Championship Preview 20-23 November

Six Matches To Catch

Swansea v Derby – Friday
Swansea welcome Derby County to the Liberty Stadium tonight, as Paulo Sousa’s players will try and extend a 10-match unbeaten run, which has made the Swans into a real play-off outfit. If Swansea wins tonight they will climb into the top three of the table. Swansea have kept nine clean sheets so far in the Coca Cola Championship this season, as defender Ashley Williams will be a vital part of the defence tonight . Swansea however have scored the fewest goals in the Championship to date, even with a good range of strikers the most amount a player has scored this season for Swansea is three. KEY PLAYER- CRAIG BEATTIE

Derby really need points on the board tonight, but with the form Swansea are in the Rams could well get a beating this evening. Derby have been suffering with many injury problems this season, and tonight they will be without the attacking pair of Kris Commons and Steven Davies. On a positive note Derby could well welcome back, striker Rob Hulse and right-back Paul Connolly. Clough could well field three of his four loan signings, as Bryan Hughes should start only his third game for Derby this season. Also Fredrik Stoor and Paul Dickov should also feature. KEY PLAYER – ROB HULSE 

Ipswich v Sheffield Wednesday – Saturday
If Ipswich can claim only their second win of the season on Saturday, they could potentially move out of the bottom three, if the Leicester v Plymouth result goes their way. On paper Ipswich have one of the best squads in the Championship, but as we all know they haven’t played well on the pitch in the 09/10 campaign. To be honest a draw looks like the realistic outcome of this match, however Ipswich against a mediocre Wednesday side could well turn out into another win for the Tractor Boys. Gareth McAuley could well return to action, and so could fellow defender Tommy Smith. KEY MAN – GRANT LEADBITTER

Sheffield Wednesday only have one away win to their name this season, and with the way Ipswich’s formbook goes, this match could well be a draw. Sheffield Wednesday has struggled to find form in their last four matches, as they have only managed to take one point in them four games. Marcus Tudgay will lead the line for the Owls, as he will try and extended his goalscoring tally beyond six. An interesting fact shows that Wednesday has scored the most goals within fifteen minutes of a match this season, with Ipswich conceding the most goals in the first fifteen minutes of a match, a very tongue tied stat. Sheffield Wednesday could well be without Tommy Miller for this game, but Michael Gray should be available for the Ipswich clash. KEY PLAYER – MARCUS TUDGAY

Leicester v Plymouth – Saturday
Leicester City can move up to third place if they beat Plymouth Argyle at the Walkers Stadium tomorrow. The Foxes are currently sixth in the table after their last game finished in a defeat to West Brom, but it is very likely that Nigel Pearson’s team can get back to winning ways on Saturday, with a home win against Plymouth. Matty Fryatt and Martyn Waghorn are likely to lead the attack; also Paul Gallagher could well start against his former club tomorrow. Rumours around Leicester claim that Birmingham winger Gary McSheffrey could well sign on loan for the club, however manager Nigel Pearson has soon denied those claims. KEY PLAYER – WAYNE BROWN

Plymouth Argyle will most likely lose out to a strong Leicester side in a day’s time, as the Devon club are currently lingering above the relegation zone. Plymouth could well be without wingers Alan Judge and Craig Noone, but Carl Fletcher is available again after serving his suspension rule. Argyle has a couple of threats which Leicester have to be wary of tomorrow, Jamie Mackie is currently the top scorer for Plymouth this season, also Rory Fallon and Bradley Wright-Phillips will look to get behind the Leicester defence. This is a game Leicester should win but stranger things have happened in football. KEY PLAYER – JAMIE MACKIE

Middlesbrough v Nottingham Forest – Saturday
This is probably the most important match of this weeks Championship fixtures, as Boro host Forest in what will surely be a mouth watering contest. Middlesbrough under the guidance of Gordon Strachan has struggled in recent weeks. The Teessiders currently sit in 10th place in the table, and a win is imminent against Forest tomorrow if they want to regain a place in the top six. Middlesbrough’s loan duo of Dave Kitson and Isaiah Osbourne could well make their debuts tomorrow afternoon. Also on the team news front Emmanuel Pogatetz could well start the game. Adam Johnson has been probably the best player in the Championship this season, as he will give Nottingham Forest’s left-back a very difficult time. KEY PLAYER – DAVE KITSON

If Notts Forest also wins tomorrow, they could find themselves in the top six of the table. This is probably a very good time to play Middlesbrough, as the northern club are yet to win a game under Gordon Strachan. Also another stat which swings this match into Forest’s favour is that they are the only side to be unbeaten away from home in all four of the English’s top divisions. Forest could welcome back three important first team players, Dexter Blackstock, Chris Gunter and James Perch should all return for tomorrow’s game. Nottingham Forest has a very decent attacking threat with the likes of, Paul Anderson, Robert Earnshaw, David McGoldrick and Lewis McGugan all terrifying opposition defences. KEY PLAYER – PAUL ANDERSON

Sheffield United v Peterborough – Saturday
Sheffield United host Peterborough tomorrow who are under new management with Mark Cooper in charge. Sheffield United has struggled this season, as so many thought they would be strong automatic promotion contenders. The Blades are without a victory in eight games; however they should get back to winning ways on Saturday. Chris Morgan and Matthew Kilgallon could both feature for Sheffield United, also fellow defenders Derek Geary, Jordan Stewart and Andrew Davies are all likely to return. On the other hand the Blades will be without top scorer Darius Henderson, who is suspended for the game. KEY PLAYER – JAMIE WARD

Peterborough has a fully fit squad for tomorrow’s trip to Bramall Lane, as it is the first competitive fixture that Mark Cooper will take charge in. With the sacking of Darren Ferguson the task applied to Mark Cooper is, to get Peterborough out of the relegation zone and fast. George Boyd, Aaron McLean and Craig Mackail-Smith will all pose a threat for the Sheffield United defence. Peterborough are capable of scoring goals as they have only played two matches in 09/10, which they haven’t been able to score in. Mark Cooper has a tough task on his hands, as tomorrow is the day we see if the former Kettering manager can hack it in the Championship. KEY PLAYER – AARON MCLEAN

West Brom v Bristol City – Saturday
This could well be a close contest at the Hawthorns tomorrow afternoon. West Brom have found form again as wins over Watford and Leicester, has seen the Baggies move back into the top two of the table. Simon Cox has seemed to find his feet in West Brom starting eleven; on the other hand it seems out of favour midfielder Robert Koren could well leave the Hawthorns in January. Team news sees Miller and Clement both ruled out again through long term injuries. Albion should win this one however the threat of Nicky Maynard may not make this game so easy for Di Matteo’s men. KEY PLAYER – GRAHAM DORRANS

Bristol City could well prove to be tough opposition for West Brom on Saturday. Gary Johnson’s side are unbeaten in seven games as they go in search of a win at the Hawthorns. Nicky Maynard is one of the on form players in the Championship, and tomorrow he will pose a huge threat to the Albion defence.  Bristol City’s injury list sees Bradley Orr the only likely player who will miss the game. On a positive note Ivan Sproule and Jamie McAllister are back in contention. The Robins have a huge amount of strikers to choose from with Danny Haynes, Alvaro Saborio and another loan signing Andrius Velicka all keen to partner top scorer Nicky Maynard in attack. KEY PLAYER – NICKY MAYNARD

The Other Six
Barnsley v Cardiff – Saturday
Coventry v Crystal Palace – Saturday
Doncaster v QPR – Saturday
Reading v Blackpool -Saturday
Watford v Scunthorpe – Saturday
Preston v Newcastle – Monday