• Middlesbrough have won five in a row

• Sheffield Wednesday have not scored in their last nine

• Stoke and Blackburn each have six away clean sheets

Coventry have finally been caught by Middlesbrough at the top of the Championship standings — can either of them pull clear on a weekend in which the 12 matches are straddled across four days?

Charlton vs QPR (Friday, 8:01pm)

A London derby kicks off the fun with QPR, fresh from toppling Coventry last weekend, poised to win away for the first time since November.

Nathan Jones' Charlton have won only three of their last 16, and two of those successes were against teams who were down to 10 men by half time.

Score prediction: Charlton 1-2 QPR

Derby vs Ipswich (Saturday, 12:31pm)

Derby have enjoyed the joint-most away wins in the Championship this season — 8 — but have won half that number in front of their own fans at Pride Park.

For whatever reason they struggle more at home and that has to offer high-flying Ipswich the chance of picking up a crucial three points.

Score prediction: Derby 1-3 Ipswich

Norwich vs Blackburn (Saturday, 12:31pm)

Changing managers has served Norwich well — they have won eight of their last 14 under Philippe Clement — so Blackburn will hope they have thrown the dice in time by ousting Valerien Ismael this week.

A 1-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday night at least stopped the bleeding and Rovers can be obdurate on the road. They can batten down the hatches and frustrate the Canaries.

Score prediction: Norwich 1-1 Blackburn

Southampton vs Watford (Saturday, 12:31pm)

Javi Gracia reckoned he could not take Watford any further and the dispirited Hornets might not relish this trip to St Mary's.

Fresh off last weekend's 2-0 win at Stoke, Southampton look ready to finally kick on towards the play-off places.

Score prediction: Southampton 2-1 Watford

Birmingham vs Leicester (Saturday, 3:01pm)

Back-to-back home defeats to Oxford and Charlton, either side of Marti Cifuentes' sacking, have shown freefalling Leicester in the worst possible light.

They need wins but probably should not expect to get one at St Andrew’s where Birmingham are almost unbeatable.

Score prediction: Birmingham 1-0 Leicester

Coventry vs Oxford (Saturday, 3:01pm)

Coventry looked leggy and out of ideas in defeat at QPR last week so should respond with an assault on an Oxford side who will be parking the bus.

Cov's last four matches have ended in 2-1 scorelines and so might this one.

Score prediction: Coventry 2-1 Oxford

Hull vs Bristol City (Saturday, 3:01pm)

Bristol City have had a week to recover from that dreadful 5-0 home hammering by Derby last time out, but a trip to third-placed Hull will not fill them with encouragement.

The Robins have only scored against hapless Sheffield Wednesday in their past five and Hull give nothing away.

Score prediction: Hull 1-0 Bristol City

Preston vs Portsmouth (Saturday, 3:01pm)

Preston’s 1-1 draw at Ipswich last week snapped a four-game losing streak and they battled hard.

And they will need to do so again against a Pompey side who are unbeaten in four and buzzing after thrashing West Brom 3-0 to ease their relegation concerns.

Score prediction: Preston 1-1 Portsmouth

West Brom vs Stoke (Saturday, 3:01pm)

It is one point out of a possible 18 for the nosediving Baggies, for whom playing at a toxic Hawthorns cannot be easy.

Stoke's form is not the best either, however, so this could be a really gruelling affair between two teams struggling for goals.

Score prediction: West Brom 0-0 Stoke

Wrexham vs Millwall (Saturday, 3:01pm)

Sixth plays fifth in a huge match at The Racecourse where the Lions can put the brakes on the Welsh side.

Both these teams are in good form but Millwall, with recent clean sheets at Southampton and Watford, can frustrate their hosts.

Score prediction: Wrexham 1-1 Millwall

Swansea vs Sheffield Wednesday (Sunday, 12:01pm)

Wednesday have lost eight in a row, not scored in nine, and travel with no confidence to take on a Swansea side buzzing after a 2-0 win at Watford.

Score prediction: Swansea 2-0 Sheffield Wednesday

Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough (Monday, 8:01pm)

Red-hot Boro will have their resolve tested at Bramall Lane against a hit-and-miss Blades outfit who could be dangerous.

United have scored three or more in seven of their last eight at home so this could well turn into a goalfest against a Boro side on a five-game winning streak.

Score prediction: Sheffield United 2-2 Middlesbrough