Two pivotal Championship fixtures will be broadcast live on Sky Sports on Tuesday night as the race for promotion and survival heads into its final weeks. Portsmouth, embroiled in a relegation battle, entertain promotion-chasing Ipswich Town, while high-flying Southampton host Blackburn at St Mary’s. Key League One and League Two games are also televised as the season reaches its climax.
Portsmouth vs Ipswich
This clash was postponed twice in January because of frozen and waterlogged pitches, but conditions on the south coast are expected to be fine and the tie should finally be played. Pompey arrive on the back of an upturn in form, collecting five points from three matches after a difficult spell before the international break. Conor Chaplin’s last-gasp winner at Middlesbrough on Saturday halted a slide toward the bottom three and gave manager John Mousinho a timely boost. “We did get lucky, let’s be honest we got lucky, but that’s something we just haven’t had this season,” Mousinho reflected after the Middlesbrough victory.
Ipswich remain in robust form themselves following a comprehensive derby win over Norwich and currently sit comfortably in second. A win at Fratton Park would open a five-point gap to third-placed Millwall and strengthen their hold on an automatic promotion spot. Portsmouth will take heart from the chance to influence the table: a home win would move them four points clear of the relegation zone with four matches left, though their home form this calendar year — just one win and one point from their last four home games — offers a cautionary note.
Match details: Tuesday 14 April — live on Sky, kick-off 8:00pm.
Southampton vs Blackburn
Brought forward because Southampton have an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley, this fixture sees the Saints in imperious league form under Tonda Eckert. Their comeback victory against Derby on Saturday lifted them to fifth, and another win on Tuesday would mark a sixth straight league triumph, extending a run that has included big results such as victory over Arsenal and a 5-1 win at Wrexham. “It was an outstanding performance, I think the best one of the week,” Eckert said after the Derby match.
Blackburn have hit a rough patch with successive draws that have blunted their push to pull away from danger. They still retain a four-point cushion above the drop, but failing to take anything from St Mary’s would increase pressure on them, especially as opponents below have games in hand. Rovers also face a quick turnaround, hosting leaders Coventry on Friday, so Tuesday’s match is far from a free hit.
Match details: Tuesday 14 April — live on Sky, kick-off 8:00pm.
League One
Sky will also show Bolton vs Stevenage and Huddersfield vs Cardiff. Bolton look well placed for a play-off berth and will want momentum against sixth-placed Stevenage; a win could open a five-point gap on their pursuers. Cardiff can move closer to the promotion places with a trip to Huddersfield, who still harbour play-off ambitions. Elsewhere, Leyton Orient host Mansfield as they try to climb out of the relegation area, Port Vale face Barnsley in a key relegation tussle, and Wigan welcome Rotherham with Rotherham’s survival hopes precarious.
League Two
Sky’s live fixtures include Barrow vs Oldham, Cheltenham vs Gillingham, Chesterfield vs Grimsby, and Colchester vs Accrington. The division remains finely balanced: Barrow, battling relegation, will seek three points to edge toward safety against play-off outsiders Oldham. Chesterfield vs Grimsby is a vital top-seven showdown — seventh versus eighth separated by a single point — and could prove decisive for the play-off places as the season draws to a close.