albion.

Winless Blackpool are now bottom as Fulham finally registered their first maximum of the campaign by overcoming fellow strugglers Birmingham City at St Andrew's.

Here, Sports Mole chooses its best XI for gameweek nine, as well as highlighting the biggest numpty and best goal from the second tier.

Marcus Bettinelli (Fulham)
At last a win for Fulham and they had Bettinelli to thank for a superb save that denied Birmingham's Brek Shea a goal that would have put the Blues two up.

Simon Francis (Bournemouth)
Often a threat going forward, Francis scored just his third goal in three years with a tidy finish that sealed the Cherries' 2-0 win over Wigan Athletic.
Gordon Greer (Brighton & Hove Albion)
An impressive clean sheet for the Seagulls on the road at the then-league leaders. Greer made several key contributions at the back.
Christophe Berra (Ipswich Town)
It's now four wins on the spin for in-form Ipswich and Berra put in a mighty display to keep Rotherham United out after two early goals at the other end.
Craig Forsyth (Derby County)
The Rams are back in the top six and although Forsyth didn't do as much as he often does going forward against Bolton Wanderers, he was rock-solid at the back in the 2-0 triumph.

Anthony Pilkington (Cardiff City)
A first goal for his new club for Pilkington, who scored the winner against Sheffield Wednesday with an accurate volleyed finish after some head-tennis in the Owls' box.
Jonathan Douglas (Brentford)
Douglas set up both of the Bees' goals as they ensured that Darko Milanic had an unhappy first game in charge of Leeds United.
Daniel Tozser (Watford)
Although Watford threw away a two-goal lead at Blackburn, Toszer's free kick that put them 2-0 up was a peach that went in off the post.
Bakary Sako (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
The game of the weekend came at the Madejski Stadium on Sunday as Reading and Wolves played out a 3-3 draw. Sako was a constant threat down the left for the visitors.

Chris Martin (Derby County)
Martin had his early penalty saved against Wanderers but made up for the miss with two excellent finishes that earned Derby all three points at the Macron Stadium.
Nahki Wells (Huddersfield Town)
Another striker to find the net twice was Wells, who delightfully swept the Terriers ahead against Millwall before earning Chris Powell his first win as manager with a precise penalty.

Numpty of the Week

Jonathan Spector: Birmingham will be gutted to be the club that gave Fulham their first win of the season and the winning goal was a real gift. Spector should have easily dealt with a ball his way but, for some reason, played it into the path of Hugo Rodallega, who eventually slammed home after his initial effort was saved.

Goal of the Week

Jota (Brentford) vs. Watford: There were plenty of belters this weekend, but our favourite Championship goal was a team effort from Brentford that was expertly finished off by summer signing Jota for his first Bees goal (skip to 2:35 in the video below).

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Britt Assombalonga of Nottingham Forest celebrates after scoring the first goal during the Sky Bet Championship match between Nottingham Forest and Fulham at the City Ground on September 17, 2014
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Championship Team of the Week
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Arsenal36265588286083
2Manchester CityMan City35257387335482
3Liverpool36239481384378
4Aston Villa36207973532067
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs351861169581160
6Newcastle UnitedNewcastle351751378562256
7Chelsea351591170591154
8Manchester UnitedMan Utd34166125251154
9West Ham UnitedWest Ham361310135670-1449
10Bournemouth36139145263-1148
11Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton351211125357-447
12Wolverhampton WanderersWolves36137164960-1146
13Fulham36128165155-444
14Crystal Palace351010154557-1240
15Everton36129153849-1137
16Brentford3699185260-836
17Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest3689194563-1829
18Luton TownLuton3668224978-2926
19Burnley3659223974-3524
RSheffield UnitedSheff Utd36372635100-6516


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