EFL preview: Stars in stripes to battle for top

Sheffield United (left) lead the Championship form table with five wins from their last six and host fourth-placed Sunderland

Which entity - featuring 24 numbers, each with a unique identity - provides joy and surprise to millions each December?

Why the Championship table, of course!

And, as millions of Advent calendars come out on Sunday, any one of four sides could be in first place in that table while any of seven could find themselves in the relegation zone.

Things are hotting up as the weather gets colder... Let’s see what’s in store this weekend.

Regis Le Bris has seen his Sunderland side go unbeaten in 10 matches, though only four were wins

Black Cats & Blades vie for summit

In a division where nothing is ever predictable, one thing is actually guaranteed at Bramall Lane on Friday night… either Sheffield United or Sunderland will go top.

The in-form Blades have taken 16 points from a possible 18, are only behind leaders Leeds United on goal difference and go into the match as favourites after winning their past seven home games without conceding a goal.

Manager Chris Wilder told BBC Radio Sheffield: "It is a great home record and that home form has been fabulous and key.

"Sunderland have been going great and Friday night is a big game. Two teams that have started the season on the front foot and are deservedly in this position."

Sunderland were the division's early pace-setters but although they are unbeaten in 10 games dating back to September, they have slipped to fourth, two points back, after a run of five straight draws – three of those goalless.

Scott Parker hugs keeper James Trafford, who has helped Burnley to the best defensive record in England's top four divisions

Whites & Clarets aim to be toast of town

Current leaders Leeds, who know they won’t be top come Saturday morning, head to Blackburn for a 13:30 GMT kick-off and will be trying to get straight back up there.

Rovers have gone off the boil, rather. Having won their first five at Ewood Park they haven’t scored in their past three, taking a solitary point, but back-to-back away wins at Cardiff and Middlesbrough have given boss John Eustace hope they have turned a corner after a run of four points from seven games.

He told BBC Radio Lancashire: "We are evolving and growing as a group. We went on a bad run of three defeats in a row but we have bounced back with two really good performances. We just have to keep believing in what we are doing."

Sunday’s rollercoaster 4-3 win at Swansea was a first in five away games for Daniel Farke’s men, though they conceded more in an afternoon than they had in their previous seven matches in total.

Third-placed Burnley are another side waiting to pounce, should the Whites or Blades fail to win.

Scott Parker's men have conceded only six goals in 17 matches - the best defensive record across England's top four divisions.

"I've been around some time managing and coaching teams. Fundamentally, this team have got some core values and they give you a foundation to win games, really," Parker told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"I don't just put it down to the back five, I put it down to the whole team. If you're a striker in this team or a winger in this team, in certain moments we defend as a whole unit and you can see that very clearly."

The Clarets will seek to make it five straight clean sheets and four straight wins, as they head to 14th-placed Stoke, who have drawn three in a row to make it five without defeat.

Tom Cleverley's Watford have not lost at Vicarage Road since Coventry won 2-1 on 9 March

Hornets abuzz as tame Tigers turn page

Watford will seek to extend their country’s longest unbeaten home record when they welcome QPR for a 12:30 GMT kick-off.

Tom Cleverley’s Hornets are a dozen games unbeaten at Vicarage Road since March, now the best run in the top four divisions after Tottenham’s thrashing of Manchester City last Saturday.

Watford are only six points off the top and are seeking an eighth win in nine at home – the past three have all been 1-0.

QPR ended a 12-match winless run with victory at Cardiff on Wednesday to climb off the bottom of the table. They hadn’t scored in four away games before that.

Middlesbrough, who complete the top six, saw their explosive burst of 15 goals in three games, all thumping wins, end with an unexpected 1-0 home defeat by Blackburn on Wednesday.

They now face third-from-bottom Hull, who sacked Tim Walter after a fourth straight defeat at the hands of Sheffield Wednesday the previous night.

The Tigers have scored four goals in their past nine games and taken only three points from them.

Frank Lampard returns to the touchline for the first time since his interim spell at Chelsea ended in May 2023

Lampard starts life with basement battle

Just three points separate seven sides in and around the relegation zone going into Saturday's games.

One of the matches at the weekend is set to come at the CBS Arena as Frank Lampard takes charge of Coventry for the first time, with fourth-bottom Cardiff, a point and four places below the Sky Blues, the visitors after taking a point from their past four games under Omer Riza.

Lampard inherits a Sky Blues squad which has drastically underperformed this season - and the former England and Chelsea midfielder has something to prove given his last permanent managerial position at Everton ended in failure.

After seeing floodlight faults postpone their game against Millwall on Wednesday, new basement-boys Portsmouth head to Swansea, sat 11th after a fine midweek win at Derby, while the Lions head to 18th-placed Oxford United for a lunchtime kick-off.

Preston, in 19th, entertain West Brom, who have drawn eight of their past nine matches to lie outside the play-off places on goal difference, while Plymouth are back on the road, seeking to add to the two points and three goals they have to show for their first nine away games, the last of which was a 6-1 hammering at Norwich on Tuesday.

Bristol City, winless in five at home, are their hosts in the West Country clash.

Luton are 18th, three points above the drop-zone, but have allowed 16 goals in in their past five away games, all defeats. They head to Carrow Road to face the revitalised Canaries.

Saturday's League Two fixtures

With the FA Cup second round taking centre stage for a number of EFL clubs and impacting on the schedule, there are only two matches taking place outside the Championship - but boy, they are big ones.

Third-placed Crewe Alexandra could go within two points of League Two leaders Port Vale if they can pick up a win at Carlisle United, who sit bottom of the Football League, albeit only on goal difference from Morecambe and Swindon.

Colchester United are only four points off the bottom but will seek to put further ground between themselves and the drop-zone by getting a result at Fleetwood Town, who are 13th.

Both games in the fourth tier kick off at 12:30 GMT.