By Leon Imber
Sub-edited by Daniel DeFalco
David v Goliath
This isn’t applicable when describing the size and stature of each club, but in terms of league position this definitely is the case for Saturday’s fixture of Norwich City v Sheffield Wednesday.
Norwich currently sit top of the pile in the Championship with 28 points from their opening 15 matches. This weekend’s opponents wallow in 23rd position with nine points from the same number of games, a record that still would have seen Wednesday in the lower reaches even if not dealt the blow of a -6 point deduction.
Norwich’s midweek 3-1 loss to Luton Town ended a 10 match unbeaten run for Daniel Farke’s side, will they get back to winning ways against Tony Pulis’ struggling Owls.
Parkinson – get packin’ son
After a 1-1 draw against Fleetwood Town, Phil Parkinson was sacked as manager of Sunderland.
Andrew Taylor has taken temporary charge of the Black Cats whilst they eye up Parkinson’s successor, with names such as Lee Johnson, Danny Cowley and Sol Campbell all receiving mentions.
Taylor led his side to a 1-1 draw against Burton Albion on Tuesday night, but this weekend’s fixture is against bottom side Wigan Athletic and Sunderland fans will expect no less than all three points.
Whoever takes the reigns at Sunderland will be under intense pressure from the get-go to take them out of League One.
Cods v Critchley
Saturday is derby day for Fleetwood Town and Blackpool as they go head-to head.
Going into the fixture, Fleetwood sit four points and six places above their rivals, but Blackpool are superior in terms of form.
Embed from Getty ImagesNeil Critchley’s men have picked up 12 points from their last 15 available to put their poor start to the season behind them. Joey Barton’s Fleetwood have been steady so far but disappointingly lost 1-0 to Northampton Town on Tuesday night.
Will Blackpool extend their impressive run?
West Country Clash
Exeter City’s visit to Cheltenham Town is definitely the pick of the weekend’s matches in League Two.
Not only are two West Country sides going head-to-head, but in terms of the standings, it is second against third.
Exeter have lost just once in their last 17 matches in all competitions and have scored 10 goals from their last two matches in the league. Their opponents have won six of their last seven matches in all competitions and have picked up 10 points from their last five games.
Just two points separate the two sides and a win for Exeter would see them leapfrog their opponents, but it is a very tough result to predict.
Rampant Rovers
Tranmere Rovers have won all of their last eight matches in all competitions. Since the sacking of Mike Jackson, everything has just clicked at Prenton Park.
They host Walsall this weekend, a side on a shaky run of form not having won a match for over a month. Such run has seen them lose to Southend United, an accolade that only they have earned this season.
With high expectations set on him, Darrell Clark is under increased pressure in the Walsall hot seat, the trip to Birkenhead could not have come at a poorer time.
Can Tranmere extend their run of dominant performances?
