West Ham face Southampton, Birmingham take their clean-sheet run to Cardiff and Preston host West Brom as the Championship programme continues across 23–24 October. Here is the full weekend guide, with television channels, recent form, head-to-head records, pre-match interviews and away-fan travel estimates.
All kick-off and travel times are UK time (BST). Friday’s Bolton v Middlesbrough section is retained as a pre-match snapshot; that fixture has already kicked off. The remaining eleven matches take place on Saturday.
Bolton Wanderers v Middlesbrough preview
Charlton Athletic v Norwich City preview
Portsmouth v Millwall preview
Sheffield United v Derby County preview
Blackburn Rovers v Wrexham preview
Cardiff City v Birmingham City preview
Lincoln City v Burnley preview
Preston North End v West Bromwich Albion preview
Queens Park Rangers v Swansea City preview
Stoke City v Bristol City preview
West Ham United v Southampton preview
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Watford preview
Bolton Wanderers v Middlesbrough
Last 5 league games · oldest → newest · points
BoltonWWLWD10MiddlesbroughDDWWD9League head-to-head
MiddlesbroughKim Hellberg · Middlesbrough FCBolton have found a more convincing rhythm, taking ten points from their last five league games. That improvement makes this a more interesting Friday opener than the recent record between the clubs alone would suggest.
Middlesbrough brought 22 goals from their opening eleven league fixtures into the trip. Their possession game presents a different challenge from simply defending crosses: Bolton need to keep their shape when Boro move the ball through midfield.
The historical balance is emphatic, with Middlesbrough winning the previous eight league meetings. This section preserves the pre-match picture for Friday’s fixture; kick-off has now passed, so there is no open prediction poll or new prediction.
Charlton Athletic v Norwich City
Last 5 league games · oldest → newest · points
CharltonDLDDL3Norwich CityLLLLL0League head-to-head
Fan Banter Prediction
Charlton Athletic to win.Charlton’s unbeaten six-match home sequence carries more weight in our selection than Norwich’s older head-to-head advantage. Five straight Norwich league defeats tilt this towards the hosts. That agrees with Hinchcliffe’s home-win forecast.
Norwich CityPhilippe Clement · Norwich CityCharlton’s overall run and their home record tell different stories. They have struggled to turn games into wins, yet their previous six home league matches produced three victories and three draws. The Valley gives them a firmer platform than their latest results alone imply.
Norwich arrive after five successive league defeats, but their recent record against Charlton is strong. The visitors won the previous three league meetings, including their last three league visits to The Valley, so this is a chance to draw confidence from a favourable fixture.
For Charlton, the challenge is making their home resilience count in the penalty area. Norwich need to stop another setback becoming a familiar pattern; a more controlled start would help keep the home crowd from dictating the tempo. The early television slot puts both teams’ response in focus.
Portsmouth v Millwall
Last 5 league games · oldest → newest · points
PortsmouthDLWWD8MillwallDDWLD6League head-to-head
Fan Banter Prediction
Portsmouth to win.Portsmouth’s improving home record and last season’s two victories give them a narrow edge. Millwall’s set pieces remain the main reason for caution. Hinchcliffe calls a draw; our reading of Pompey’s recent results gives the hosts a narrow edge.
PortsmouthJohn Mousinho · Pompey Talk — The News, PortsmouthPortsmouth have won two and drawn one of their previous three home league games. That is the foundation for their attempt to make Fratton Park a difficult assignment again, with their last five league results also showing a more settled run.
Millwall’s recent return has been less convincing, but their set-piece threat gives them a clear route into the match. Six league goals from dead-ball situations, excluding penalties, underline why Portsmouth cannot afford cheap corners and free-kicks.
Pompey won both of last season’s league meetings 3–1, although those results came after a much less successful spell in the fixture. The balance here is home momentum against an away side capable of making isolated moments count. Portsmouth will want to avoid a stop-start contest around their own box.
Sheffield United v Derby County
Last 5 league games · oldest → newest · points
Sheffield UnitedLLWLW6Derby CountyLDDLL2League head-to-head
Fan Banter Prediction
Sheffield United to win.Two wins in three and the broader head-to-head balance favour United. Derby’s seven-match winless league run outweighs their success in this fixture last season. That aligns with Hinchcliffe’s forecast of a home win.
Sheffield UnitedChris Wilder · Sheffield United FCDerby CountyJohn Eustace · Derby CountySheffield United have won two of their last three league games, giving their recent results a more positive shape. At Bramall Lane, the task is to turn that recovery into sustained pressure rather than another match decided by a brief change of momentum.
Derby are searching for a first league win in eight attempts. Their last visit here nevertheless ended in a 3–1 victory, a useful reminder that the broader head-to-head record does not make this an automatic home success.
United have won five of the previous seven league meetings, but Derby need to make this edition more competitive through their work without the ball. For the home side, keeping their attacking shape when possession changes hands is as important as the initial breakthrough. Both managers’ current previews are embedded above.
