Five weeks into the Championship season, two clubs have separated themselves from the pack. West Ham sit top after four straight wins, Swansea City sit second on goal difference after a fourth victory of their own, and BBC Final Score pundit Sam Parkin believes the division is already bracing itself.

West Ham: goals on demand

The numbers West Ham have produced are stark. Twenty goals in seven games, a 6-0 hammering of Wrexham on Friday included, have lifted them to the summit and given their attack a platform to properly announce itself.

Parkin pointed to the settled squad as a key factor. "Jarrod Bowen said after the game how important it was to get the transfer window closed so you know exactly who's going to be there," the pundit noted. With Manor Solomon, Bowen, Valentin Castellanos and Joel Piroe all available, West Ham carry a firepower that few Championship sides can begin to match.

The journey has not been entirely smooth. A stuttering start exposed some defensive fragility, and their attackers spent the opening weeks papering over cracks. Friday changed that dynamic. The defence held firm, the forwards ran riot, and the collective clicked into something that felt genuinely threatening.

"It's looking pretty ominous already for the rest of the Championship when you consider the amount of goals they've scored across the last four games," Parkin said. That word, ominous, captures where West Ham now stand. A side this well stocked, now finding its rhythm, will be difficult to catch.

Swansea: defence doing the talking

Vitor Matos's side beat Burnley 3-1 on Saturday to move to four wins from seven, and the manner of Swansea's season so far challenges a few assumptions about the club's identity. Four clean sheets already point to a defensive solidity that has not always been Swansea's calling card.

The goals came from both centre-forwards this weekend: Zan Vipotnik and Adam Idah both scored against Burnley, giving Matos the depth across his attacking line to keep opponents guessing. Summer signing Stephen Welsh, recruited from Celtic, has reinforced the back line with an authority that Parkin singled out on Final Score.

"Their main strength is their defending, which maybe is not something you always associate with Swansea," Parkin observed. "But four clean sheets already this season shows you that they've got the balance right between defence and attack."

The signings Swansea made across different leagues have added variety and physicality to a squad that can now hurt opponents in multiple ways. It is a recognisable Swansea blueprint, refreshed with new personnel.

Where can Swansea realistically finish?

Parkin stopped short of tipping Swansea for automatic promotion, but he sees the expanded play-off format, now reaching the top eight, as a realistic and meaningful target. "Can they make a fist at getting automatically promoted? I doubt it, but with the extension to the play-offs, they can fight and win a place in the top eight. That would definitely be a realistic ambition for them."

That assessment reflects how the division currently sits. West Ham, with their squad depth and attacking output, look the likeliest candidate to challenge at the very top. Swansea, with their structure and balance, look built to sustain a long campaign rather than burn brightly and fade.

What is clear after five matchdays is that both clubs have constructed squads with purpose. West Ham's ambition is written in their goals column. Swansea's is written in their clean sheets. The Championship has its early standard-setters, and the rest of the division has been put on notice.

Frequently asked

Why are West Ham top of the Championship?
West Ham have won their last four Championship matches and scored 20 goals in seven games. A settled squad, including Jarrod Bowen, Manor Solomon, Valentin Castellanos and Joel Piroe, has given them an attacking potency that has proved too much for opponents.
How has Swansea City started the Championship season?
Swansea have won four of their first seven Championship games and sit second, level on points with West Ham but behind on goal difference. They have also kept four clean sheets, with summer signing Stephen Welsh strengthening the defence.
Can Swansea City get promoted from the Championship this season?
Pundit Sam Parkin believes automatic promotion is unlikely, but sees a top-eight finish and a play-off place as a realistic target for Vitor Matos's side given their strong start and defensive record.