EFL preview: Farewells and reunions

Gareth Ainsworth (left) will manage against Matt Bloomfield and his former club Wycombe Wanderers for the first time this weekend

As we inch ever closer to the big day it seems almost greedy to demand more gifts before 25 December, but unlike the Christmas post, the EFL will never fail to deliver.

So, what will the weekend come up with to prevent us sneaking a quick look under the tree?

Neil Harris takes charge of Millwall for the final time this weekend

Harris seeks to go out with a roar

Among the many stories we might have expected to hear this week, the departure of Millwall boss Neil Harris was not on the list.

And yet on Tuesday morning the club announced the surprising news that the Lions head coach would be leaving, although not until after the weekend and not before he was nominated for manager of the month for November - football eh?

Prior to Wednesday's home defeat by Sheffield United Harris had led Millwall to just one loss in 10 games but Saturday's trip to Middlesbrough will be the 280th and final hurrah of his two tenures at the Den.

Speaking of Middlesbrough, their boss Michael Carrick was another to be recognised as being among the top bosses for November but missed out to Sheffield United's Chris Wilder.

Boro have kicked off December with a draw at Burnley and defeat by Leeds United but in both games suggested they have enough to be challenging at the end of the season, even more so if they can hang on to on-loan Liverpool midfielder Ben Doak.

Blades looking sharp

Sheffield United are unbeaten at home in the Championship this season

Wilder's recognition as the top manager for November is his second such award of the season and his table-topping Sheffield United side are showing no signs of letting-up in their pursuit of a swift return to the Premier League.

Queens Park Rangers are the only visitors to have left Bramall Lane with a point - or even scored in the league - this season and that is hardly reassuring news for a rather embattled looking Plymouth Argyle who make the trip to South Yorkshire on Saturday.

Argyle have slipped into the relegation zone on the back of a three-match losing streak but are sticking with Wayne Rooney while hoping the addition of his former Manchester United mentor Mike Phelan to the backroom staff might kick them back into life.

Leeds United remain Sheffield United's closest title challengers, sitting just one point back with five wins from their past six matches ahead of a Saturday lunchtime excursion at Preston North End.

Fans at Deepdale have not seen a home win since 19 October but a midweek 2-0 victory at Cardiff City eased the pressure on head coach Paul Heckingbottom as it ended a nine game winless run.

Heckingbottom endured a wretched four-month spell in charge of Leeds in 2018 and he would dearly like to end his current club's home struggles with three points this weekend.

Burnley and Black Cats seek winning formula

Burnley have only conceded seven league goals under Scott Parker this season

It's not often you will find anxious and emotional fans when your side is third in the league and unbeaten in seven games but Burnley boss Scott Parker sensed it during their 0-0 draw with Derby on Tuesday.

The Clarets were also held to a draw by Middlesbrough last Friday so maybe a trip to Norwich on Sunday will ease the tension.

Sunderland took everyone, probably even their own fans, by surprise with their start to the season but a run of just one win from their past eight Championship matches has dropped them to fourth place before their game at Swansea on Saturday.

Elsewhere in the top six Blackburn Rovers have stormed up to fifth place with five successive wins and will fancy their chances at home to a Luton Town side with the second worst away record in the Championship.

West Bromwich Albion's 12-match unbeaten run, albeit with 10 draws in there, has moved them into sixth position. They will be severely tested at Watford on Sunday with the Hornets unbeaten at Vicarage Road.

The Championship weekend kicks-off on Friday with Derby County and Portsmouth renewing acquaintances after both came up from League One last season.

After a promising start Derby find themselves without a victory in six outings - losing four of those while after a rotten opening Portsmouth have lost just one in six - swings and roundabouts?

QPR are five games unbeaten under Marti Cifuentes

Hoops looking up

Hands up who had QPR down for a five-game unbeaten run, three wins and four successive clean sheets when they were rock bottom a few weeks ago? Nope, me neither but maybe we should have listened to head coach Marti Cifuentes who knows a thing or two about football.

The Rangers boss promised once the injuries cleared up we would see a big improvement and with Liam Morrison and Morgan Fox involved in all five matches of the revival plus the return of Ilias Chair he has been as good as his word.

