EFL preview: Title showdown and great escape brewing

Leeds United and Sheffield United meet on Monday - and Burton Albion boss Gary Bowyer is trying to mastermind a great escape

The days are starting to stay lighter for a little longer and with every passing week, the tension is cranking up another notch.

That can only mean one thing. We're moving into the business end of the season across the EFL.

This weekend will almost certainly provide yet more twists and turns at both ends of the Championship, League One and League Two.

So, here's a look at some of the key talking points ahead of what promises to be another captivating round of fixtures.

Friday night battle at the top

Bristol City have not played in the top flight since 1980

It's quite the curtain-raiser for the weekend's action on Friday night, with four teams vying for promotion to the Premier League all on show.

Play-off hopefuls Bristol City welcome Middlesbrough to Ashton Gate knowing victory would lift them into the top six above West Bromwich Albion before the Baggies play Oxford United on Saturday.

Four straight defeats for Boro has seen them slip to 11th, four points off the play-off places - a run which striker Tommy Conway, who returns to his old stomping ground, described as "frustrating".

"In the changing room, everyone's still on the same page, no-one's letting their head drop," he told BBC Radio Tees.

"For me, it means everything. When you lose so many games on the bounce, it affects you mentally."

Burnley are five points off the automatic promotion places but could gain ground on Leeds and Sheffield United, who face each other on Monday night.

The Clarets take on a Sheffield Wednesday side who still harbour ambitions of reaching the play-offs and are just three points off the top six, though the Owls will have to try and breach a Burnley defence which has now gone 1,000 minutes without conceding in the league.

The fight to survive

Four points separate the bottom five teams in the Championship

Neither Luton nor Plymouth could land a significant blow on a relegation rival as they played out a 1-1 draw on Wednesday.

But Argyle have another chance to dent fellow strugglers Cardiff City's survival hopes when they meet at Home Park on Saturday afternoon.

The Pilgrims could move out of the bottom three for the first time since 6 December with victory, depending on Derby County and Hull City's results, and in doing so, drag the Bluebirds right back into the midst of the fight to stay up.

As for the Hatters, few could have foreseen the predicament they now find themselves in, rooted to the foot of the second tier, two points from safety, without a win in 11 league games and yet to taste victory in seven matches under new boss Matt Bloomfield.

"For two home games in a row, we've managed to put two performances together which could have got six points," Bloomfield said after the draw with Plymouth, also referencing the 1-0 home defeat by Sheffield United four days prior.

The reality is that Luton are in danger of back-to-back relegations and playing League One football come August if they can't stop the rot when they visit Watford for the Beds-Herts derby on Sunday.

Is the great escape on?

Burton Albion have been in the relegation zone in League One since a 2-1 defeat at home to Barnsley on 21 September

At the bottom of League One, Burton Albion have been going about what looked like an unthinkable escape five weeks ago.

The Brewers were 11 points adrift of safety at the foot of the table before they drew 1-1 with fellow strugglers Crawley on 18 January.

But Gary Bowyer's side have only lost one of their past eight games (W4 D3) to move up to 21st and are now just two points from safety following a 1-0 win at Stevenage in midweek.

Burton face a difficult trip to Lincoln on Saturday, but a win could see them move out of the bottom four for the first time in five months if Peterborough lose at Huddersfield.

The form teams meet

Bolton won 2-1 against Leyton Orient when they met in August

There are at least seven teams jostling for the four play-off spots in League One and two of them go head-to-head on Saturday, with both in good form.

Leyton Orient's run since the start of December has been nothing short of remarkable, climbing 15 places from 21st to sixth.

The O's have won 12 of their past 15 games (D2 L1), including three on the bounce, and none more impressive than a 2-1 win at promotion-chasing Wrexham on Tuesday.

Richie Wellens' side travel to Bolton Wanderers who have reignited their own push for a top-six finish with four wins from their past five, two of which have come under new boss Steven Schumacher.

AFC Wimbledon are trying to win promotion back to League One after being relegated in 2022

And in League Two, automatic promotion-chasers AFC Wimbledon travel to Colchester, with both on impressive unbeaten runs.

Wimbledon are undefeated in their past 11 games (W6 D5) and have lost just once in 16 (W9 D6).

Johnnie Jackson's side are second and trying to chase down Walsall, who are seven points ahead at the top, but Wimbledon will also have one eye on a congested chasing pack within striking distance.

Colchester are unbeaten in seven (W4 D3) and have gone from 13 points off the play-off spots in 17th a month ago to 11th, and are now only seven points off the top seven.

Another win on Saturday may just increase their faint hopes of a play-off finish to a potentially realistic aim.

Title showdown

Leeds United beat promotion rivals Sheffield United 2-0 at Elland Road in October

There's no doubt about which game is the headline act this weekend.

They don't come much bigger in the EFL than Monday night's Championship title showdown between Sheffield United and Leeds United at Bramall Lane.

Just two points separate the Whites at the top from the Blades in second - ironically, the number Sheffield United were deducted for defaulted transfer payments at the start of the campaign.

Both teams have won four on the bounce and the outcome of this one could go a long way to determining which of them lifts the trophy in May and, perhaps more importantly, secures a place in the Premier League for next season.

Victory for Leeds - who are unbeaten in their past 15 league games (W11 D5) and boast by far the best attack in the division, with 68 goals scored - would take them five points clear at the summit.

Meanwhile, a win for Chris Wilder's men would see them leapfrog the Whites.

It couldn't be more finely poised.