Five weeks into the Championship season, two clubs have separated themselves from the early chasing pack: West Ham United and Swansea City. The pair hold the top two spots, separated only by goal difference, and BBC Final Score pundit Sam Parkin believes the shape of things to come is already becoming clear.

West Ham: 20 goals and a statement of intent

West Ham's 6-0 dismantling of Wrexham on Friday night was the moment a lukewarm start curdled into something considerably more threatening for the rest of the division. Four consecutive wins and 20 goals in seven Championship games is the kind of form that tends to make a table look settled rather than provisional.

Parkin was unambiguous in his assessment. "When you can get Manor Solomon, Jarrod Bowen, Valentin Castellanos and Joel Piroe in the same Championship side, they're going to cause havoc," he said. "Those were the ingredients on Friday night."

Bowen himself pointed to the closure of the transfer window as a significant factor, suggesting the squad needed clarity over its composition before it could properly function as a unit. That is a familiar dynamic at clubs with large squads and high wage bills; the personnel are rarely the problem, but uncertainty over who stays and who goes can blunt collective purpose. By Parkin's reading, that uncertainty has now lifted.

He was careful not to overstate what the Wrexham result proved on its own. "Wrexham were bad," he acknowledged, "but I don't think we should get too carried away by Wrexham's performance when you consider the embarrassment of riches that West Ham have got." The more telling statistic is the cumulative one: 20 goals across four matches suggests a consistency of output rather than one inflated scoreline skewing the numbers.

Early defensive frailties, Parkin suggested, had previously been papered over by the attacking players. The Friday performance was the first occasion all the component parts aligned. If that alignment holds, the language of "ominous" feels well chosen rather than hyperbolic.

Swansea: defensive solidity rewriting expectations

Swansea's 3-1 win over Burnley on Saturday brought their season's clean-sheet tally to four, a figure that sits oddly with the club's traditional identity as a possession-based, attacking outfit. Vitor Matos appears to have rebalanced the side without sacrificing the creativity that Swansea supporters expect.

Parkin highlighted the contribution of summer signing Stephen Welsh, the centre-half recruited from Celtic. "He's really hit the ground running," Parkin said, "and I think their main strength is their defending, which maybe is not something you always associate with Swansea." That is an honest observation: the Swansea sides of the last decade were built on playing out from the back, but defensive resilience was not always their calling card.

Both centre-forwards also contributed against Burnley, with Zan Vipotnik and Adam Idah both on the scoresheet. Idah is the club's top scorer this season with three goals. Parkin described the depth in attack as genuine rather than cosmetic, noting that "interesting signings from different leagues" had given Matos options at both ends of the pitch.

On promotion, Parkin was measured. "Can they make a fist at getting automatically promoted? I doubt it," he said, before adding that a top-eight finish, and with it a play-off place, was a realistic and worthwhile target. The Championship's expanded play-off format means eight clubs rather than six compete for the additional promotion places, and Swansea's current trajectory puts that firmly within reach.

What it means for the division

Six games into a 46-game season, league tables are more mood board than hard evidence. But the underlying numbers at both clubs point to something more than a hot streak. West Ham's goal output is the kind that tends to sustain itself when the squad depth is this considerable; Swansea's defensive record suggests a structure rather than a run of good fortune.

The rest of the Championship's promotion contenders will need to find answers quickly. If Parkin's reading is right, the window for catching West Ham in particular may already be narrowing.

Frequently asked

How many goals have West Ham scored in the Championship this season?
West Ham have scored 20 goals in their first seven Championship games this season, a run that includes a 6-0 win over Wrexham and four consecutive victories.
Where are Swansea City in the Championship table?
Swansea City are second in the Championship table after seven games, level on points with leaders West Ham but behind on goal difference following a 3-1 win over Burnley.
Are Swansea City in the play-off places this season?
Yes. Swansea sit second in the Championship and are well placed for a play-off push. Pundit Sam Parkin has suggested a top-eight finish is a realistic ambition for the club this season.