Championship preview: The things you need to know ahead of the weekend’s action
It kicks off on Friday night at St Andrew’s
Friday Night Football is back on Sky Sports Football, as two of the season’s surprise packages meet at St Andrew’s, live from 7.30pm ahead of an 8pm kick-off.
Both Birmingham and Reading were expected to struggle this campaign, but the Blues find themselves on the cusp of the top half with the second best defence in the Championship of all the sides to have played 22 games so far.
Birmingham City
Reading
Friday 16th December 7:30pm Kick off 8:00pm
Reading, meanwhile, could lift themselves back into the top six with a victory after enjoying back-to-back wins either side of the World Cup break. They continue to defy expectation and may do so again this weekend.
A feast of Red Button action on Saturday afternoon!
A rare Saturday afternoon festival of football on Sky Sports for you, with six Championship games live on the Sky Sports Football Red Button and the Sky Sports app.
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How to watch Championship live on Sky
Here is how you can watch Sky Bet Championship matches live across Sky Sports this season, as well as free match highlights throughout the entire season.
- Get Sky Sports | Championship table
- Championship fixtures
The fixtures below will be available for you to tuck into…
- Bristol City vs Stoke, 3pm – Live on Sky Sports Football Red Button & Sky Sports app
- Burnley vs Middlesbrough, 3pm – Live on Sky Sports Football Red Button & Sky Sports app
- Cardiff vs Blackpool, 3pm – Live on Sky Sports Football Red Button & Sky Sports app
- Huddersfield vs Watford, 3pm – Live on Sky Sports Football Red Button & Sky Sports app
- Preston vs QPR, 3pm – Live on Sky Sports Football Red Button & Sky Sports app
- West Brom vs Rotherham, 3pm – Live on Sky Sports Football Red Button & Sky Sports app
Watch free Championship highlights
Should you miss your team play, or just want to catch up, then remember we have free match highlights from all Sky Bet Championship fixtures available for you shortly after full-time…
Also See:
Free-to-watch Championship highlights
Watch free highlights of every Sky Bet Championship match…
Championship predictions
Sky Sports duo Simeon Gholam and David Prutton take a look ahead at Gameweek 23 of the Sky Bet Championship season, predicting the results of all 12 fixtures.
Championship predictions
Who is being tipped for victory in the Sky Bet Championship this weekend? Find out here…
Listen and subscribe to the Championship Predictions podcast on: APPLE | CASTBOX | SPOTIFY | YOUR REGULAR PROVIDER
You can listen below or read here
Robins: Curses, takeovers and Coventry’s bright future
Mark Robins discusses the Manager of the Month curse and his hopes for a bright future for Coventry City as they edge closer to a takeover.
Mark Robins exclusive
Coventry manager on the Manager of the Month curse and his hopes for a bright future for Coventry City as they edge closer to a takeover.
“The last time I won this award was in February 2020 so the curse of the Manager of the Month certainly took its toll then!” joked Robins in an exclusive interview with Sky Sports.
“Having said that, we still got promoted. So it worked out in the end.”
Blackburn to set a new record at Carrow Road?
Twenty-two games have passed so far this season without Blackburn Rovers drawing a single one.
Should they win or lose against Norwich, they will set a new Championship record of 23 at the beginning of a campaign without a stalemate – previously held by Nottingham Forest in 2017/18.
Norwich City
Blackburn Rovers
Saturday 17th December 5:00pm Kick off 5:30pm
In truth, Jon Dahl Tomasson has bigger things to worry about after back-to-back defeats either side of the World Cup break to two of Blackburn’s biggest rivals. They start the weekend still third in the table, but are beginning to feel on a backward trajectory.
It is live on Sky Sports Football from 5pm on Saturday, with kick-off at 5.30pm.
Set your alarms for Luton vs Millwall!
There is a massive game happening in the football world on Sunday, with two of the best players on the planet going head to head for the biggest prize in football.
Luton Town
Millwall
Sunday 18th December 11:00am Kick off 11:30am
Yes, Carlton Morris and Zian Flemming will face off for three precious Championship points, as Luton take on Millwall in a slightly earlier than usual kick-off time of 11.30am at Kenilworth Road. Build-up gets under way at 11am on Sky Sports Football. We have no idea why anyone would be in such a rush to get hom.
Toure set for first home game
Kolo Toure began his managerial career with a thoroughly respectable 1-1 draw at Millwall last Saturday, now the former Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool defender will take charge of his first home game with Wigan, as they welcome Sunderland to the Stadium of Light for Monday Night Football.
Wigan Athletic
Sheffield United
Monday 19th December 7:30pm Kick off 8:00pm
The Latics have work to do as they begin the weekend in the bottom three in the Championship. It is live on Sky Sports Football from 7.30pm on Monday night, with kick-off at 8pm.
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