Matchday twenty-one in the Championship kicks off on Friday evening with the clash between midlands rivals West Bromwich Albion and Aston Villa.
The match is a meeting between the two highest scoring sides in the division while both are in good form having each taken ten points from the last twelve available to them.
The Baggies go in to the game in third place, four points off the automatic promotion places while Villa are four points off the play-offs in eighth place.
Norwich City will fancy extending their lead at the top of the table as they welcome second from bottom Bolton Wanderers to Carrow Road.
High-flying
The Canaries have lost just one of their last fifteen games, while the Trotters have won just one of their last sixteen – form which sees them odds on for relegation.
Second place Leeds United are at home to Queens Park Rangers, who will be looking to bounce back from their surprise defeat to Hull City a week ago while Middlesbrough also play host to one of the sides in the lower reaches of the top half in Blackburn Rovers.
Challenging
Nottingham Forest will aim to continue their rise up the table as they taken Preston North End at the City Ground.
Alex Neil’s side were nine games unbeaten until their defeat at Birmingham City last time out – a result that sees them sit just four points above the bottom three.
Sheffield United travel to struggling Reading in Saturday’s late kick-off while Derby County, who are outside of the top six by virtue of goal difference travel to Wigan Athletic.
Sinking low
Ipswich Table are cut adrift at the bottom of the division and will do well to close the vast gap between themselves and the sides above them as they face a Stoke City side who have been beaten just once in their last eleven league games.
The Potters seem to have hit the form that they would have hoped for upon returning to the second tier and they could be an outside chance for promotion at 10/1, especially considering that this time a year ago Fulham were sitting in the bottom half.
There is a six-pointer at the KC Stadium where Hull City face Millwall – both sides in need of the points while Rotherham United have a short journey to Hillsborough as they take on Sheffield Wednesday.
Brentford play Swansea City at Griffin Park having taken just one point from the last four games, while Birmingham City could end the day a point outside of the top six if they win and other results fall in their favour.
The Blues host a Bristol City side who sit both eight points above the bottom three, and eight beneath the top six.
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