Championship preview: Coventry City lead the way as promotion race tightens

Another action-packed weekend of Championship football is upon us as we await the latest twists and turns to unfold in the promotion race and battle for survival.

Middlesbrough’s televised trip to Birmingham City on Monday night means Kim Hellberg’s side could find themselves under increasing pressure from the chasing pack, whilst leaders Coventry City welcome Stoke City on Saturday as they aim to end the day eight points clear.

Meanwhile, there is a huge clash at the bottom of the table as relegation rivals Oxford United and West Bromwich Albion go head-to-head on what promises to be a nervy afternoon at the Kassam Stadium.

Here are the key talking points to look out for this weekend.

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Will Mark Robins dampen the Coventry mood?

When these two sides met in the reverse fixture back in November, Ephron Mason-Clark’s acrobatic late winner was the difference as the Sky Blues narrowly secured all three points in a top-of-the-table clash at the Bet365 Stadium.

There will not be the same feel to their meeting this time around, though, as an injury-hit Stoke have failed to keep up with the pace and now find themselves firmly in the midst of mid-table, with any hopes of a top-six finish fading by the week.

The difference between the top two sides in the league before kick-off that day was just four points, but that now stands at 21 as Mark Robins returns to the CBS Arena for the second time as Stoke boss, looking to build on a first win in eight league games last time out and remain in the hunt for the play-offs.

Meanwhile, it all appears to be back on track for Frank Lampard’s Coventry once again after three straight wins put an end to their little wobble and sees the gap to third-placed Millwall currently at a healthy nine points (though Ipswich Town in fourth still have two games in hand), with an opportunity to extend their lead over Boro at the summit and move one game closer to the promised land.

Millwall and Hull to keep pressure on the top two?

Time and again, Millwall and Hull City have been predicted to run out of steam and be looking over their shoulders – despite featuring in-and-around the top six since October – but they continue to prove why they are firmly in the promotion mix.

Both responded in style from disappointing home defeats last weekend with impressive victories over fellow play-off rivals in midweek to restore a slight cushion to seventh-placed and will still firmly be eyeing up the second automatic promotion spot.

The Lions face another tough test as they head to Deepdale to face Preston North End, knowing they can move to within one point of Middlesbrough, who do not play until Monday night, whilst Hull could find themselves just three points behind and with a game in hand still to play if they win at Portsmouth – a ground where they narrowly escaped relegation on the final day last season.

A potentially decisive day at the Kassam Stadium

Certainly, the biggest match of the weekend is at the foot of the table, where 23rd-placed Oxford host managerless West Brom – sat precariously above the dotted line – in what feels like a must-win game for both sides.

The U’s have only won once since Matt Bloomfield was appointed last month, though they have earned two highly credible goalless draws at Coventry and Middlesbrough, and have only managed to find the net on four occasions in his ten games at the helm.

West Brom represents the first of three favourable-looking home games coming up for Oxford, who start the day six points behind their opponents, with a defeat leaving a mountain to climb in order to extend their stay in the Championship for a third season.

As for the Baggies, the Eric Ramsay nightmare was ended on Tuesday evening after failure to beat Charlton Athletic at home made it nine winless games under the head coach – in which time they have been left stagnant amidst an upturn in form of teams around them and are fortunate to not be in an even worse position if it was not for Leicester City’s six-point deduction.

James Morrison will be in interim charge, as he was for the FA Cup third-round tie with Swansea City less than seven weeks ago, looking to put an end to a miserable run and earn a crucial first league win of the calendar year as the club attempts to avoid third-tier football for the first time in over three decades.

Elsewhere…

Gary Rowett takes charge of his first home game at Leicester against a resurgent Norwich City, aiming to climb out of the relegation zone if they can better West Brom’s result at Oxford.

John Eustace and his band of ex-Blackburn Rovers players welcome his former side to Pride Park as Derby County look to reignite their play-off push following consecutive away defeats.

Tonda Eckert’s in-form Southampton will go marching into Hillsborough, anticipating a fifth league win in six games against an already-relegated Sheffield Wednesday, as they try to keep pace with sixth-placed Wrexham, who head to Charlton.

The action all begins on tonight as Bristol City and Watford attempt to close the gap on the top six, whilst there is a blockbuster offering on Monday evening as play-off chasing Birmingham host second-placed Middlesbrough, who are without a win in three games.

READ MORE: Championship roundup: Coventry City move five points clear at summit, Millwall up to third