- Sheffield United are leading, with a two-point advantage over Leeds and Burnley
- Coventry in fifth place is only two points ahead of eighth-placed Bristol City
- The relegation zone currently includes Cardiff, Luton and Plymouth
As the Championship season nears its end, the competition for automatic promotion, playoff berths, and avoiding relegation is heating up.
Blackburn will kick off the weekend with a home match against Middlesbrough on Friday night, followed by a packed Saturday schedule featuring 11 second-tier games.
Blackburn vs Middlesbrough (Friday, 8pm)
Blackburn's hopes for a playoff spot are diminishing after a run of six games without a win under head coach Valerien Ismael. They face an in-form Middlesbrough team on Friday.
Score prediction: Blackburn 1-2 Middlesbrough
Coventry vs Burnley (Saturday, 12.30pm)
Coventry, coming off a loss to league leaders Sheffield United, have been strong at home recently and could secure a draw against promotion hopefuls Burnley.
Score prediction: Coventry 1-1 Burnley
Luton vs Leeds (Saturday, 12.30pm)
Despite being near the bottom of the table, Luton have shown improvement with three wins in their last five matches and might earn a result against Leeds, who have been inconsistent lately.
Score prediction: Luton 2-2 Leeds
West Brom vs Sunderland (Saturday, 12.30pm)
In the clash between fifth-placed West Brom and Sunderland, who have lost only once in their last five games, a draw seems likely, given West Brom's tendency for stalemates.
Score prediction: West Brom 1-1 Sunderland
Bristol City vs Watford (Saturday, 3pm)
Bristol City, pushing for a playoff spot, have a strong home record and are expected to defeat Watford, who have struggled for wins recently.
Score prediction: Bristol City 2-0 Watford
Millwall vs Portsmouth (Saturday, 3pm)
Millwall, aiming for a playoff position, are likely to secure a victory at home against Portsmouth, who have been poor away from home.
Score prediction: Millwall 3-0 Portsmouth
Oxford vs Sheffield United (Saturday, 3pm)
Oxford, in need of points to avoid relegation, face a tough task against league leaders Sheffield United, who have been dominant on the road.
Score prediction: Oxford 1-2 Sheffield United
Plymouth vs Norwich (Saturday, 3pm)
Plymouth, fighting to stay up, could secure a draw against Norwich, a team that struggles when playing away and concedes goals frequently.
Score prediction: Plymouth 2-2 Norwich
Preston vs Stoke (Saturday, 3pm)
Preston have drawn the most home matches in the Championship this season and are likely to share points with struggling Stoke in a less-than-exciting game.
Score prediction: Preston 0-0 Stoke
QPR vs Cardiff (Saturday, 3pm)
QPR's poor form could continue against Cardiff, who are fighting to stay out of the relegation zone after a recent away win against Blackburn.
Score prediction: QPR 1-2 Cardiff
Sheffield Wednesday vs Hull City (Saturday, 3pm)
Sheffield Wednesday's off-field issues may affect their performance as they face a Hull side desperate for points in their battle against relegation.
Score prediction: Sheffield Wednesday 1-3 Hull City
Swansea vs Derby (Saturday, 3pm)
Derby's recent good form may see them earn a point against Swansea, who have been strong at home but have struggled on the road.
Score prediction: Swansea 0-0 Derby