Leaders Bournemouth welcome back Harry Arter from suspension for the trip to Cardiff, who are without the suspended Federico Macheda and Kadeem Harris. Both were sent off during Saturday's win at Griffin Park.

Cardiff City: Moore, Fabio, Ecuele Manga, Morrison, Connolly, Whittingham, Gunnarsson, Noone, Kennedy, Jones, Revell.

Substitutes: Wilson, Malone, Gabbidon, Adeyemi, Ralls, O'Keefe, Doyle.

Bournemouth: Boruc, Francis, Elphick, Cook, Daniels, Ritchie, Arter, Surman, Pugh, Pitman, Wilson.

Substitutes: Camp, Smith, Ward, MacDonald, Fraser, Kermorgant, Rantie.

After a 2-1 win at promotion hopefuls Brentford on Saturday, Cardiff boss Russell Slade has been preparing his side to face yet another high-flying team in Championship leaders Bournemouth.

Image source, Empics

Former Leyton Orient boss Slade says Cardiff are showing improvement and Eddie Howe's side will formidable opponents.

"It's another incredible test," Slade said. "I think the players are playing for me and playing for each other. They're showing great spirit now and a lot more understanding in what they are doing.

"Every single point is worth fighting for between now and the end of the season. That is our barometer to our seeing how far we are improving and if we start stagnating then we've got to look at it even more in the summer."

One change for Wigan, who welcome back striker Leon Clarke in place of the suspended James McClean. Clarke, remember, was carried off with his neck in a brace during the Latics' 3-0 home defeat by Charlton last month.

Watford make three changes, with Tomie Hoban, Gianni Munari and Gabriele Angella in for Daniel Pudil, Daniel Tozer and Almen Abdi.

Wigan: Al-Habsi, Boyce, Pearce, Maguire, Bong, Perch (c), Kim, Pennant, Ojo, Clarke, Fortune.

Substitutes: Nicholls, Barnett, Kvist, Cowie, Sinclair, Murphy, Mckay.

Watford: Gomes, Cathcart, Angella, Ekstrand, Hoban, Motta, Watson, Guedioura, Munari, Deeney, Vydra.

Substitutes: Bond, Layun, Tozser, Forestieri, Paredes, Anya, Ighalo.

Wigan are desperate for points in their battle to beat relegation but face a difficult task this evening as promotion-chasing and free-scoring Watford visit the DW Stadium.

Image source, Getty Images

Latics boss Malky Mackay's first managerial job was with the Hornets, after he had also finished his playing career at Vicarage Road.

But he told BBC Radio Manchester there would be no mixed emotions as Wigan bid to close the six-point gap between themselves and safety.

"We need the points," he said. "It's nice to welcome a terrific football club and I've got great memories as a player, coach and a manager there.

"We've got to make sure at our place we keep the momentum going as it is three wins out of four and the performances of late have been terrific."

And here are the line-ups for the game at the iPro, with the Rams again without strikers Chris Martin and Darren Bent.

Derby County: Grant, Christie, Keogh, Albentosa, Forsyth, Hanson, Bryson, Hughes, Ince, Ward, Russell.

Substitutes: Roos, Shotton, Hendrick, Dawkins, Lingard, Warnock, Thomas.

Middlesbrough: Konstantopoulos, Kalas, Woodgate, Gibson, Friend, Adomah, Clayton, Leadbitter, Tomlin, Vossen, Bamford.

Substitutes: Ripley, Forshaw, Nsue, Omeruo, Reach, Whitehead, Kike.

So, yes, a familiar face returns to the iPro Stadium tonight.

Patrick Bamford scored eight goals in 14 starts for Derby during a loan spell last season, but will be lining up in a Middlesbrough shirt tonight.

Image source, Empics

But Derby County first-team coach Paul Simpson was optimistic speaking to BBC Radio Derby, despite going four games without victory.

"We have to forget about what's at stake and make sure we deal with Middlesbrough, deal with their threats and hopefully come out on top.

"We know what Patrick Bamford can do. We have also shown them what their other good players can do. But we have good players as well.

"We have to get back to doing what we do best. Over the last four games we probably haven't done that consistently enough and need to get back to it. We need to play our football, we need to create chances and make the iPro is a horrible place for teams to come. And let's start with Middlesbrough."

The top of the Championship is tight, to say the least. Three teams are currently tied on 69 points - leaders Bournemouth, Watford and Middlesbrough.

Boro travel to the iPro Stadium tonight to take on fourth-placed Derby in probably the biggest game in the league tonight.

Aitor Karanka's side are currently in the middle of a three-game sequence against fellow high-flyers, and after beating Ipswich 4-1 on Saturday and facing the Rams tonight, they travel to the Cherries on Saturday.

Image source, Getty Images

But Patrick Bamford, a Derby loanee last season, says that run of fixtures will help them, not hinder them.

"We'd rather play teams like this rather than those who are scrapping to stay in the league," Bamford told BBC Tees.

"To go to teams like Derby and Bournemouth makes it a massive game with where we are in the league."

So how are you feeling Championship fans? Any fingernails left among supporters of teams in the thick of the promotion race and those battling to beat the drop?

Of course, it's all to play for in League One and Two as well.

We'd love to hear from you, no matter you follow using #bbcfootball on Twitter.

And here's what the bottom of the table looks like...

It doesn't make pretty reading for Blackpool, who prop up the 24 teams and look certain to be playing in League One next season.

The Tangerines are at home to Charlton this evening, while Millwall could do themselves a favour if they get a result against Brighton, who begin this evening seven points above the drop zone.

Rotherham are at Nottingham Forest tomorrow, when Fulham entertain Leeds, the club they paid £11m to for Ross McCormack last summer.

Yes, it could hardly be tighter at the top of the Championship, with three sides locked on 69 points and the top five separated by only three points.

Bournemouth lead the way on goal difference, while Watford are above Middlesbrough on goals scored.

The battle for the final play-off spot is intriguing too, with Ipswich two points behind Brentford and Wolves a further point adrift. Nottingham Forest and Blackburn don't think they're out of it either. They're both eight points behind the Bees - who, as we know, are at Ewood Park tonight.

We've got nine games in English football's second tier for you this evening, with third-placed Middlesbrough against Derby, in fourth, as the tastiest of tasty fixtures.

Leaders Bournemouth and second-placed Watford are both on the road at Cardiff and relegation-threatened Wigan respectively, while fifth-placed Norwich are at Huddersfield.

And in the race for the play-offs, Brentford are at in-form Blackburn, while Ipswich and Wolves are both in action too against Bolton and Sheffield Wednesday.

Oh, and there's 11 games in both League One and League Two as well, but more of that later.

With three points separating the top five teams with nine games to play, it's the title race of dreams. Well, it is if you're a neutral.

Welcome to another evening in the madness that is the Championship.