EFL Preview: Leeds chase Sheffield United, Carrick visits Rooney

Image source, Rex Features

Kenilworth Road plays host to the first Championship game of the weekend as Luton host Derby

Alex Hoad

BBC Sport Journalist

There's an early Christmas treat for EFL fans this Friday as behind door number 20 on your footballing advent calendar are SIX games to kick-off the sporting weekend in style.

Alongside Luton's Championship fixture against Derby County, there are three League One fixtures and two League Two games to get stuck into.

The festive feast of football begins here.

Luton were two divisions above Derby a year ago, they meet at Kenilworth Road on Friday with the Rams now five places higher in the Championship table.

The Hatters are just five points above the drop-zone but have picked up 18 points from their 11 games at home, leaving County boss Paul Warne wary of their threat.

He told BBC Radio Derby: "The games have all been really close, all fine margins. I don't think they're playing particularly bad, they have a few out and they probably haven't found their stride yet.

"The crowd are such a big part in every away game in the Championship, more than most leagues I think. You have got to try and silence them early on.

"Luton is a tight pitch, the atmosphere is really good and it's a real storm if they get on top. We've got to really manage that. You've got to put the home team under pressure."

There are also some massive games in League One where leaders Wycombe will seek to go four points clear of Birmingham at the top of the table when they host Bolton, who can jump up from eighth into the play-off places with a victory.

Fourth-placed Huddersfield will be seeking to close the gap on the automatic promotion places as they visit third-bottom Cambridge United, while Stockport, in fifth, are waiting to pounce on any slip-ups as they entertain mid-table Peterborough, who have seen an incredible 72 goals scored in their 19 games thus far.

In League Two Crewe could go second with a win at home to draw-specialists Colchester while Gillingham could return to the top six if they can overcome Cheltenham at Priestfield.

Image source, Rex Features

Michael Carrick and Wayne Rooney will be reunited on the touchline when Middlesbrough head to Plymouth on Saturday

Whisper it but the top of the Championship table looks like it is beginning to take shape. Gone are the weekends when any of the top four could be top of the pile come Sunday evening.

On Saturday afternoon Sheffield United will aim to maintain their three point lead at the summit as they head to lowly Cardiff, while closest challengers Leeds will be seeking to keep the pressure on with a ninth straight home win as they welcome free-falling Oxford United to Elland Road in their first game since sacking Des Buckingham this week.

Burnley are a further point behind in third but want to extend their unbeaten run to nine games as they host seventh-placed Watford, who have taken just five points from their past nine away games, in stark contrast to their home record of 26 points from 10 games at Vicarage Road.

"It's a good platform but I don't take any notice of it, it's about us and the team we want to be," Clarets boss Parker told BBC Radio Lancashire. "We need to worry about and focus on ourselves."

Burnley's last defeat in the league was at Millwall at the start of November and they have taken 18 points from the subsequent eight matches.

"It's still really early and we're nudging away and we need to keep improving," added Parker.

Sunderland remain in striking distance in fourth as they prepare to welcome Norwich, aiming to extend their unbeaten home run to 11 games against a Canaries side who are winless in seven away games since September.

Blackburn head to managerless Millwall in search of a seventh straight league win while Middlesbrough will try to keep their grip on a play-off place as they make the longest trip of the weekend to second-bottom Plymouth, where Michael Carrick will face-off against former Man United and England teammate Wayne Rooney.

The battle at the bottom takes centre stage on Saturday lunchtime, too.

Ruben Selles will hope his Hull City side move off the bottom with a first win since his arrival when they welcome Swansea, while third-bottom Portsmouth aim to bounce back from a drubbing at Derby as they host Coventry.

Stoke will try to extend their five point cushion over the foot of the table as they head to Sheffield Wednesday in another 12:30 GMT kick-off.

Resurgent QPR and Preston will both be trying to make it seven games unbeaten and stay clear of the drop-zone as they meet in West London at 15:00 GMT.

Rs head coach Marti Cifuentes told BBC Radio London: "This is a relentless, ruthless league and you need to be on top of your qualities every time.

"It'd be a huge mistake as a team, as a club, to think that everything is fine. Football is about small margins, right now those small margins are helping us to get points and of course the team keeps growing.

"But the reality is there are a lot of things we need to improve and hopefully everyone can understand that."

West Brom will launch a new unbeaten streak following their defeat at Watford as they host Bristol City on Sunday afternoon.

Image source, Rex Features

Phil Parkinson is aiming to get Wrexham back to winning ways after their draw against Cambridge United

With Birmingham not in League One action until Monday's trip to struggling Crawley, Wrexham would return to the automatic promotion places with a Saturday lunchtime win at fifth-bottom Bristol Rovers, who became the sixth EFL club to part ways with their manager in December when Matt Taylor left the Mem on Monday.

Sixth-placed Reading head to Lincoln, in ninth, for a big game in the play-off race at 12:30 GMT while Barnsley will be seeking a return to the top-six in their 15:00 GMT game at home to Leyton Orient and Blackpool and Stevenage will be aiming to close the gap when they meet at Bloomfield Road.

Rock-bottom Shrewsbury head to Wigan, four points clear of the drop-zone, while second-bottom Burton host Exeter in Gary Bowyer's first match in charge.

Image source, Rex Features

Mat Sadler has attracted interest after guiding Walsall to the top of League Two

League Two leaders Walsall head to fifth-bottom Harrogate on Saturday trying to at least keep their four-point cushion intact while closest challengers Port Vale entertain Carlisle, who are bottom of the EFL.

It's a welcome return to on-field affairs for Walsall boss Mat Sadler who has been linked with several jobs higher up the EFL this week.

"I think that's just part of football, people talk," Sadler told BBC Radio WM. "We've got a hell of a job to do here and I'm really enjoying it, that's the main thing.

"People do well and other things get said about them - that's the case and I hope that's the case for my players too. But it's just part of it. For me, I'm very aware of the job I've got to do here."

Elsewhere Morecambe, just above bottom side Carlisle on goal difference, entertain Bromley while Ian Holloway's third-bottom Swindon welcome his former club, play-off chasing Grimsby.

Doncaster could return to the automatic promotion places with a lunchtime win over Tranmere while sixth-placed Chesterfield host fourth-placed AFC Wimbledon and Notts County and Bradford meet at Meadow Lane in another game with big play-off implications.

You can find all the weekend's EFL fixtures here.

Related topics