EFL Weekend Preview: Festive Fixtures Before Christmas

The weekend’s initial Championship match will take place at Kenilworth Road, featuring Luton against Derby. This Friday offers an early festive treat for EFL enthusiasts, with six games scheduled to commence the sporting weekend. In addition to Luton’s Championship encounter with Derby County, the schedule includes three League One matches and two League Two contests. This marks the start of the holiday football schedule. A year prior, Luton was two divisions above Derby; however, they will face each other at Kenilworth Road on Friday with the Rams currently positioned five places higher in the Championship standings. The Hatters are only five points clear of the relegation zone, yet they have accumulated 18 points from their 11 home matches, prompting County manager Paul Warne to express caution regarding their potential. He informed 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.” He added: “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.” Warne further stated: “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.” Significant League One fixtures are also scheduled, with table-toppers Wycombe aiming to extend their lead over Birmingham to four points as they host Bolton. A win for Bolton could see them ascend from eighth place into the play-off positions. Huddersfield, currently in fourth, will attempt to narrow the distance to the automatic promotion spots during their visit to third-bottom Cambridge United. Meanwhile, fifth-placed Stockport is poised to capitalize on any errors as they host mid-table Peterborough, a team that has witnessed an extraordinary 72 goals in their 19 matches to date. In League Two, Crewe has the opportunity to climb to second place with a home victory against Colchester, known for their draws. Gillingham could re-enter the top six if they defeat Cheltenham at Priestfield. Michael Carrick and Wayne Rooney are set to meet on the touchline as Middlesbrough travels to Plymouth on Saturday. The Championship table’s upper echelons appear to be solidifying, with the era where any of the top four teams could claim the summit by Sunday evening seemingly concluded. Saturday afternoon will see Sheffield United strive to preserve their three-point advantage at the top as they visit Cardiff. Their nearest rivals, Leeds, will endeavor to sustain pressure by securing a ninth consecutive home victory when they host Oxford United at Elland Road, marking their initial game since Des Buckingham’s dismissal this week. Burnley, one point further back in third, aims to extend their unbeaten streak to nine matches as they welcome seventh-placed Watford. Watford has only collected five points from their last nine away fixtures, a significant contrast to their home performance of 26 points from 10 games at Vicarage Road. Clarets manager Parker informed BBC Radio Lancashire: “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. We need to worry about and focus on ourselves.” Burnley’s most recent league loss occurred at Millwall in early November, and they have since accumulated 18 points from eight matches. Parker further commented: “It’s still really early and we’re nudging away and we need to keep improving.” Sunderland, positioned fourth, remains within contention as they prepare to host Norwich. They seek to extend their unbeaten home record to 11 games against a Canaries team that has not won an away match since September, spanning seven fixtures. Blackburn will travel to managerless Millwall aiming for a seventh consecutive league victory. Concurrently, Middlesbrough will endeavor to maintain their play-off position during the weekend’s longest journey to second-bottom Plymouth, where Michael Carrick will encounter former Manchester United and England teammate Wayne Rooney. The struggle at the lower end of the table will also be a focal point on Saturday lunchtime. Ruben Selles will be looking for his Hull City team to move off the bottom of the table with their first win since his appointment, as they host Swansea. Meanwhile, third-bottom Portsmouth intends to recover from a heavy defeat at Derby when they entertain Coventry. Stoke will attempt to increase their five-point buffer above the bottom of the table as they visit Sheffield Wednesday in another 12:30 GMT kick-off. Revitalized QPR and Preston will both seek to achieve a seven-game unbeaten streak and remain outside the relegation zone when they clash in West London at 15:00 GMT. QPR head coach Marti Cifuentes informed BBC Radio London: “This is a relentless, ruthless league and you need to be on top of your qualities every time.” He continued: “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.” Cifuentes added: “But the reality is there are a lot of things we need to improve and hopefully everyone can understand that.” West Brom will aim to commence a new unbeaten run after their loss at Watford when they host Bristol City on Sunday afternoon. Phil Parkinson intends to guide Wrexham back to winning form following their draw against Cambridge United. As Birmingham’s League One fixture is not until Monday’s visit to struggling Crawley, Wrexham could reclaim an automatic promotion spot with a Saturday lunchtime victory at fifth-bottom Bristol Rovers. Bristol Rovers became the sixth EFL club in December to dismiss their manager when Matt Taylor departed the Mem on Monday. Sixth-placed Reading will visit ninth-placed Lincoln for a crucial play-off race match at 12:30 GMT. Barnsley will pursue a return to the top six in their 15:00 GMT home game against Leyton Orient, and Blackpool and Stevenage will seek to reduce the points difference when they face off at Bloomfield Road. Last-placed Shrewsbury will travel to Wigan, who are four points above the relegation zone. Meanwhile, second-bottom Burton will host Exeter in Gary Bowyer’s inaugural match as manager. Mat Sadler has garnered attention following his success in leading Walsall to the top of League Two. League Two leaders Walsall will visit fifth-bottom Harrogate on Saturday, aiming to preserve their four-point lead. Simultaneously, their closest challengers, Port Vale, will host Carlisle, who are at the bottom of the EFL. This marks a welcome return to pitch-side duties for Walsall manager Mat Sadler, who has been associated with various higher-tier EFL positions this week. Sadler informed BBC Radio WM: “I think that’s just part of football, people talk. We’ve got a hell of a job to do here and I’m really enjoying it, that’s the main thing.” He added: “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.” In other matches, Morecambe, positioned just above last-placed Carlisle on goal difference, will host Bromley. Ian Holloway’s third-bottom Swindon will welcome his former club, play-off contenders Grimsby. Doncaster has the potential to re-enter the automatic promotion spots with a lunchtime victory against Tranmere. Additionally, sixth-placed Chesterfield will host fourth-placed AFC Wimbledon, and Notts County will face Bradford at Meadow Lane in another match carrying significant play-off implications. A complete list of the weekend’s EFL fixtures is available here.