Another bumper weekend of football is in store across the top and bottom of the Championship, League One and League Two. TIBS News provides an EFL preview to the standout fixtures.
Championship
Reading will be looking to consolidate their position of safety when they welcome Millwall to the Select Car Leasing Stadium. The Royals have widened the gap to the drop zone to six points but have played a game more than Barnsley who are just below them. Meanwhile, the Lions are still holding on to slight hopes of a play-off place but know they will need a win on Saturday if those are to have any chance of fruition.
Huddersfield have the opportunity to leapfrog Bournemouth into second place when they face off against Peterborough at the John Smith’s Stadium on Friday night. Currently two points behind, the Terriers are the form team with no losses in their last five games whereas Peterborough have picked up just one point from their last five games.
Luton travel to Middlesbrough in an attempt to strengthen their grip on sixth place. Having both played in the FA Cup fifth round in midweek, with Middlesbrough beating Tottenham 1-0 and Luton losing to Chelsea 3-2, the fans will be hoping that no signs of fatigue make their way on to the pitch in a crucial encounter.
League One
Gillingham host Bolton at Priestfield Stadium in a battle that has big implications at both ends of the table. The Gills are only three points from safety and a win against Bolton, who still harbour play-off ambitions, could give them a much-needed confidence boost heading into the last 10 games of the season. Bolton will be looking to bounce back to winning ways after they suffered a 2-0 loss at MK Dons last time out.
Stephen Crainey’s Fleetwood face off against Ipswich in a game that has a lot riding on it for both teams. Fleetwood will be without Joe Garner after the veteran attacker was sent off for wrestling Wigan’s James Mclean in their last match which will make creating a gap over the teams below them in the drop zone even harder.
Two former top division sides will go head-to-head in a league neither believes they should be in. Sunderland make the long trip south to Charlton in a rematch of the 2019 play-off final, which Charlton came out victors in. Sunderland have the upper hand in this match-up though as they have finally started to click under new boss Alex Neil.
League Two
Second-placed Northampton and third-placed Tranmere Rovers come together in a game that could define their seasons. The promotion rivals come into this fixture out of form with Northampton looking to secure their first win in four, while Tranmere look to avoid a fourth defeat in their last five games. With the play-off pack close behind, both sides know that three points will put them in control of an automatic promotion spot.
Carlisle have won their last two games in a miraculous turnaround in form but are in danger of being dragged right back down into a dogfight if they lose to fellow strugglers Oldham. The Cumbrians are three points ahead of the visitors going into Saturday but Oldham are unbeaten in their last five and will hope to put out any hopes of survival in the Carlisle fanbase.
Fourth takes on seventh on Friday night as Exeter make the 225-mile journey to Mansfield in a bid to hold on to a play-off spot. Just one point separates the sides and neither can afford to drop any points with 10th place just four points behind the Stags. Both sides are unbeaten in their last five games and Mansfield will be hoping their home support will give them a much-needed advantage in what is likely to be a very tight game.
By Joshua Stewart