Blackburn Rovers v Wrexham
Last 5 league games · oldest → newest · points
Blackburn RoversWDWWL10WrexhamLWDLW7League head-to-head
Fan Banter Prediction
Blackburn Rovers to win.Two successive Ewood Park league wins give Blackburn the current edge. Wrexham’s older record here merits respect, but one win in six recent away league games weakens their case.
Blackburn RoversTony Mowbray · Blackburn RoversWrexhamPhil Parkinson · Wrexham AFCBlackburn are chasing a third successive home league win. Their recent Ewood Park results provide a reason to look beyond an unusually draw-heavy historical record against Wrexham, with the home side needing to make their chances count.
Wrexham are unbeaten in their previous seven away league meetings with Rovers, but that is a historical sample spanning different squads. Their current away run is more restrained: one win in six league trips, with three draws in that sequence.
Andri Gudjohnsen’s six league goals give Blackburn a focal point, although scoring above his underlying expected-goals total is a reason to avoid assuming every chance will continue to go in. Wrexham need to protect the centre of their defence while finding enough threat of their own to interrupt home pressure.
Cardiff City v Birmingham City
Last 5 league games · oldest → newest · points
Cardiff CityLWLWD7Birmingham CityWDWWW13League head-to-head
Fan Banter Prediction
Draw.Cardiff’s nine-match unbeaten home run meets Birmingham’s three straight clean-sheet victories. The competing strengths point towards a draw rather than a strong case for either side.
Cardiff CityBarry-Murphy pre-match media briefing · Glen WilliamsBirmingham CityChris Davies · Birmingham City FCCardiff’s unbeaten nine-match home league run is the strongest argument for the hosts. It gives them a base for a fixture in which simply pointing to Birmingham’s recent results would understate how difficult a trip this can be.
Birmingham have won three successive league games without conceding. That combination of results and defensive control makes them a different proposition from a side arriving on the strength of one big win, and Cardiff will need patience against their organisation.
The recent league head-to-head sample favours Cardiff, but Birmingham won their last league visit here. With a durable home side meeting visitors who have tightened up, the key question is who can create clear chances without leaving the spaces that turn a balanced match into an open one.
Lincoln City v Burnley
Last 5 league games · oldest → newest · points
Lincoln CityWLLLD4BurnleyLDWDL5League head-to-head
Fan Banter Prediction
Burnley to win.Lincoln’s winless home league start gives Burnley a narrow opening. The 1998/99 head-to-head sample is too old to carry meaningful weight in the selection.
Lincoln CityTom Shaw · Lincoln City FCBurnleyNicky Hayen · Burnley Football ClubLincoln are still looking for their first home league victory of the campaign, with two draws and three defeats from five attempts. Turning promising spells into a result is the immediate priority rather than expecting home advantage to settle the contest.
Burnley’s recent league form has also been uneven, though they have already shown they can win on the road at Watford. Their opportunity is to test Lincoln’s confidence early and make the home side chase a match they need to control.
The clubs’ last league meetings were both 1–1 draws in 1998/99. Those results are background rather than a guide to today’s squads. This is a fixture in which the current home record and each side’s ability to avoid mistakes matter far more than an old scoreline.
Preston North End v West Bromwich Albion
Last 5 league games · oldest → newest · points
Preston North EndLDLLL1West BromDLLWW7League head-to-head
Fan Banter Prediction
West Bromwich Albion to win.Albion’s consecutive wins, Preston’s poor six-game run and the recent league head-to-head record all support an away selection.
Preston North EndGraham Alexander · Preston North End FCPreston’s recent league run leaves them needing a response: five defeats and one draw in their previous six games. Deepdale can only become an advantage if they give the crowd something to build on and avoid another early setback.
West Brom have put together back-to-back league victories. Their recent record against Preston is strong as well, with six wins and one draw from the previous seven league meetings, making this a test of whether they can maintain that momentum away from home.
Preston need a more reliable route to chances and enough protection behind the ball to stop pressure coming straight back. Albion will want to make the hosts work before committing extra players forward. A patient away performance could be more useful than treating the contrasting form as permission to take risks.
Queens Park Rangers v Swansea City
Last 5 league games · oldest → newest · points
QPRDDDWL6Swansea CityWWWWL12League head-to-head
Fan Banter Prediction
Swansea City to win.Swansea’s six wins in eight away league matches and their recent record at QPR outweigh the hosts’ tendency to keep games close.
Queens Park RangersJulien Stéphan · QPR FCSwansea CityVítor Matos · Swansea City AFCQPR’s last five league games contain three draws, a win and a defeat. That mix makes this less straightforward than judging them by the latest setback alone: they have often stayed competitive without consistently turning close matches into three points.
Swansea have won six of their previous eight away league games, drawing one and losing one. Their recent success on the road is the strongest part of the visitors’ case, particularly against a home side that has regularly shared the points.
QPR have not won any of the previous seven home league meetings with Swansea, with three draws and four away wins in that sample. The hosts need to prevent comfortable spells of visiting possession while offering enough forward threat to avoid spending the afternoon defending. Swansea will look to make their away confidence count.
