Championship Preview – Matchday 8

Leeds United will be looking to return to winning ways against Preston North End as the Championship action continues Tuesday evening.

The league leaders had to settle for just a point on Saturday afternoon with Jack Harrison netting a late equaliser at Millwall but will again be strong favourites here with only Ipswich Town currently below Alex Neil’s side in the table.

Just as top faces second from bottom, second from top faces bottom with Brentford travelling to Portman Road keen to pile more misery on the Tractor Boys who are one of just two sides yet to win in this league this season.

Goal threat

To have any chance of getting anything from the game the Suffolk side will surely need to keep Neal Maupay quiet after he added two to his tally last time out.

He remains favourite to finish the season as the division’s top scorer at a price of 7/2.

The division’s other winless outfit Birmingham City face a tough trip to Bramall Lane to face a Sheffield United side licking their wounds from their defeat to fellow high-flyers Bristol City.

The Robins are one of several sides who could find themselves top by Thursday morning but to have any chance of that they will have win at West Bromwich Albion.

The Baggies themselves are just a point off the top six, as are Bolton Wanderers and Sheffield Wednesday who travel to Middlesbrough and Nottingham Forest respectively.

Stalemate

Boro suffered their first defeat of the season last time out but are just one point off the top while Forest confirmed their status as the division’s draw specialists along with Birmingham with their fifth from seven at the weekend.

Swansea City moved into the top six after that point against Aitor Karanka’s side and travel to another of the sides who were relegated from the Premier League alongside them last term – Stoke City.

The Potters are just a point above the bottom three and squandered a two-goal lead at the weekend to take just a point from their trip to Sheffield Wednesday.

Eye-catching

Arguably the most eye-catching fixture of matchday eight takes place at Pride Park where Derby County will attempt to bounce back from Saturday’s defeat to Rotherham United against Blackburn Rovers, who draw with Aston Villa.

Villa and Rotherham meet in the Midlands with just a point separating the sides, in the favour of Steve Bruce’s side while upwardly mobile Queens Park Rangers will be keen to continue their resurgence as the welcome fellow London side Millwall to Loftus Road.

Reading remain in the bottom three but can move level on points with sixteenth place Norwich City if they beat the Canaries at the Madejski Stadium while finally Hull City travel to the DW Stadium to take on Wigan Athletic.