Ipswich to edge closer to Premier League and Southampton to march on? | EFL on Tuesday night live on Sky Sports
It is set to be another defining night in the EFL on Tuesday night with eight games live on Sky; watch Portsmouth vs Ipswich and Southampton vs Blackburn on Sky Sports, while there are also live games from League One and League Two
Tuesday 14 April 2026 06:09, UK
It is all to play for at the top and bottom on Tuesday night in the Championship, with two massive matches live on Sky.
Relegation-threatened Portsmouth host promotion-chasing Ipswich Town, while high-flying Southampton welcome Blackburn to St Mary's.
There are also key games live in League One and League Two, with plenty to play for as we approach the final stages of the 2025/26 season.
- Got Sky? Watch your EFL team on the Sky Sports app
- Not got Sky? Stream your EFL team with no contract
- Get more EFL to your phone with WhatsApp
Portsmouth vs Ipswich
This one has been a long time coming. Quite literally, in fact. Portsmouth were originally supposed to host Ipswich in the first week of January, but have postponed this game twice. The first fixture for a frozen pitch, and then again in early March for a waterlogged pitch.
We've checked the forecast and it is set to be balmy on Tuesday night on the south coast, with minimal chances of precipitation. We should be good to go.
And the game comes at a good time for Portsmouth. They were in dismal form heading into the international break, but have picked up five points from three games since, including a dramatic 1-0 win at Middlesbrough on Saturday. Conor Chaplin scored with the last kick of the game to save Pompey from dipping into the bottom three.
"We did get lucky, let's be honest we got lucky, but that's something we just haven't had this season," said a slightly disbelieving Portsmouth boss John Mousinho after the game. "It tends to be the case when you're down the bottom."
Mousinho will be hoping they still have a bit of fortune to spare for Ipswich. The Tractor Boys enjoyed a buoyant win at bitter rivals Norwich at the weekend, and are in complete control of second spot in the table. A win here would take them five points clear of Millwall in third.
And a trip to Fratton Park is not as daunting as it once was. Portsmouth have just one win at home this calendar year, and have just a point at home in their last four.
But the incentive is knowing victory would take them four points clear of the drop, which will feel like a chasm with four games to play.
Southampton vs Blackburn
While Portsmouth vs Ipswich has been delayed twice over the course of three months, Southampton vs Blackburn comes to you from the future!
Initially scheduled for the final weekend of April, and the penultimate round of fixtures of the season, it has been brought forward due to the fact the Saints have a trip to Wembley to face Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-finals instead.
Tonda Eckert won't mind. The Saints are on the march right now and momentum is king at this stage of the season. Southampton's comeback win against Derby on Saturday lifted them up to fifth in the table, and a victory on Tuesday night against Rovers would be their sixth in the league in a row. It has been a pretty incredible spell of form.
"It was an outstanding performance, I think the best one of the week," said Eckert after they hit back to beat the Rams. Some praise considering the week started with a win over Arsenal, and was followed by a 5-1 shellacking of Wrexham.
Blackburn will know they are up against it. Back-to-back draws has stalled their push away from the relegation places.
They do still have a four-point gap, but if they pick up nothing at Southampton they will know all the sides below them have games in hand.
And their next game comes as quickly as Friday night, when they host the leaders Coventry. It doesn't take long for things to change quickly in this league, so Blackburn cannot afford to consider St Mary's a free hit.
League One
- Live on Sky: Bolton vs Stevenage, Huddersfield vs Cardiff
- Leyton Orient vs Mansfield, Port Vale vs Barnsley, Wigan vs Rotherham
Bolton look like they are destined for the play-offs in League One, and will be keen to ensure they continue to build momentum heading there. They host a Stevenage side who occupy sixth spot, and could put five points between themselves and the chasing pack in the play-off race with a win.
Cardiff City can take another step towards what seems an inevitable promotion when they head to Huddersfield who still have hopes of sneaking into the play-offs.
Elsewhere, Leyton Orient will be hoping to push away from the relegation zone when they host Mansfield, Port Vale will move a game closer to what seems a certain drop as they host Barnsley, and Rotherham could have their relegation fate sealed at Wigan. Defeat and they are down.
League Two
- All live on Sky: Barrow vs Oldham, Cheltenham vs Gillingham, Chesterfield vs Grimsby, Colchester vs Accrington
Nothing can be confirmed in League Two on Tuesday night, but relegation-threatened Barrow will try and move closer to safety as they host outside play-off hopefuls Oldham.
Chesterfield vs Grimsby is a huge game in the top-seven shake-up, meanwhile. It is seventh first eighth, with just one point between them either side of the play-off line.