Michael Frey and Jake-Clarke Salter will also be back before Christmas so Saturday's trip to inconsistent Bristol City might be a good chance to stretch their unbeaten run to six matches.

Oxford United may have surprised many with their elevation to the second tier but finding life in the Championship tough is perhaps not a shock given their resources.

Ahead of a home meeting with Sheffield Wednesday, four defeats from a five-game winless streak has seen the U's fall to within one point of the drop zone although they will be pleased to be back at the Kassam Stadium which has given them 16 of the 18 points they have collected this season.

Finally in the Championship, two sides in desperate need of a win Stoke City - no win in six, three defeats on the spin - and Cardiff City - six games without a win, four defeats - meet at the bet365 Stadium.

Ainsworth aims to down leaders

Shrewsbury boss Gareth Ainsworth spent nearly 11 years in charge of Wycombe

As far as reunions go Shrewsbury Town against Wycombe Wanderers in League One has everything - club legend v club legend, master v apprentice oh, and bottom against top.

When Gareth Ainsworth left Wycombe after 550 games in charge to join QPR in February 2023 and was replaced by Matt Bloomfield who made 558 appearances for the Chairboys little did either know they would be in this situation 22 months later.

Ainsworth's QPR tenure ended after just 28 games and he had to wait more than a year for the opportunity granted him by Shrewsbury although it's hardly the most attractive proposition with his side a whopping nine points adrift of safety as they prepare to host the leaders.

Bloomfield was doing a tidy enough job at Colchester United with nine wins from 27 matches of a managerial career in its infancy before his first love came calling and the rest is history with Wanderers sitting top of the pile and unbeaten since the second matchday of the season - defeated by Birmingham City.

Ah, Birmingham or, big spending Birmingham or, promotion favourites Birmingham as they are variously known these days.

Three league wins on the bounce would hardly suggest HMS Promotion has run aground, more that it is just perhaps having to avoid the odd iceberg after a loss at Shrewsbury and a draw with Northampton.

Bristol Rovers with one win from six games head to St Andrew's on Saturday.

Sandwiched in between Wycombe and Birmingham in second place are Wrexham who continue to grind out the results with Cambridge United their visitors.

Now, we need to talk about Huddersfield Town, no, we really do, because they are top of the League One form guide across the past six games and have won five in a row at home which is hardly encouragement for Lincoln City who head to west Yorkshire on Saturday.

The Terriers manager, Michael Duff had a rocky period during September and early October which included a four game losing run but they now appear in the automatic promotion frame with fans finally being rewarded after a testing time.

David Artell spent five years in charge of Grimsby's opponents Crewe

Mariners fishing in a bigger pool

Being a Grimsby Town fan has not been much fun in recent years and I say that by knowing a Mariners supporter who quite likes telling me that like it is some kind of badge of honour when actually having to listen to them should earn a medal of some description.

However, brighter times appear to be here under David Artell with his side fifth in League Two, scoring eight goals in their past two matches and coming-up against his former club, Crewe Alexandra on Saturday.

The Alex have quickly recovered from last season's play-off heartache and are fourth, above Grimsby only on goal difference.

Artell led Crewe to promotion to League One during his 274 games in charge but he does quite like a meeting with his ex-employers having doubled them last year.

While Grimsby supporters can rightly be a bit chipper at the moment what must it be like for Walsall followers?

The Saddlers are riding high on a nine game unbeaten run, including a 1-0 victory at Port Vale which has taken them two points clear at the top with Barrow at the Bescot this Saturday.

As for Port Vale, the Walsall defeat was only their second in 15 league games and victory at Bromley could see them back at the summit.

Third placed Doncaster Rovers go to AFC Wimbledon who are sixth and if you are looking for the division's form horses, well MK Dons are going for a seventh successive league win against Gillingham.

At the other end of the table, watching Tranmere Rovers appears to have all the festive cheer of a trip to the dentist with Nigel Adkins overseeing five defeats from seven games as Harrogate Town visit Prenton Park.

The BBC Sport website will have live text coverage of the EFL action this weekend starting on Friday night as Derby County host Portsmouth in the Championship.