An exciting weekend of Championship action is headlined by midweek Carling Cup heroes Ipswich Town returning to league play against Swansea City.
After reaching the last four of the Carling Cup with a win over Premier League West Bromwich Albion, Ipswich must now end their four game winless league skid against third place Swansea City.
League leaders Queens Park Rangers will travel to Hull City, and second place Cardiff will play host to rock bottom Preston North End.
A playoff battle will take place at Pride Park as fourth place Derby County face off against fifth place Norwich City. Sixth place Coventry will play host to struggling Middlesbrough, who need a win to escape the relegation zone.
At the bottom end of the table Crystal Palace will be looking for three points at Leeds United that will help them climb out of the bottom three.
The freezing conditions in England have impacted the Championship as Doncaster Rovers v Barnsley, Portsmouth v Burnley and Sheffield United v Reading were all postponed due to the freezing conditions.
Ipswich Town will return to Championship action against Swansea City after the midweek euphoria of reaching the Carling Cup semi-finals. Despite their Cup success, Ipswich will face Swansea looking to end a four game losing streak in Championship action.
Swansea are in third place and will be looking for a good result to bounce back from last week’s disappointing 2-1 defeat to Portsmouth.
Defender Gareth McAuley and striker Conor Wickham will be out injured for Ipswich, while Swansea could be boosted by the return of Captain Garry Monk.
Playoff contenders Leeds United will play host to struggling Crystal Palace. Leeds are riding a six game unbeaten streak that has seen them climb to within one point of the playoff spots. Palace are in the bottom three but will hope to follow up last week’s 1-0 win over Doncaster Rovers with another good performance.
Leeds will be without Captain Richard Naylor, who is ruled out for over a month with a knee problem.
Pablo Counago scored the winning goal against Doncaster will be a constant threat to Leeds throughout the afternoon.
Watford and Leicester City go head to head at Vicarage Road with both teams needing a win to move within range of the playoff race.
Watford will be boosted by the availability of Henri Lansbury and Jon Harley. Forward Heidar Helguson is an injury doubt for the Hornets.
Former England striker Darius Vassell is still looking for his first Leicester goal, and will be leading the line for the Foxes.
Nottingham Forest play host to Bristol City at The City Ground needing a win to stay in touch of the playoff race. Forest will be looking to bounce back from last week’s defeat at Leicester, while Bristol will be looking for their third straight win.
Forest striker Dele Adebola is an injury doubt after limping out of last week’s defeat to Leicester. Paul McKenna is also questionable due to a knee problem. Dexter Blackstock and David McGoldrick are long term absentees.
City will be boosted by the return of Captain Lewis Carey, Christian Ribeiro and leading goal scorer Jon Stead.
League leaders Queens Park Rangers will travel to struggling Hull City looking to increase their five point lead at the top of the table. QPR are unbeaten in Championship play and will be looking for their third straight win here. Hull will be looking to extend a four game unbeaten run.
Hull could be boosted by the return of Captain Ian Ashbee, who may have recovered from an Achilles injury.
Moroccan winger Adel Taarabt has been in inspirational form for QPR and will be a key figure here. Midfield playmaker Akos Buzsaky is a long term absentee for the Hoops.
Second place Cardiff City will be looking to close the five point gap opened up by Queens Park Rangers when they play host to rock bottom Preston North End.
Cardiff will be hoping for goals from England forward Jay Bothroyd, who is the league’s leading goal scorer. This game will see Bothroyd lining up against a Preston back line that has conceded more goals than any other team in the league.
Preston will be looking to end a six game winless streak in this trip to Wales. PNE will be boosted by the return of Captain Callum Davidson, Paul Coutts and Chris Brown will be missing due to injury.
Coventry City will be looking to continue their playoff push as they play host to struggling Middlesbrough at the Ricoh Arena. This match will see Coventry seeking their third straight win, while Middlesbrough will be looking to end a three game winless skid.
Coventry have a lengthy list on long term absentees that includes Sammy Clingan, Ben Turner, Gary Deegan and Isaac Osborne.
Boro will be hoping influential midfielder Gary O’Neil is fit to return, while Kevin Thomson remains sidelined with injury.
A playoff battle is on the agenda at Pride Park on Saturday when fourth place Derby County play host to fifth place Norwich City. Derby County will be looking to bounce back from last week’s loss at Burnley.
A sickness that has been prevalent in the club is reported to be clearing up and Derby could be boosted by the return of leading goal scorer Kris Commons against the Canaries. Victory in this game would give Derby their seventh straight home win.
Norwich are riding a five game winning streak and last week hammered local rivals Ipswich Town 4-1 in the ‘Old Farm’ derby game. Captain Grant Holt netted a hat-trick in that victory and will feature in the Norwich attack against Derby.
Scunthorpe United sit above the relegation zone on goal difference only, and will be looking for a positive result here against Millwall.
Millwall will be looking for a win that will see them climb away from the bottom three in front of the national TV cameras. Striker Steve Morison is in good form and will be a danger to the Ccunthorpe backline.
