Championship preview: The things you need to know ahead of the weekend’s action | Football News

It kicks off on Friday night at St Andrew’s

Friday Night Football is back on Sky Sports Football, as two of the season’s surprise packages meet at St Andrew’s, live from 7.30pm ahead of an 8pm kick-off.

Both Birmingham and Reading were expected to struggle this campaign, but the Blues find themselves on the cusp of the top half with the second best defence in the Championship of all the sides to have played 22 games so far.

Reading, meanwhile, could lift themselves back into the top six with a victory after enjoying back-to-back wins either side of the World Cup break. They continue to defy expectation and may do so again this weekend.

A feast of Red Button action on Saturday afternoon!

A rare Saturday afternoon festival of football on Sky Sports for you, with six Championship games live on the Sky Sports Football Red Button and the Sky Sports app.

The fixtures below will be available for you to tuck into…

Watch free Championship highlights

Should you miss your team play, or just want to catch up, then remember we have free match highlights from all Sky Bet Championship fixtures available for you shortly after full-time…

Championship predictions

Sky Sports duo Simeon Gholam and David Prutton take a look ahead at Gameweek 23 of the Sky Bet Championship season, predicting the results of all 12 fixtures.

Listen and subscribe to the Championship Predictions podcast on: APPLE | CASTBOX | SPOTIFY | YOUR REGULAR PROVIDER

You can listen below or read here

Robins: Curses, takeovers and Coventry’s bright future

Mark Robins discusses the Manager of the Month curse and his hopes for a bright future for Coventry City as they edge closer to a takeover.

“The last time I won this award was in February 2020 so the curse of the Manager of the Month certainly took its toll then!” joked Robins in an exclusive interview with Sky Sports.

“Having said that, we still got promoted. So it worked out in the end.”

Blackburn to set a new record at Carrow Road?

Twenty-two games have passed so far this season without Blackburn Rovers drawing a single one.

Should they win or lose against Norwich, they will set a new Championship record of 23 at the beginning of a campaign without a stalemate – previously held by Nottingham Forest in 2017/18.

In truth, Jon Dahl Tomasson has bigger things to worry about after back-to-back defeats either side of the World Cup break to two of Blackburn’s biggest rivals. They start the weekend still third in the table, but are beginning to feel on a backward trajectory.

It is live on Sky Sports Football from 5pm on Saturday, with kick-off at 5.30pm.

Set your alarms for Luton vs Millwall!

There is a massive game happening in the football world on Sunday, with two of the best players on the planet going head to head for the biggest prize in football.

Yes, Carlton Morris and Zian Flemming will face off for three precious Championship points, as Luton take on Millwall in a slightly earlier than usual kick-off time of 11.30am at Kenilworth Road. Build-up gets under way at 11am on Sky Sports Football. We have no idea why anyone would be in such a rush to get hom.

Toure set for first home game

Kolo Toure began his managerial career with a thoroughly respectable 1-1 draw at Millwall last Saturday, now the former Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool defender will take charge of his first home game with Wigan, as they welcome Sunderland to the Stadium of Light for Monday Night Football.

The Latics have work to do as they begin the weekend in the bottom three in the Championship. It is live on Sky Sports Football from 7.30pm on Monday night, with kick-off at 8pm.