Championship preview

McLeish: Top of the tree

Click below for individual match previews and stats:
Southampton v Blackpool
Barnsley v Derby
Bristol City v QPR
Burnley v Plymouth
Doncaster v Coventry
Norwich v Birmingham
Preston v Charlton
Reading v Crystal Palace
Sheff Utd v Cardiff
Swansea v Sheff Wed
Wolverhampton v Nottm Forest
Watford v Ipswich

Related links

Teams

• Barnsley
• Birmingham City

• More teams +

  • Blackpool
  • Bristol City
  • Burnley
  • Cardiff City
  • Charlton Athletic
  • Coventry City
  • Crystal Palace
  • Derby County
  • Doncaster
  • Ipswich Town
  • Norwich City
  • Nottingham Forest
  • Plymouth Argyle
  • Preston North End
  • Queens Park Rangers
  • Reading
  • Sheffield United
  • Sheffield Wednesday
  • Southampton
  • Swansea City
  • Watford
  • Wolverhampton Wanderers

Also see

• Championship fixtures
• Championship table
• Championship stats

Sky Sports 1 bookends a full program of Championship action on Saturday, bringing you the lunchtime kick-off at St Mary's before the evening's action from Vicarage Road.

Southampton's fixture against Blackpool, live on Sky Sports 1, gets the weekend's 12 fixtures under way with the visitors in search of their first league victory of the season.

Table-toppers Birmingham City are aiming for a fourth successive success as Alex McLeish's troops travel to a Norwich City side that have drawn their opening three matches.

Second-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers host Nottingham Forest looking to retain their unbeaten start to the term.

Preston North End, also yet to lose in the league, welcome Charlton to Deepdale with both sides enjoying encouraging starts to 2008/09.

Queens Park Rangers travel to Ashton Gate as Iain Dowie's men lock horns with Bristol City.

At the wrong end of the table, Derby County will be desperate to end their quest for a league success under manager Paul Jewell as they go head-to-head with a struggling Barnsley outfit.

Burnley, who are yet to record a win this season, face Plymouth Argyle with the visitors also searching for form having lost their previous two league encounters.

Elsewhere, Doncaster Rovers host Coventry City, Crystal Palace travel to Reading, Sheffield United face Cardiff City and Swansea City do battle with Sheffield Wednesday.

Watford draw a close to the encounters, as they take on Ipswich Town, also live on Sky Sports 1, with both sides keen to put right their indifferent starts to the campaign.