CHAMPIONSHIP: MATCH 33 PREVIEW

After a hard fought point at Huddersfield Town on Saturday afternoon Cardiff City will be making another trip north, this time to face Wigan Athletic at the DW Stadium. City may have endured a run of draws but they are one of just four teams unbeaten in their last four league encounters. However, the Bluebirds may be looking at collecting all three points this time out as the Latics have won just twice at home all season, bottom of the current home league table for the term. Athletic are currently nine points from safety in 23rd whereas Russell Slade’s men could go as high as 11th with a win in the North West.

Nottingham Forest are one of the other teams on a four game unbeaten streak, but their resolve will be seriously tested with the visit of AFC Bournemouth to the City Ground on Wednesday evening. Eddie Howe’s men may be without a win in three but they are still just one win from top spot and a single point from the automatic promotion places in third position. The Cherries have the best strike force in the league scoring 66 goals in 32 Championship outings including three players with nine or more goals. The top contributor is Callum Wilson who has 15 goals to his name.

Norwich City are in fine form with four wins in a row, including a 3-0 victory away at playoff rivals Watford last weekend, but if they are to make it 15 points from 15 then they will have to see off Gary Bowyer’s Blackburn Rovers. The Blue and Whites struggled on Saturday, only managing a point at home to lowly Blackpool, a team with half as many points as them with just 22. The Canaries saw off Blackpool 4-0 as part of their four game winning streak but will not take Blackburn lightly. The Lancashire outfit are used to seeing off higher placed teams, knocking two Premier League teams out of the F.A. Cup already this season and they are just four places off the top six with 14 games still to play.

Brighton and Leeds United both produced fine performances on the weekend against teams placed in loftier parts of the table. Leeds’ 1-0 win at Middlesbrough was arguably the most impressive result of the weekend with the Whites keeping Aitor Karanka’s ‘Boro off the top spot. Brighton hit Birmingham for four and as a result lifted themselves three points above the drop zone. The South Coast side won 2-0 at Elland Road back in August but may face a tougher test this time around. United have impressively won five of their last six league games and are now up to 11th in the Championship standings. However, if the Seagulls did produce a home win it would be their first ever double over Leeds United after failing on the previous 19 attempts at the feat.

Wolves versus Fulham would have been a Premier League fixture back in 2012 but this time the two are 11 places apart in the Championship. Wolves have the best chance of returning to the top flight, as they are just five points of the play off places. On the other hand, Fulham will be looking to maintain their second tier status as they balance precariously above the bottom three in 19th. The Londoners travel to Molineux where their opponents scored five in the previous game as they trounced Rotherham United. The Cottagers are somewhat struggling at the moment with no win in their last five and without three points on the road since December 13, but Kit Symons’ men have already tasted success in Wolverhampton earlier this season in the F.A. Cup, winning 5-3 on penalties after a 3-3 replay stalemate.

Blackburn v Norwich

Brentford v Blackpool

Brighton v Leeds

Derby v Charlton

Huddersfield v Reading

Ipswich v Birmingham

Middlesbrough v Bolton

Millwall v Sheffield Wednesday

Watford v Rotherham

Wigan v Cardiff

Wolves v Fulham

Nottingham Forest v Bournemouth