Sky Bet EFL permutations: Who can go up and down this weekend? | Football News

Fulham could win automatic promotion to the Premier League on Friday while Scunthorpe can be relegated from Sky Bet League Two as EFL clubs face a crucial Easter weekend of fixtures with 11 matches live on Sky Sports.

Here, we take you through the pivotal games being played this weekend across the Championship, League One and League Two.

Sky Bet Championship

Fulham closing in on promotion

Fulham will be promoted to the Premier League for the third time in five seasons if Nottingham Forest lose to Luton in the early kick-off on Friday and Fulham then beat Derby in the evening clash, live on Sky Sports at 8pm. Forest are unbeaten in 10 league games as they bid to end a 23-year exile from the top flight.

Bournemouth, having won just three of their last eight league games, host play-off chasing Middlesbrough at 3pm while Huddersfield, who moved third with a 2-0 win over Luton on Monday, welcome QPR in the 5.30pm kick-off live on Sky Sports.

Race for the play-offs:

Sheffield United can strengthen their play-off position and dent the survival hopes of Reading with a victory over the Royals on Friday. Since Paul Heckingbottom took charge in November, the Blades have picked up 42 points – joint most with Forest.

Millwall will still fancy their chances of reaching the top six with four of their final five fixtures against teams in the bottom half and only a four-point gap to make up. They take on Preston and Hull this weekend.

Middlesbrough, though, are in a better position with a game in hand against Cardiff City to capitalise on while four of Blackburn‘s final five matches are also against teams in the bottom half although they have won just two of their last 13 Championship matches.

Peterborough, Derby on the brink

Peterborough and Derby will be as good as relegated on Friday if they lose against Blackburn and Fulham respectively and Reading beat Sheffield United. Reading would then only need a point from their remaining four games to send them both down.

Barnsley have a game in hand but a defeat to Swansea will also leave them in serious trouble should Reading win on Friday.

Championship fixtures – Friday, April 15:

AFC Bournemouth vs Middlesbrough – 3pm kick-off, live on Sky Sports
Birmingham vs Coventry (3pm)
Derby vs Fulham – 8pm kick-off, live on Sky Sports
Huddersfield vs QPR – 5.30pm kick-off, live on Sky Sports
Hull vs Cardiff (3pm)
Luton vs Nottingham Forest – 12.30pm kick-off, live on Sky Sports
Peterborough vs Blackburn (3pm)
Preston North End vs Millwall (3pm)
Sheffield United vs Reading (3pm)
Stoke City vs Bristol City (3pm)
Swansea City vs Barnsley (3pm)
West Bromwich Albion vs Blackpool (3pm)

Championship fixtures – Monday, April 18:

Barnsley vs Peterborough (3pm)
Blackburn vs Stoke (3pm)
Blackpool vs Birmingham (3pm)
Bristol City vs Sheffield United – 5.30pm kick-off, live on Sky Sports
Cardiff vs Luton (3pm)
Coventry vs AFC Bournemouth (3pm)
Middlesbrough vs Huddersfield – 12.30pm kick-off, live on Sky Sports
Millwall vs Hull (3pm)
Nottingham Forest vs West Brom – 8pm kick-off, live on Sky Sports
QPR vs Derby (3pm)
Reading vs Swansea (3pm)

Sky Bet League One:

Crucial weekend for promotion candidates

Wigan moved four points clear at the top of League One following a 0-0 draw at Burton on Tuesday ahead of an important round of fixtures for the top teams.

The leaders host Cambridge on Saturday at 5.15pm live on Sky Sports before second-placed MK Dons welcome fifth-placed Sheffield Wednesday at 7.45pm.

Those fixtures come after Rotherham, in third, have played ninth-placed Ipswich at 12.30pm live on Sky Sports.

All to play for in top-six race

Oxford, in eighth, are four points off the top six after losing their last three matches but still have a chance of forcing their way in with upcoming games against MK Dons and Rotherham in their final four matches.

Sheffield Wednesday, Sunderland and Wycombe are all level on points but the latter have played a game more although play Wednesday on the penultimate weekend of the season.

Plymouth‘s automatic promotion bid is all but over following a disappointing 0-0 draw with Burton Albion on Saturday. They can strengthen their position in the play-offs with a victory over Wycombe on Friday.

