Championship, as per tradition the English cadet series does not stop even on New Year’s Eve: news and predictions.
The Championship, the English equivalent of our Serie B, as per tradition also takes the field on New Year’s Eve. On the first day of 2024, the 26th day of a league that currently sees Enzo Maresca’s Leicester in the lead, intent on getting right back upstairs after last spring’s relegation. The numbers don’t lie, with the Foxes literally dominating the tournament.
Twenty wins, two draws and three defeats for the team coached by Pep Guardiola’s former collaborator, which currently has 11 points more than third-placed Southampton. Leicester has not lost since early November and has since put together six wins and two draws. The challenge with Huddersfield, which is fourth-last and involved in the fight not to relegate, should not hold any major surprises, in a match of at least three goals overall (the Foxes also boast the best attack in the league). The other Championship bigwig, Leeds – another team from the Premier League – on the other hand, is only fourth, -9 away from direct promotion. The Whites slowed down at precisely the wrong time, and that is when second-placed Ipswich Town began to slow down. Daniel Farke’s men should in any case lift their spirits against Wayne Rooney’s Birmingham.
Southampton is in a moment of great form. The Saints, coached by Scotsman Russell Martin, are coming off four consecutive wins, third place is now only three points away, and they look capable of also conquering Norwich’s “home”, Carrow Road.
Championship: the worrying decline of Ipswich Town
The day’s lunch match is the showdown between ambitious Sunderland, seventh and fighting for a playoff spot, and Preston, further behind in the standings.
An opponent not to be underestimated for the Black Cats. Preston is fresh from the defeat to Sheffield Wednesday, but a few days earlier they took the scalp of Leeds: it is not to be ruled out that at the Stadium of Light they will manage to score at least one goal. Tricky trip for Ipswich Town, second in the class: Stoke City has appeared revitalized by the change in the bench and could put the Tractor Boys, dry of victories in the last 4 days, in trouble. West Bromwich, on the other hand, will try to take advantage of Swansea’s bad moment, still led by an interim coach: the Baggies arrive at the appointment in great confidence after their two wins in a row against Norwich and Leeds. Bristol City and QPR will most likely avoid defeat against Milwall and Cardiff respectively, while there should be no shortage of goals in Sheffield Wednesday-Hull City and Plymouth-Watford.
Championship: possible winners
Leeds (in Leeds-Birmingham, 4 p.m.)
Leicester (in Leicester-Huddersfield, 4 p.m.)
Bristol City or draw (in Bristol City-Millwall, 4 p.m.)
Southampton (in Norwich-Southampton, 4 p.m.)
QPR or draw (in QPR-Cardiff, 4 p.m.)
West Bromwich or draw (in Swansea-West Bromwich, 4 p.m.)
The matches of at least one goal per team
Sunderland-Preston, 1:30 p.m.
Stoke City-Ipswich Town, 4 p.m.
Sheffield Wednesday-Hull City, 6:15 p.m.
Championship: matches of at least three goals total
Leeds-Birmingham, 4 p.m.
Leicester-Huddersfield, 4 p.m.
Plymouth-Watford, 4:00 p.m.
Norwich-Southampton, 4:00 p.m.