Scunthorpe will be boosted by the return of Martyn Woolford, while Sam Togwell and Garry Thompson will miss the game with injury.
League leaders Queens Park Rangers will travel to Hull City, and second place Cardiff will play host to rock bottom Preston North End.
A playoff battle will take place at Pride Park as fourth place Derby County face off against fifth place Norwich City. Sixth place Coventry will play host to struggling Middlesbrough, who need a win to escape the relegation zone.
At the bottom end of the table Crystal Palace will be looking for three points at Leeds United that will help them climb out of the bottom three.
The freezing conditions in England have impacted the Championship as Doncaster Rovers v Barnsley, Portsmouth v Burnley and Sheffield United v Reading were all postponed due to the freezing conditions.
Ipswich Town will return to Championship action against Swansea City after the midweek euphoria of reaching the Carling Cup semi-finals. Despite their Cup success, Ipswich will face Swansea looking to end a four game losing streak in Championship action.
Swansea are in third place and will be looking for a good result to bounce back from last week’s disappointing 2-1 defeat to Portsmouth.
Defender Gareth McAuley and striker Conor Wickham will be out injured for Ipswich, while Swansea could be boosted by the return of Captain Garry Monk.
Playoff contenders Leeds United will play host to struggling Crystal Palace. Leeds are riding a six game unbeaten streak that has seen them climb to within one point of the playoff spots. Palace are in the bottom three but will hope to follow up last week’s 1-0 win over Doncaster Rovers with another good performance.
Leeds will be without Captain Richard Naylor, who is ruled out for over a month with a knee problem.
Pablo Counago scored the winning goal against Doncaster will be a constant threat to Leeds throughout the afternoon.
Watford and Leicester City go head to head at Vicarage Road with both teams needing a win to move within range of the playoff race.
Watford will be boosted by the availability of Henri Lansbury and Jon Harley. Forward Heidar Helguson is an injury doubt for the Hornets.
Former England striker Darius Vassell is still looking for his first Leicester goal, and will be leading the line for the Foxes.
Nottingham Forest play host to Bristol City at The City Ground needing a win to stay in touch of the playoff race. Forest will be looking to bounce back from last week’s defeat at Leicester, while Bristol will be looking for their third straight win.
Forest striker Dele Adebola is an injury doubt after limping out of last week’s defeat to Leicester. Paul McKenna is also questionable due to a knee problem. Dexter Blackstock and David McGoldrick are long term absentees.
City will be boosted by the return of Captain Lewis Carey, Christian Ribeiro and leading goal scorer Jon Stead.
League leaders Queens Park Rangers will travel to struggling Hull City looking to increase their five point lead at the top of the table. QPR are unbeaten in Championship play and will be looking for their third straight win here. Hull will be looking to extend a four game unbeaten run.
Hull could be boosted by the return of Captain Ian Ashbee, who may have recovered from an Achilles injury.
Moroccan winger Adel Taarabt has been in inspirational form for QPR and will be a key figure here. Midfield playmaker Akos Buzsaky is a long term absentee for the Hoops.
Second place Cardiff City will be looking to close the five point gap opened up by Queens Park Rangers when they play host to rock bottom Preston North End.
Cardiff will be hoping for goals from England forward Jay Bothroyd, who is the league’s leading goal scorer. This game will see Bothroyd lining up against a Preston back line that has conceded more goals than any other team in the league.
Preston will be looking to end a six game winless streak in this trip to Wales. PNE will be boosted by the return of Captain Callum Davidson, Paul Coutts and Chris Brown will be missing due to injury.
Coventry City will be looking to continue their playoff push as they play host to struggling Middlesbrough at the Ricoh Arena. This match will see Coventry seeking their third straight win, while Middlesbrough will be looking to end a three game winless skid.
Coventry have a lengthy list on long term absentees that includes Sammy Clingan, Ben Turner, Gary Deegan and Isaac Osborne.
Boro will be hoping influential midfielder Gary O’Neil is fit to return, while Kevin Thomson remains sidelined with injury.
A playoff battle is on the agenda at Pride Park on Saturday when fourth place Derby County play host to fifth place Norwich City. Derby County will be looking to bounce back from last week’s loss at Burnley.
A sickness that has been prevalent in the club is reported to be clearing up and Derby could be boosted by the return of leading goal scorer Kris Commons against the Canaries. Victory in this game would give Derby their seventh straight home win.
Norwich are riding a five game winning streak and last week hammered local rivals Ipswich Town 4-1 in the ‘Old Farm’ derby game. Captain Grant Holt netted a hat-trick in that victory and will feature in the Norwich attack against Derby.
Scunthorpe United sit above the relegation zone on goal difference only, and will be looking for a positive result here against Millwall.
Millwall will be looking for a win that will see them climb away from the bottom three in front of the national TV cameras. Striker Steve Morison is in good form and will be a danger to the Ccunthorpe backline.
Scunthorpe will be boosted by the return of Martyn Woolford, while Sam Togwell and Garry Thompson will miss the game with injury.
