Massive live games, free highlights, league tables, podcasts, exclusive interviews and more. Everything you need to know about the EFL this weekend on Sky Sports.
An all-Yorkshire affair to kick off the weekend
Hull City vs Middlesbrough (8pm) – live on Sky Sports Football from 7.30pm on Friday night
Are Hull City genuine play-off contenders? A comeback win at Stoke City last Saturday suggests they are. Joe Gelhardt — the man of the moment — scored a late winner to make it seven goals in his last nine games. If they can keep him in form and eventually get Oli McBurnie back from injury and pair the two together, the Tigers can challenge anyone.
They start the weekend in ninth, but the table is so congested that victory on Friday would take them up to third ahead of the rest of the weekend. Middlesbrough will be second whatever happens, but a win at the MKM Stadium, adding to Kim Hellberg’s debut victory against Derby, would keep them there throughout the weekend.
Hellberg said after that win he would remember that day for the rest of his life, but games come quickly in this league and he admits he is wary of Hull heading into his first away game. “I think they’re a good, brave team that wants to be aggressive, that plays the ball on the ground,” he said. “They want to press, they want to go forward, they are stepping out of the lines. They have a top player in Gelhardt who’s scored a lot of goals in transitions, but also with the ball. Brave team, a lot of good players, good quality. I think it will be a very good game, so I’m looking forward to playing the game and looking forward to seeing the fans. I’ve heard they are amazing away from home, so that would be a fun game.”
David Prutton’s prediction on the Sky Sports Essential EFL podcast:
“Hull City’s win at Stoke was a huge result against a side that were sitting second, and perhaps it has not received the credit it deserves. They were poor in the first half, made changes at the break and still found a way to win. There is plenty to like about Sergej Jakirovic’s team. I am really interested to see how both clubs handle the growing expectations. If Hull continue on this trajectory, we will have to start talking about them as top-six contenders. It is a strong fixture to start the weekend, offering a chance to see what Kim Hellberg can get from this Middlesbrough squad, how he sets them up and whether he can build on the good work Rob Edwards left behind. Having said that, I fancy Hull to pull off another result here and win 2-1.”
What EFL is live on Sky Sports+ at 12.30pm on Saturday?
Sky Sports+ brings you six live EFL games on Saturday, with build-up starting from 11am on Sky Sports Football ahead of the feature game: Derby vs Leicester. You can also keep up with all the action on the EFL Goal Zone on Soccer Saturday from midday.
What’s live on Saturday
– CH: Charlton vs Portsmouth, Derby vs Leicester, Watford vs Norwich
– L1: Cardiff vs Huddersfield, Plymouth vs Bradford
– L2: Colchester vs Gillingham
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Derby County feel a little more rocky than a few weeks ago. After five straight wins they have lost two of their last three since the international break — and have also lost top scorer Carlton Morris to injury for at least a couple of months. They host a Leicester City side low on confidence.
Leicester have dropped to 16th after back-to-back defeats, including a 3-0 loss at Southampton and a 3-2 defeat to Sheffield United where they were two down after four minutes and three down after half-time. Jordan James has been one of Leicester’s most impressive performers despite the team’s struggles. The 21-year-old midfielder, on loan from Rennes, believes he can help dig the team out of their malaise. “As a team, obviously we’re not where we want to be,” he told Sky Sports. “We know that we need to do better and we know where we want to get to. When you’re in these bad patches, I’ve been at clubs where we’ve been in really bad places and this is nowhere near that. Being in a different kind of pressure where you’re expected to win, I’ve thrived under that. I haven’t really had that before. When you’re playing well personally, normally the team is doing well as well. I’m just trying to do the best I can to achieve what I want to achieve and what the team wants to achieve. I feel like if I can keep performing the way that I am, the results will soon change.”
David Prutton’s prediction on the Sky Sports Essential EFL podcast:
“Derby had put together a strong run of form, winning five on the bounce, but losing Carlton Morris has clearly disrupted them. They now face a Leicester side aiming to get back to winning ways. This is a tough assignment for Leicester against Derby County. The East Midlands rivalry adds an edge, but on the evidence so far under Marti Cifuentes, Leicester have been really underperforming. Decisions have not helped them, but for a team many expected to challenge for the top two, or at least the top six, there is real work to be done. I feel like Derby will edge this one. 2-1 home win.”
TABLES: Championship | League One | League Two
FIXTURES: Championship | League One | League Two
HIGHLIGHTS: CH highlights | L1 highlights | L2 highlights
Elsewhere in the Championship, two out-of-form sides meet at The Valley as Charlton take on Portsmouth. Charlton have lost their last four and conceded 12 in that time while scoring just two. Portsmouth have dropped into the bottom three after one win in eight.
Watford take on Norwich City at Vicarage Road. Watford remain unbeaten at home since Javi Gracia’s return, while Norwich finally ended a long run without a win by beating QPR last time out after failing to win any of their previous 13 Championship games.