Championship weekend preview

by Setanta.com staff , 24 April 2009

Wolves just need one point to lift the Championship title and have no fresh injury worries ahead of their visit to Barnsley. 

Striker Chris Iwelumo looks to have played his last game of the season after picking up a knee injury with Andy Keogh and Sylvain Ebanks-Blake continuing upfront.

Barnsley boss Simon Davey will have to make do without a host of faces for the visit of Wolves after illness swept through Oakwell this week.

Defender Darrren Moore, midfielder Adam Hammill and Stephen Foster have all been struck down with the virus while Robert Kozluk and Bobby Hassell are both on the treatment table.

Birmingham v Preston

Birmingham will secure a return back to The Premier League with a win against Preston and welcome back skipper Lee Carsley and keeper Maik Taylor.

Defender David Murphy will miss the potential promotion party with a broken kneecap with former Liverpool man Djimi Traore moving to centre back and Franck Queudrue in at left-back.

Preston need a win to keep their slim play-off hopes alive and boss Alan Irvine will make minimal changes to the side that hammered Cardiff 6-0 last weekend.

Left-back Callum Davidson could be denied a return from a hamstring injury by Eddie Nolan while former Liverpool striker Neil Mellor and Jon Parkin continue in attack.

Sheffield United v Swansea

Swansea boss Roberto Martinez will wait until the 11th hour before deciding on the fitness of Spanish defender Angel Rangel who is struggling to recover from Achilles and hamstring knocks.

If deemed unfit Garry Monk and Alan Tate will continue at the back but there is no room for fellow defender Marcos Painter and midfielder Ferrie Bodde with knee injuries.

Sheffield United’s only injury concern comes in the form of defender Garry Naysmith who will miss the clash at Bramall Lane with a knee injury.

As a result Kyle Naughton will move to left-back with former Manchester City defender Sun Jihai and Leigh Bromby battling it out to fill in at right-back.

Cardiff v Ipswich

New Ipswich boss Roy Keane begins life at The Tractor Boys with as many as five players unlikely to feature against Cardiff.

Full-back Ben Thatcher is a doubt with knee ligament damage, David Wright will not start after pulling his hamstring while loanee Moritz Volz, skipper Gareth McAuley and Luciano Civelli are all struggling to make it off the treatment table.

Cardiff boss Dave Jones has a host of players hoping to be fit for The Bluebirds last ever game at Ninian Park.

The South Wales outfit – who will move to Sloper Road over the summer – will hand keeper Stuart Taylor (dead leg), Kevin McNaughton (groin) and Roger Johnson (knee) late fitness tests.

Southampton v Burnley

League One bound Southampton will name an unchanged side against Burnley as they look to pick up the pieces from another torrid week on the south coast.

Midfielders Simon Gillett and Anthony Pulis are still sidelined with knee and foot injuries respectively with Rudi Skacel, Adam Lallana, Paul Wotton and Andrew Surman set to continue in midfield.

Meanwhile Burnley boss Owen Coyle will hand striker Steven Thompson a late fitness test as he bids to complete his recovery from ankle ligament damage against Southampton.

Bristol City v Sheffield Wednesday

Bristol City boss Gary Johnson has a threadbare squad to choose from ahead of the visit of Sheffield Wednesday with just 17 fit players at Ashton Gate.

Veteran winger Scott Murray looks set to make just his second appearance this season as a result while suspended full-back Bradley Orr and skipper Louis Carey (rib) head up a long list of absentees.

Owls striker Leon Clarke will return to partner former Arsenal forward Francis Jeffers up front after shrugging off a hamstring problem.

Defender Frank Simek’s recovery from an injured thigh has taken a turn for the worse after he aggravated it playing for the reserves while Akpo Sodje is also ruled out with a hamstring strain.

QPR v Plymouth

Striker Patrick Agyemang will feature for the first time since January as QPR bid to end their final home game of the season with a win against Plymouth.

Fellow front-man Rowan Vine will also complete his recovery from a long-term broken leg while skipper Martin Rowlands and Akos Buzsaky are both set to miss out at Loftus Road.

Plymouth need just one win to avoid relegation with boss Paul Sturrock set to name the same side that slumped 3-0 to Doncaster last weekend.

Doncaster v Crystal Palace

Doncaster’s mounting injury crisis has taken a turn for the worse ahead of the visit of Crystal Palace with at least three players sidelined at the Keepmoat Stadium.

Midfielder Mark Wilson will not feature again this season after picking up a calf injury and is joined by Paul Heffernan – who has knee cartilage damage – while Matt Mills is a doubt with a groin problem.

Crystal Palace will be without the services of Victor Moses and Claude Davis for the trip North to Doncaster through suspension.

Skipper Shaun Derry will also watch from the sands after undergoing shoulder surgery along with winger Sean Scanell while midfield duo Neil Danns and Nick Carle are both fit and available.

Coventry v Watford

Coventry strikers Leon McKenzie and Leon Best head up a long list of absentees as The Sky Blues bid to end their season at The Ricoh Arena on a high note.

Scott Dann (groin), Stephen Wright (knee), David Bell (ankle) and Jordan Henderson (foot) also miss out with Marcus Hall set to make his 300th appearance for Coventry in a makeshift left-back role.

Watford face similar injury problems with striker Tamas Priskin, midfielders Don Cowie and Gareth Willliams all forced to watch from the stands.

Blackpool v Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest boss Billy Davies is spoilt for choice ahead of the trip to Blackpool with at least three faces returning for the trip to Bloomfield Road.

Strike duo Nathan Tyson and Robert Earnshaw are both welcomed back after injury while defender Joel Lynch also returns after serving a two-game ban.

Oldham loanee Lee Hughes could be promoted from the bench as Blackpool bid to secure their Championship status for another year.

A point would be enough for Tony Parkes’ men who will be without strike duo Gary Taylor-Fletcher and Stephen McPhee with knee injuries.

Derby v Charlton

Derby boss Nigel Clough could go into the clash with Coventry with a makeshift defence with centre-half Andy Todd unlikely to feature after picking up a hamstring injury.

The Rams need just one point to secure their Championship safety but will have to make do without defensive trio Jordan Stewart, Dean Leacock and Jay McEveley.

Former Newcastle midfielder Darren Ambrose is Charlton boss Phil Parkinson’s main injury concern and could miss the trip to Derby with a thigh strain.

Leeds loanee Tresor Kandol could start upfront after Deon Burton declared himself unfit along with midfielder Jose Semedo (ankle), Jonathan Fortune (Achilles) and Andy Gray (pelvis).

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Pos
Team P W D L GD PTS
1.
Arsenal
0
0
0
0
0
0
2.
Aston Villa
0
0
0
0
0
0
3.
Birmingham
0
0
0
0
0
0
4.
Blackburn
0
0
0
0
0
0
5.
Bolton
0
0
0
0
0
0
6.
Burnley
0
0
0
0
0
0
7.
Chelsea
0
0
0
0
0
0
8.
Everton
0
0
0
0
0
0
9.
Fulham
0
0
0
0
0
0
10.
Hull
0
0
0
0
0
0
11.
Liverpool
0
0
0
0
0
0
12.
Man City
0
0
0
0
0
0
13.
Man Utd
0
0
0
0
0
0
14.
Portsmouth
0
0
0
0
0
0
15.
Stoke
0
0
0
0
0
0
16.
Sunderland
0
0
0
0
0
0
17.
Tottenham
0
0
0
0
0
0
18.
West Ham
0
0
0
0
0
0
19.
Wigan
0
0
0
0
0
0
20.
Wolverhampton
0
0
0
0
0
0
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