Championship preview

Cardiff City's march towards promotion takes them on a long trip north while fellow Premier League hopefuls Hull City are on home turf.

Last Updated: 01/03/13 at 13:05

Cardiff City: Travel north to face Middlesbrough

Cardiff City: Travel north to face Middlesbrough

Cardiff travel to Middlesbrough; Hull City host Birmingham

Leaders Cardiff City's march towards promotion takes them on a long trip north while fellow Premier League hopefuls Hull City are on home turf as the race for a top-two finish continues in Saturday's Championship programme.

Cardiff travel to a Middlesbrough side who have top-flight ambitions of their own and are only one point outside the play-offs, while third-placed Hull will aim to keep the pressure on against an inconsistent Birmingham City.

Second-placed Watford head to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday looking to consolidate their automatic promotion place live on Sky Sports. Wolves are still looking for a win under new manager Dean Saunders.

Friday's other game sees Derby County host another promotion contender, Crystal Palace, who are four points adrift of the automatic spots and are looking to get back on track after a 1-0 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday last time out.

Brighton & Hove Albion will look to extend a run of four games unbeaten and consolidate their place in the play-offs when they welcome Mark Robins' Huddersfield Town.

Leicester City are hoping for crucial back-to-back wins when they travel to face an Ipswich Town team that has slipped back into relegation trouble after picking up only four points out of a possible 12 from their last four matches.

Bottom side Peterborough United travel to a Blackburn Rovers team that is without a win in their last four matches. Darren Ferguson's side are four points from safety and in desperate need of a win.

Fourth-bottom Barnsley will look to bounce back after suffering their first defeat in seven last weekend when they welcome 10th-placed Bolton Wanderers to Oakwell. David Flitcroft will be keen to maintain or expand his side's two-point gap to the relegation zone.

Fellow relegation strugglers Bristol City head north to face a Blackpool team who have lost three times in their last five matches and are struggling badly for consistency. Sean O'Driscoll's side are also lacking form, but hit five goals in their last outing and should travel with confidence.

Leeds United entertain Millwall in what is likely to be a feisty clash at Elland Road. Millwall will look to continue to rebuild after ending a run of five successive defeats in their last outing.

Charlton Athletic host Burnley in a mid-table clash of two teams struggling for form. Both sides have lost four of their last six matches, with Burnley winless since January 19.

In the live game on Saturday evening, Sheffield Wednesday will look to extend their run of only one defeat in 12 and pull further clear of relegation danger when they entertain a Nottingham Forest side four points adrift of the play-off places.

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