Weekend Championship Preview

Tomorrow's match at the Valley promises to be an exciting pre-Christmas affair. All eyes will be glued to the tunnel to see who emerges wearing the Red shirts and what formation will we deploy. On the face of it, it's game we should win comfortablyhaving beaten Hull City at their place in October. However, our current injury crisis means we will need to beat them with a weakened side , some of whom won't have played together in a competitive game and may be playing out-of-position.

There is every chance that the much-talked-about Chris Dickson could make a dramatic Championship debut having been recalled from his Gillingham loan. If he does play, his meteoric rise from non-league football to international status could be capped by a Roy of the Rovers performance and a match-winning goal. That really would be an early Christmas pressie.

Meanwhile, here's how I see the others going....

Blackpool v Coventry City

Coventry should be on a high having been saved at the eleventh hour. They are an all-or-nothing side away from home and I can see them celebrating on the prom.

Prediction; 1-2

Bristol City v Barnsley

We could do with an away win here but Barnsley are like fine French wine - they don't travel well. City look to have got over their recent wobble and might be knuckling down to business.

Prediction; 2-0

Cardiff City v Sheffield Utd

Sheffield United have been blowing hot and cold. They are in danger of losing touch with the play-off pack and need a good Christmas. They might have too much for a Cardiff team who are poor at home.

Prediction; 0-1

Charlton Athletic v Hull City

City will be without their talisman, Dean Windass. Chris Dickson should make his Charlton debut in a game he is destined to score in.

Prediction; 1-0

Crystal Palace v Plymouth Argyle

Palace have crept up to 15th and Warnock has made them hard to beat. Plymouth though, are good travellers, as we found out and Paul Sturrock is quickly rekindling the fire he set in his first spell at the club. That might be enough to get Argyle a point.

Prediction; 1-1

Ipswich Town v Burnley

Ipswich will drop a game at home soon and Burnley are capable of doing it. I'll stick my neck out here and go for the upset. Well, it is Christmas.

Prediction; 1-2

QPR v Colchester United

Not one for the purists this. Rangers need to bring in some fresh faces in January because I'm not convinced their manager has got the current team playing for him. Colchester are heading back down but will scrap all the way.

Prediction; 1-1

Scunthorpe v Norwich City

Norwich can leap-frog Scunthorpe if they beat them and I'll go for them to do just that.

Prediction; 0-2

Sheffield Wednesday v Watford

Watford are mis-firing right now and this isn't a good time to be playing Russian Roulette with Sheffield Wednesday. I fancy Wednesday might cause an upset here.

Prediction; 2-1

Southampton v Preston

Thumping home win for me here. Saints slammed in four in their last home game and got a good point at Coventry last week.

Prediction; 4-0

Stoke City v West Bromwich Albion

We could do with a draw here and I think we've every chance of getting what we want. West Brom looked good last week but they aren't that much better than everyone else.

Prediction 1-1

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Leicester City

The impatient Milan Mandaric is getting a bit of good medicine at the moment and he's paying the price for not having faith with his managerial appointments. Ian Holloway will get it right if he's given enough time because Milan will give him the money he needs, but they are still struggling at the moment and it doesn't matter how much money you have when you can only buy players during transfer windows.

Prediction; 3-0