Stoke City v Bristol City
Last 5 league games · oldest → newest · points
Stoke CityWWWLW12Bristol CityLWDLL4League head-to-head
Fan Banter Prediction
Stoke City to win.Stoke’s six victories in eight league games stand out against Bristol City’s consecutive defeats. The recent home head-to-head sample supports that lean.
Stoke CityMark Robins · Stoke City FCBristol CityMichael Skubala · Bristol City FCStoke have won six of their previous eight league games, a run that gives them a convincing foundation at home. The task is to carry that confidence into another fixture without allowing the visitors easy opportunities to slow the game down.
Bristol City arrive after successive 1–0 league defeats. Those narrow margins show why the visitors will want to stay in the contest, but they also put pressure on an attack that needs to make more of the chances it does create.
Stoke are unbeaten in the previous three league meetings with Bristol City at this ground, winning two and drawing one. Bristol City won the most recent meeting overall, so there is a counterpoint to the home record. Current momentum still makes this a demanding away assignment.
West Ham United v Southampton
Last 5 league games · oldest → newest · points
West Ham UnitedWDDWW11SouthamptonWLWWD10League head-to-head
Fan Banter Prediction
West Ham United to win.West Ham’s home advantage and scoring output give them a narrow edge. Saints’ clean sheets and the uncertainty around Downes and Larin keep this a cautious selection.
West Ham UnitedNuno Espírito Santo · West Ham United FCSouthamptonTonda Eckert · Southampton FCWest Ham’s win at Swansea has added weight to their promotion push, and their opening eleven league fixtures brought 30 goals. At the London Stadium, their attacking output is the main challenge for a Southampton side that has recently become much harder to break down.
Southampton have kept three consecutive league clean sheets. Flynn Downes and Cyle Larin are doubts rather than confirmed absentees, while Caspar Jander is fit and available. West Ham’s only confirmed absentee in Southampton’s official match pack is Keiber Lamadrid.
The recent league head-to-head record favours West Ham, but Saints’ defensive improvement makes a repeat of this season’s 4–1 cup meeting far from automatic. The cup match involved changed line-ups. Set pieces could matter at both ends, and the availability of Southampton’s doubtful players is worth checking when the teams are announced.
UK audio: talkSPORT 2 and BBC Radio London. Check local schedules for availability.
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Watford
Last 5 league games · oldest → newest · points
WolvesWLLWD7WatfordLLLLW3League head-to-head
Fan Banter Prediction
Wolverhampton Wanderers to win.Watford’s ten-match winless away league run is the strongest signal. Wolves’ recent head-to-head advantage and Fer López’s attacking contribution reinforce the home selection.
Wolves have mixed wins and setbacks in their latest five league games, so this is an opportunity to produce a more consistent home performance. Their recent league meetings with Watford have generally gone their way, but that history still has to be translated into chances.
Watford’s away league record is the central concern: nine defeats and a draw from their previous ten trips, with five goals scored and 25 conceded. They need to make this a more controlled contest and avoid allowing an early concession to shape the afternoon.
Fer López has five league goals and three assists, making his involvement an important part of Wolves’ attacking threat. Watford must limit the spaces in which he can influence the match while keeping a route forward of their own. Simply defending deeper would risk inviting repeated pressure.
Fan Banter’s predictions are our own match-result calls, based on the stated recent form and head-to-head samples, with reported availability considered where confirmed. They are not Sky Sports predictions. Form is league-only and frozen before this round; W = win, D = draw, L = loss. Travel figures are approximate car journeys between the clubs’ grounds, with arrival 90–60 minutes before kick-off and return departure approximately 30 minutes after full-time.
For the weekend’s top-flight coverage, see our Premier League preview and the latest Match of the Day running order.
Fixture and television checks: Sky Sports. Historical match statistics: EFL/Opta pre-match stat pack, 23 October. Form: Championship league form guide. West Ham and Southampton availability: Southampton’s official match pack. Video credits appear with each player.
Archive stadium photographs, cropped for display: Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium — Zakarie Faibis (CC BY-SA 4.0); London Stadium — Arne Müseler (CC BY-SA 3.0 de); Toughsheet Community Stadium — Mark Hammond from London, England (CC BY 2.0); Ewood Park — Ronnie Macdonald from Chelmsford, United Kingdom (CC BY 2.0); Molineux Stadium — John Nickolls (CC BY-SA 2.0); Britannia Stadium — Gkbediako (CC BY-SA 4.0); ProAmpac Stadium — Differentgravy at English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0); Fratton Park — Ben Hardinge (CC BY 2.0); Cardiff City Stadium — Jon Candy from Cardiff, Wales (CC BY-SA 2.0); Bramall Lane — Arne Müseler (CC BY-SA 3.0 de); The Valley — en:User:Superbfc (CC BY-SA 3.0); Deepdale — Hudson6dogs (CC BY-SA 3.0)
You must be logged in to post a comment Login