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Championship Matchday 27 Preview

last updated Friday 12th January 2018, 7:49 PM


Championship Matchday 27 Preview
Championship Fixtures - MatchDay 27
KO Home   Away TV
Friday 12th January 2018
19:45 Sheff Utd v Sheff Wed Sky
Saturday 13th January 2018
12:30 Cardiff v Sunderland Sky
15:00 Barnsley v Wolves -
15:00 Birmingham v Derby -
15:00 Brentford v Bolton -
15:00 Bristol C v Norwich -
15:00 Burton v QPR -
15:00 Hull v Reading -
15:00 Ipswich v Leeds -
15:00 Middlesbrough v Fulham -
15:00 Millwall v Preston -
17:30 N. Forest v Aston Villa Sky
 
League Table
Wolves show no signs of easing off in their title charge dropping just two points out of the last 15 available. This weekend they visit Barnsley who have picked up just six points in their last five games and have one of the worst home records in the Championship.

Second placed Derby are on the road to a regalvanised Birmingham but Derby should be too tough for the Blues.

Third placed Cardiff and fourth placed Bristol City will both be hoping Derby slip up as they are just two points behind Derby and are both playing teams below them in the division.


In the relegation zone bottom club Sunderland  have the daughting task of trying to win at Cardiff who have lost just two home games. One ray of sunshine for Chris Coleman is that since Fulham inflicted their first home defeat Cardiff have lost one and drawn one in their last three home games.

Burton, 22nd in the league, are at home to QPR who have won just one away game so far this season, against Birmingham in December.

Tenth placed Fulham have a difficult challenge when they visit eighth placed Middlesbrough. Fulham's form has improved in recent time with three wins and a draw in their last five games however they do let in more away goals than most.

Friday 12th January 2018

19:45 Sheff Utd v Sheff Wed Sky

Sheffield United could hand debuts to Ryan Leonard, Lee Evans and James Wilson against Sheffield Wednesday on Friday night.

All three joined the club this week and boss Chris Wilder could throw them straight into his side as the Blades try and achieve a first Steel City derby double since 2005-06.

New Sheffield Wednesday boss Jos Luhukay has a baptism of fire as he takes his side across the city for his first game in charge.

Luhukay only had a watching brief at Carlisle in the FA Cup last week following his appointment as Carlos Carvalhal's successor last week.

The Blades have lost only one of their last 14 home matches against Wednesday in all competitions (W5 D8), a 2-1 defeat in February 2009. Sheffield Wednesday are 15 points worse off after 26 league matches this season than they were last season - the Owls have 30 so far, and gained 45 as this stage last year.

Saturday 30th December 2017

12:30 Cardiff v Sunderland Sky

Cardiff winger Yanic Wildschut will be available, while midfielder Craig Bryson and winger Kadeem Harris are training again but unlikely to feature.

Sunderland could start loan signing Jake Clarke-Salter in defence after his move from Chelsea.

Aiden McGeady and Didier Ndong are expected to miss out, while Darron Gibson is definitely unavailable.

The match will be Black Cats boss Chris Coleman's first in Wales since leaving his job as national-team manager.

Cardiff have not done a Football League double over Sunderland since the 1970/71 season - the Bluebirds won 2-1 at the Stadium of Light earlier this campaign.

Sunderland have won two of their last three away league trips to Cardiff (D1), with this their first Championship visit there since March 2007, a 1-0 win via a Ross Wallace goal.


15:00 Barnsley v Wolves -

Barnsley could give a debut to striker Kieffer Moore after he joined from Championship rivals Ipswich on Tuesday.

Midfielder Joe Williams is banned for the next three games after being sent off at Millwall in the FA Cup.

Wolves defender Danny Batth serves the last game of his three-match suspension, and full-back Ruben Vinagre starts

Boss Nuno Espirito Sanito is likely to make changes after resting players in the FA Cup draw with Swansea.

Wolves' 3-1 away win against Barnsley last season was the first time they have won at Oakwell in six visits, since 2000 - coming just three nights after their FA Cup fourth-round win over Liverpool at Anfield.

Barnsley have won their opening home league match in a calendar year in each of the last five years, winning 3-2 against Leeds United 12 months ago.

15:00 Birmingham v Derby -

Resurgent Birmingham City could welcome back forward Che Adams following a hamstring problem.

Arsenal loanee full-back Carl Jenkinson (dislocated shoulder) could be fit, but may return to his parent club instead.

Derby's Joe Ledley faces a fitness test on his back, but Saturday's game may come too early for the midfielder who last played on Boxing Day.

A back problem will also keep fellow midfielder Bradley Johnson out for the second successive match.

Birmingham have won their past three games in all competitions without conceding a goal, but remain one point from safety in 23rd place, while visitors Derby are second in the table.

Derby have not won back-to-back away league trips to Birmingham since December 1936.

15:00 Brentford v Bolton -

Brentford defenders Henrik Dalsgaard (ankle) and John Egan (concussion) are both back in training, but are unlikely to feature against Bolton.

Midfielder Lewis Macleod is expected to shake off a thigh strain, but left-back Rico Henry is a long-term absentee with knee ligament damage.

Bolton Wanderers have no new injury concerns for the trip to London.

Boss Phil Parkinson is likely to make changes after their FA Cup exit by Huddersfield last weekend.

Brentford are unbeaten in four home league matches against Bolton (W3 D1) since losing 2-1 in October 1989.

The Trotters have never kept a clean sheet at Griffin Park in 18 previous league trips there, although goalkeeper Barry Siddall kept one in an FA Cup tie in January 1976.

15:00 Bristol C v Norwich -

Bristol City have no new injuries and could give a first start to midfielder Liam Walsh, after Tuesday's substitute appearance against Manchester City.

