EFL preview: Will Sunderland keep chasing pack at bay?

Leeds would go top of the Championship with a two-goal win over Watford... boss Daniel Farke likes the sound of that

While the return of European competition will capture the attention of many this week, there is also a full programme of midweek action across the English Football League for us to look forward to.

Promotions and relegations are never cemented in the dog days of October, but it's often results earned during floodlit programmes like this upon which campaigns are built or falter.

In an already intriguingly tight division, any one of four teams could go into the weekend sitting top of the Championship while the same number could find themselves in 24th, looking up at the rest.

There are also some huge games across League One and League Two to look forward to over the coming two days, so let's dive right in, shall we?

Interim boss Omer Riza has guided Cardiff to back-to-back home wins

Leeds will have their sights on taking over top spot in the Championship on Tuesday when they entertain Watford.

Daniel Farke’s side have won their past two games at Elland Road without conceding and outclassed Yorkshire rivals Sheffield United on Friday.

Tom Cleverley's Hornets have lost four straight on the road, scoring only one goal and conceding 11, with three of those coming in a tame derby defeat by Luton on Saturday.

On paper there looks to be only one outcome – but since when was the Championship ever that predictable?

At the other end of the table there are two huge games on Tuesday as Cardiff host Portsmouth while Queens Park Rangers welcome Coventry.

Cardiff have taken seven points from their past three and, inspired by Rubin Colwill, thumped Plymouth 5-0 on Saturday to move off the bottom, while Portsmouth picked up their first win at QPR to leave the Rs bottom of the pile.

Rangers are still only a point behind the fourth-bottom Sky Blues who have lost four of their past five games and taken just three points from a possible 21 on the road dating back to the start of April.

The away team have, however, won three of the past four encounters between the sides, with City winning 3-0 and 3-1 on their last two visits to west London.

After a timid defeat at Preston at the weekend, what under-pressure Coventry boss Mark Robins would give for a repeat of those trips to Loftus Road on Tuesday.

Oxford and Derby came up from League One together last season and are level on points in the top half of the Championship as they prepare to face each other at the Kassam on Tuesday.

Paul Warne’s side did end their four-match losing streak on their travels with a point at Millwall on Saturday, but Oxford maintained their unbeaten start at home with a last-gasp point against West Bromwich Albion.

Wayne Rooney watched from the stands as 10-man Plymouth were humbled at Cardiff on Saturday

Wednesday also has some whopping games on the card with Blackburn seeking to make it six straight home wins at the start of the season against the Baggies, who are now winless in four matches in fifth, ahead of Rovers on goal difference.

Leaders Sunderland will test their credentials on the road at Luton, who stopped the rot with that thumping derby win over Watford while Burnley, after seeing off Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday, are waiting to pounce on any slip-ups at the top if they can emulate the Black Cats achievement on Sunday and win at Hull City.

Sheffield United remain within striking distance of the top two and will seek to get back on track at Middlesbrough after their unbeaten start was ended at Leeds.

There's plenty at stake for Boro too after their 2-0 defeat at home by Bristol City on Saturday saw them slip four points adrift of the play-offs in ninth.

A disappointed Wayne Rooney will be back in the dugout for Plymouth, after missing their dismal display at Cardiff due to a one-match ban, as the Pilgrims head for Millwall in a big match at the other end of the table.

Paul Mullin's winner at Rotherham has Wrexham within two points of League One leaders Birmingham

Old Premier League rivals renew acquaintances

What a programme League One has in store for us on Tuesday.

Birmingham against Bolton has been a Premier League fixture more often than an EFL one over the past 23 years – they spent seven years in the top flight together.

Blues are top after getting back to winning ways at Lincoln, and they welcome the Trotters looking for a fifth home win on the spin.

But Bolton arrive in good form with Saturday's win over Burton taking their points return to 13 from a last possible 15.

Wrexham will be waiting to make the most of any slip-ups as they host sixth-placed Huddersfield at the Stok Cae Ras.

Paul Mullin hit the winner after just 16 seconds at Rotherham on Saturday and his side have won all five at home thus far, though the Terriers have now won two in a row after four successive defeats.

There are eight former Premier League sides in the third tier and two of them meet at Oakwell, where Barnsley host Charlton, with the Tykes a point ahead of the Addicks and a place back in the top-six a real possibility for the winners.

Third-placed Wycombe travel to rock-bottom Burton - now the division's only winless side after Cambridge overcame Wigan on Saturday - while Mansfield, now fourth after their shock home defeat by Stevenage on Saturday, will hope to get back on track at Wigan.

There's a big game near the foot of the table, too, as fourth-bottom Shrewsbury head to Bristol Rovers, who have lost five of their past seven to lie five points ahead of Town.

Port Vale hope to keep clear of chasing pack

After taking four points from their opening four games, Darren Moore has guided Port Vale to 20 from their next eight fixtures

There is also a full programme in League Two where leaders Port Vale will try to maintain the pace on the road at Harrogate, while nearest challengers Doncaster and Walsall face lowly Bromley and Carlisle respectively.

Barrow, in seventh, host fourth-placed Notts County while former leaders Gillingham will hope to end their four-match losing streak as they entertain Newport County, who themselves have lost three in a row.

Basement-boys Morecambe continue their quest for a first win with a long trip to AFC Wimbledon.

Wimbledon have a perfect home record after four wins out of four and could climb into the play-off places, with games in hand on the sides around them, with a fifth.