Championship Matchday 29 Preview - (Part One)

Match Day 29 is split over today and Tuesday due to the FA Cup taking place.

Top team Wolves, nine points clear of second placed Derby, are visiting Ipswich. Wolves are going through a difficult phase being defeated twice on the trot, one away at Swansea in the Cup and the most recent defeat 2-0 at home by Nottingham Forest. While twelth placed Ipswich have drawn and won their last two games.

Fulham are away at 19th placed Barnsley. The Cottagers are on a reasonable run of form unbeaten in their last three away games and will be boosted by their 6-0 crushing of Burton last time out. Barnsley have managed just one goal in their last six home league games.

Bristol City welcome QPR and are unbeaten in seven home league matches against QPR but at the moment City are going through a bad patch and have not managed a win in their last four league games.

Brentford face bogey team Norwich at home having won just one of their last five home games against The Canaries but they are likely to remain confident as they are unbeaten in 13 home games.



Barnsley midfielder Gary Gardner is back in contention for his side's home game against Fulham.

On-loan Gardner was ineligible to face his parent club Aston Villa last week, but could return to the starting line-up. Winger Ryan Hedges could also return to the squad after overcoming a thigh injury and defender Adam Jackson (knee) is edging closer to a return to first-team action.

Matt Targett will go straight into contention for Fulham after his arrival on loan from Southampton. Tom Cairney is also available to return, but Slavisa Jokanovic must decide whether or not he will start.

The manager regardless remains without the injured Floyd Ayite and Sheyi Ojo. Ayite could yet return next week from a hamstring injury, but the knock suffered by Ojo means he is likely to miss a further week.

Barnsley have won five of their last seven home league matches against Fulham (D1 L1), although they haven't won any of the most recent two, losing 4-2 last season.

Fulham have won four of their last five league games against the Tykes (D1).



Rico Henry is Brentford's only absentee for the visit of Norwich.

The full-back remains on the long-term casualty list with a knee injury but the Bees have an otherwise fully-fit squad. Defenders Henrik Dalsgaard (heel) and John Egan (concussion) came through a reserve match to prove their fitness.

Norwich could put new signings midfielder Moritz Leitner and winger Onel Hernandez straight into the squad.

Striker Dennis Srbeny has also been brought in from Germany by Canaries boss Daniel Farke, but is waiting on some paperwork to be eligible for Saturday's match.

Brentford have won just one of their last five home league games against Norwich (D1 L3), drawing 0-0 in their most recent clash last season.

Norwich have kept clean sheets in four of their last six league encounters with Brentford, including each of their last two trips to Griffin Park.


Striker Lois Diony could go straight into the Bristol City squad for Saturday's Sky Bet Championship clash with QPR.

The 25-year-old, who has joined the club from St Etienne until the end of the season with an option to buy included in the loan deal, will be included provided he receives international clearance in time.

QPR will check on Jordan Cousins and Paul Smyth. Midfielder Cousins (hamstring) and striker Smyth (thigh) both missed last weekend's defeat by Middlesbrough.

Alex Baptiste is fit after a back problem and fellow defender James Perch should also be available following a knee injury.

Bristol City are unbeaten in seven home league matches against QPR (W3 D4) since losing 3-1 in September 2002.

QPR have picked seven points in their last four Championship away games (W2 D1 L1), more than the west London side had picked up in their previous 17 (5 points - 5 draws, 12 losses).


Ipswich must do without on-loan defender Dominic Iorfa when they host Sky Bet Championship leaders Wolves.

Iorfa is ineligible to face his parent club and midfielder Cole Skuse is out with an ankle problem, but defender Jordan Spence is available again having served a three-match ban. Adam Webster (ankle) and midfielder Grant Ward (groin) are both in contention following their injury probles

Wolves have Ruben Vinagre available again following his three-game ban due to a red card earned against Swansea in the FA Cup.

Phil Ofosu-Ayeh has been sidelined since the summer with an ankle problem and will not feature at Portman Road.

Since losing two successive league games at Portman Road at the end of October, Ipswich have lost just one of their previous seven (W4 D2), keeping clean sheets in three of their last four.

Wolves have failed to score in their last two Championship outings even though they are the highest scoring team in the league (50), they haven't failed to score in three consecutive league games since November 2014.

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