Forward duo Famara Diedhiou and Milan Djuric remain out, but record signing Diedhiou is closest to a return.

Norwich must manage without playmaker Alex Pritchard, who joined Premier League side Huddersfield on Friday.

Tom Trybull (back) is out and Harrison Reed (hip) remains sidelined but Marco Stiepermann (groin) could be back.

ristol City are winless in five previous league matches against Norwich (D2 L3), since a 2-1 win in February 2009 in which Lee Johnson featured for the Robins.

The Canaries have won two of their last nine league visits to Ashton Gate (D2 L5), most recently winning 3-0 in October 2010.

15:00 Burton v QPR -

Burton Albion duo Will Miller and Tom Flanagan (both dead legs) are doubts.

Defenders Jake Buxton and John Brayford also have knocks, but manager Nigel Clough expects both to be fit.

QPR centre-back Alex Baptiste has been cleared to play after overcoming a back injury, while full-back James Perch (knee) is close to returning.

Midfielder Jordan Cousins (hamstring) and striker Paul Smyth (thigh) are out while and forward Jamie Mackie (back) is a long-term absentee.

Burton Albion have never lost a match against Queens Park Rangers in all competitions (W2 D2).

QPR's only previous league visit to the Pirelli Stadium was a 1-1 draw in September 2016 - they also played there in August 2014 as a Premier League side in the League Cup, losing 1-0.

15:00 Hull v Reading -

Hull City midfielder Seb Larsson and defender Michael Dawson will come back in after being rested for the FA Cup win over Blackburn Rovers.

Striker Will Keane is close to a return after more than a year out with knee ligament damage.

Reading centre-back Liam Moore should return having missed the FA Cup tie at Stevenage with a knee problem.

Forward Jon Dadi Bodvarsson has also resumed training after illness ruled him out of the game last week.

Hull are unbeaten in their past seven league meetings with Reading (W4 D3), since a 3-1 defeat in November 2005.

The Royals have never won against the Tigers at the KC Stadium (D2 L2), with their last win coming at Boothferry Park in March 1994 courtesy of a Jimmy Quinn brace in a 2-1 victory.

15:00 Ipswich v Leeds -

Ipswich will be without goalkeeper Bartosz Bialkowski, who has a calf strain, with Dean Gerken deputising.

Jordan Spence serves the second game of his three-match ban, while Tommy Smith - linked with a move away - misses out.

Leeds forward Samu Saiz starts a six-match ban after being sent off for spitting in the FA Cup defeat at Newport on Sunday.

Full-back Laurens De Bock, who joined from Club Brugge on Thursday, will not feature.

Ipswich have lost only one of their last 10 home league matches against Leeds (W7 D2), losing 2-1 in August 2013.

Leeds have not kept a league clean sheet in any of their last 13 visits to Portman Road, since Mark Beeney was in goal for the Whites in a goalless draw in the Premier League in October 1993.

15:00 Middlesbrough v Fulham -

Middlesbrough boss Tony Pulis has no new injury concerns but could turn to players who missed last week's FA Cup win against Sunderland.

Pulis has said there are a couple of players "carrying minor knocks" who will be assessed before the game.

Fulham captain Tom Cairney is a doubt with a knee injury, while forward Floyd Ayite is out with a calf problem.

Goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli and midfielder Kevin McDonald are back in training and could return.

Middlesbrough are unbeaten in their past 13 home league meetings with Fulham (W9 D4), since a 2-0 defeat in March 1984.

Fulham have failed to score in each of their past four away league visits to the Riverside Stadium, since a Simon Davies goal in a 3-1 defeat in May 2007.

15:00 Millwall v Preston -

Millwall striker Tom Elliott will be assessed to see if he is fit to return from injury, having not featured since Boxing Day.

Defender Byron Webster and midfielder Shane Ferguson remain sidelined with knee injuries.

Preston welcome back Ben Pearson, Ben Davies, Chris Maxwell and Jordan Hugill, who missed the FA Cup win at Wycombe last weekend.

Louis Moult is back in training after a hamstring injury, but unlikely to play.

Millwall are unbeaten in four matches against Preston (W2 D2) and haven't conceded a single goal in any of those games.

Preston's last Championship visit to Millwall ended in a 4-0 defeat in the 2010-11 season, which ultimately ended in relegation for the Lilywhites.

17:30 N. Forest v Aston Villa Sky


New Nottingham Forest boss Aitor Karanka may have midfielder Liam Bridcutt (ankle) available.

But centre-back Joe Worrall is suspended following his red card in the 4-2 win over Arsenal in the FA Cup, so Matt Mills who came on as a substitute in the game, may deputise.

Former England defender John Terry is a doubt for Aston Villa after rolling his ankle in training on Wednesday.

Chris Samba (hamstring) and Jonathan Kodjia (ankle) remain out.

Nottingham Forest have not lost at home to Villa in the league since a 2-1 Premier League defeat in January 1995.

Villa, who won 2-1 home to Forest in September, have not achieved a league double over the Reds since the 1992/93 Premier League campaign.

Matchday 26 table
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Championship Fixtures - MatchDay 28
KO Home   Away TV
Friday 19th January 2018
19:45 Derby v Bristol C Sky
Saturday 20th January 2018
15:00 Aston Villa v Barnsley -
15:00 Bolton v Ipswich -
15:00 Fulham v Burton -
15:00 Leeds v Millwall -
15:00 Norwich v Sheff Utd -
15:00 Preston v Birmingham -
15:00 QPR v Middlesbrough -
15:00 Reading v Brentford -
15:00 Sunderland v Hull -
15:00 Wolves v N. Forest -
17:30 Sheff Wed v Cardiff Sky
 
League Table

























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