Crewe down, Doncaster wobbling

Crewe Alexandra were relegated last weekend, which led to the sacking of manager David Artell, but there’s still plenty to decide at the bottom of League One.

Doncaster will follow them through the trapdoor on Easter Monday if they lose both of their fixtures this weekend and Fleetwood, Morecambe and Gillingham, who are all level on 38 points, take at least two each.

Fleetwood have a game in hand on those below them but still have to play relegation rivals Gillingham and AFC Wimbledon, who are 23 league games without a win and face Crewe on Friday.

League One fixtures – Friday, April 15

Accrington vs Burton (3pm)
Charlton vs Morecambe (3pm)
Cheltenham vs Gillingham (3pm)
Crewe vs AFC Wimbledon (3pm)
Doncaster vs Bolton (3pm)
Fleetwood vs Oxford (3pm)
Portsmouth vs Lincoln (3pm)
Sunderland vs Shrewsbury (3pm)
Wycombe vs Plymouth (3pm)

League One Fixtures – Saturday, April 16

Rotherham vs Ipswich – kick-off 12.30pm, live on Sky Sports
Wigan vs Cambridge – kick-off 5.15pm, live on Sky Sports
MK Dons vs Sheffield Wednesday – kick-off 7.45pm, live on Sky Sports

League One Fixtures – Monday, April 18

AFC Wimbledon vs Wycombe (3pm)
Bolton vs Accrington (3pm)
Gillingham vs Fleetwood (3pm)
Lincoln vs Cheltenham (3pm)
Morecambe vs Portsmouth (3pm)
Plymouth vs Sunderland – kick-off 3pm, live on Sky Sports
Shrewsbury vs Doncaster (3pm)

League One Fixtures – Tuesday, April 19

Burton vs Rotherham (7.45pm)
Cambridge vs Charlton (7.45pm)
Ipswich vs Wigan (7.45pm)
Oxford vs MK Dons (7.45pm)
Sheffield Wednesday vs Crewe (7.45pm)

Sky Bet League Two:

Rovers on the edge of glory

Forest Green Rovers can win automatic promotion this weekend if they beat Barrow and Oldham and Mansfield take less than four points from fixtures against Sutton and Carlisle.

Exeter and Port Vale are on course to clinch automatic spots having both only lost once in their last 18 league matches with five wins in their last six.

Mansfield, though, are not out of the top-three hunt with a game in hand against Stevenage to take advantage of.

Play-off race wide open

It’s all to play for in the race for the top seven with Swindon in 11th, who are four points behind but with a game in hand, still in with a shout.

Bristol Rovers face a crucial weekend for their play-off hopes when they take on promotion hopefuls Salford City and Port Vale. Sutton also have a pivotal two fixtures as they head to Mansfield and then host Newport.

Scunthorpe set for the drop

Scunthorpe will be relegated to the National League for the first time in 72 years if they lose to Leyton Orient on Friday or two of Barrow, Oldham & Stevenage match their result.

Stevenage have a massive relegation clash against Scunthorpe on Monday. They also hold a game in hand on Oldham above them, who face a tough Easter weekend against Northampton and Forest Green.

Phil Brown is still waiting for his first victory in charge of Barrow, who face a difficult weekend against Forest Green and Salford. They then take on high-flying Sutton and Exeter.

League Two fixtures – Friday, April 15

Barrow vs Forest Green (3pm)
Bradford vs Tranmere (3pm)
Bristol Rovers vs Salford (3pm)
Exeter vs Colchester (1pm)
Harrogate vs Swindon (3pm)
Hartlepool vs Port Vale (3pm)
Leyton Orient vs Scunthorpe (3pm)
Mansfield vs Sutton (3pm)
Newport vs Crawley (3pm)
Oldham vs Northampton (3pm)
Stevenage vs Rochdale (3pm)
Walsall vs Carlisle (3pm)

League Two fixtures – Monday, April 18

Carlisle vs Mansfield (3pm)
Colchester vs Bradford (3pm)
Crawley vs Walsall (3pm)
Forest Green vs Oldham (3pm)
Northampton vs Harrogate (3pm)
Port Vale vs Bristol Rovers (3pm)
Rochdale vs Hartlepool (3pm)
Salford vs Barrow (3pm)
Scunthorpe vs Stevenage (3pm)
Sutton vs Newport (3pm)
Swindon vs Leyton Orient (3pm)
Tranmere vs Exeter (3pm)