Burnley and Middlesbrough have the chance to pull away from Brighton & Hove Albion this weekend in what looks like being a three-way race for automatic promotion to the Premier League, with Chris Hughton’s side not playing until Monday.
Burnley, the leaders, have drawn their past three games but are unbeaten in the Championship since Boxing Day and would go four points clear at the top with victory over Leeds United at Turf Moor in Saturday’s early kick-off. The Clarets’ goalkeeper Tom Heaton believes the fact they were promoted two years ago could be crucial in the run-in.
“It’s a factor,” he said. “We can draw on that experience and a lot of the additions to the squad have also got promotion experience as well, which helps. It helps with a calming influence, there’s never any panic. Everyone is aware of what needs to be done and the ups and downs that will come on that journey.”
Second-placed Middlesbrough entertain Preston North End knowing a win would open up a four-point gap on Brighton with both sides having six games to play. But Aitor Karanka is not expecting any favours from Simon Grayson’s mid-table team. “Saturday will be a tough game,” said the Middlesbrough manager. “They have done well this season. They have a good manager and they are organised. We had problems when we couldn’t beat them in the first game of the season, but we have to trust our style and play with our intensity.
“We won our last game 3-0 and people will look and think Preston are playing for nothing but it will be difficult. I hope I am wrong, but it will be difficult and it’s another big three points.”
Brighton travel to Nottingham Forest on Monday night.
At the bottom, Bolton’s relegation to League One could be confirmed on Saturday at Derby County. Wanderers have spent the majority of the campaign in the table’s lower reaches and their fate will be sealed should they fail to record their first away win of the season. Bolton needed late intervention to stave off HM Revenue and Customs’ attempts to have them wound up but Jimmy Phillips is not holding out much hope for a miraculous escape to save their Championship status.
“If we manage to win all six games and the other teams around us fail to get a point before the end of the season I think it will be the first time it’s ever happened in football before, put it that way,” said Bolton’s interim manager. “For all intents and purposes we are facing League One football. We will sit down with the directors and the board, probably the last week of the season, and get their thoughts on how they see the future and shape of the club, what personnel they are looking at – to keep at the club and to bring to the club.”
Wanderers have lost all three games since Phillips assumed control from Neil Lennon and the negative headlines continued this week when Liam Trotter and David Wheater were caught making an obscene gesture during a live pre-match social media broadcast. Both players were fined and warned over their future conduct but will be in the squad that travels to Derby. “They’ve realised their mistake and I’m pretty sure they won’t be committing the same expensive mistake again soon,” said Phillips.
