Championship Rivals Preview

Leeds Utd 24th

After Tuesday nights 1-0 reversal at Birmingham, the Elland Road men have a local derby to look forward to with the visit of Sheffield Wednesday. Leeds havent won in their last four games and three defeats and a draw is definitely Relegation form. Dennis Wise will be hoping new loan signing Radostin Kishishev will add a bit of steel into the Leeds midfield and with games running out he is desperate to get his men free from the shackles of relegation. Sheffield Wednesday recorded their first win in ten games last Saturday following the 3-2 win over Southend and manager Brian Laws will be looking to his team to build on that result as they look to consolidate a mid table finish.

Vital Prediction: A mouthwatering Yorkshire derby which has a history of being a close affair, should see Leeds pinch it 1-0.

Southend 23rd

After a spirited revival in January and early February, Southends climb out of the relegation zone has come of the rails recently with three straight defeats, last Saturdays 3-2 reversal at Hillsborough being the latest. They face a Leicester side today at Roots Hall who could well be ideal opposition for The Shakers with not having an awful lot to play for. Having said that, Leicester are the form team of the division at the moment and are currently enjoying a five match unbeaten run which includes wins over Ipswich, Coventry & Burnley. The team from the Walkers stadium could well have a major say in the relegation battle with three of their next four games against the bottom three teams of Southend, QPR and Leeds.

Vital Prediction: Could go either way this afternoon, so im going to sit on the fence and say a 1-1- draw.

QPR 22nd

In what could be classed as a relegation fight, QPR make the journey to Portman Road today and a crunch game against Ipswich Town. The Londoners last away win came back in November with a 1-0 win at Cardiff and since then they have picked up just one point on their travels. Ipswich currently sit four points above the relegation zone in eighteenth place and Boss Jim Magilton will be looking for a boost to their relegation worries. The men from Suffolk have lost their last four league games with defeats against Palace, Leicester, Wolves and Southampton.

Vital Prediction: Ipswich to take the points 2-1

Hull City 21st

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Luton Town 20th

Two straight defeats has found The Hatters sitting just one point off the drop zone and today they face a tricky home tie against a Wolves side with the smell of the Play offs in their nostrils. With Lutons following two games against Leeds and ourselves this is a game they must win to give themselves some breathing space ahead of a tricky double header. Mick McCarthys Wolves side find themselves in eighth place with goal difference being the only thing that sees them behind fifth place Southampton. Wolves are currently on a six match unbeaten run which includes five wins and a draw, their last four games all yielding three points.

Vital Prediction: Hard to see beyond a Wolves victory and i take a 2-0 win for the Molineux men.

Barnsley 19th

Two succesive wins against The Tigers and most recently Stoke has seen the South Yorkshire side slowly edge out of the relegation zone and they currently have a three point cushion to the Drop area. The recent arrival of Bulgarians Istvan Ferenczi and Peter Rajczi could well be a master stroke by Tykes Boss Simon Davey and they have certainly looked a better side since their arrival. Todays visitor to Oakwell, Norwich will be having nervous glances over their shoulders as they have seen the chasing pack slowly start to reel them onto the fringes of the relegation dogfight, and indeed if results go against them today they could see themselves just five points off the drop zone. After last Saturdays much needed win over Luton Town Norwich Boss Peter Grant will be hoping for another three point haul with tough games coming up against Cardiff, Birmingham, Derby and Stoke.

Vital Prediction: Barnsley to continue their recent impressive form with a 2-0 win.

Predicted Scores

Leeds 1-0 Sheff Wed

Southend 1-1 Leicester

Ipswich 2-1 QPR

Coventry 0-1 The Tigers

Luton 0-2 Wolves

Barnsley 2-0 Norwich

Predicted Table

18th Norwich 41pts

19th Barnsley 41pts

20th Hull City 38pts

21st Luton 36pts

22nd QPR 35pts

23rd Leeds 34pts

24th Southend 32pts