There’s never a dull moment in the EFL, with three leagues of complete madness going on throughout the season. Even if you support a club within the EFL, it can still be hard to keep up with what’s going on or know which are the matches to pay the most attention to.
So, it’s that time again, here are the top five games going on in the EFL this weekend.
Blackburn Rovers vs Middlesbrough – Friday 4, 8PM KO
First on the list of the top 5 games in the EFL this weekend is Friday night’s Championship matchup. Middlesbrough travel down to Blackburn as they hunt for three points that they need to lift them into the play-offs.
The north-east side sit level on points with current sixth place West Bromwich Albion. A win for Michael Carrick’s men would see them overtake them and fifth placed Coventry City, before they play on Saturday.
Boro have only lost one of their last five, a win in Lancashire would be a huge lift for a club that was expected to make the top six at a minimum.
For Rovers, that play-off win is all but dead. Since losing manager John Eustace to Derby County, the team has fallen off, losing four out of their last five. New boss Valerian Ismael needs some luck and will be hoping Friday is the time to get it.
These games can always be a banana skin for play-off chasing teams. On paper it’s all Middlesbrough, but the Championship never follows the script.
A big game for both teams in their own contexts.
Coventry City vs Burnley – Saturday 5, 12:30PM KO
Sticking to that promotion theme, Coventry City open up Saturday hosting third place Burnley.
Frank Lampard’s men will be licking their wounds following a 3-1 loss to promotion chasing Sheffield United. Things don’t get much easier for City, taking on the league’s best defence and one of the only teams who could catch the Blades, in Burnley.
At this stage of the season, losing games like this is not an option. Before Coventry even kick off they could have dropped a place. Should West Bromwich Albion better their result, they could be out of the play-offs by full-time, points are crucial.
For Burnley, it’s all about continuing to win. The Clarets have one four out their last five and are one of the hardest teams in the league to beat. Win here and they can overtake Leeds United in second, depending on what they do at Luton Town.
A seriously big match in the chase for the Premier League.
Reading vs Wycombe Wanderers – Saturday 5, 12:30PM KO
A step down to League One and the big games in the EFL this weekend keep coming. Reading takes on Wycombe Wanderers, with three points being vital for both. A draw in this game does no good to either side.
Reading is well in the play-off hunt, just a point behind sixth placed Bolton Wanderers and have lost just one of their last five, albeit their last match.
For Wycombe, they sit three points off the automatic promotion places but have a game in hand. A win at Reading and all the pressure shifts back on Wrexham.
For the Royals, their play-off rivals sit a point off them, they could easily fall down to tenth with a loss. Wycombe need this win to keep pressure up, or Wrexham could pull away.
Possibly the biggest game in the division this one. I’ll say it again, a point is useless for both in this one.
Walsall vs Port Vale – Saturday 5, 12;30PM KO
Into League Two and there’s two crackers on in the world’s daftest promotion race in the EFL this weekend.
Firstly, Walsall play Port Vale in a first vs third matchup.
Somehow Walsall are still top of the league, despite having not won since February 22nd. Whilst they aren’t losing games, they aren’t winning them either. The teams once 12-point lead is now just two.
Port Vale have been in and about the play-offs all year but have finally broken into the top three after beating second place Bradford City in their last game. Vale have now one four out their last five.
Do Walsall really want to go up? Because if they do, stopping Port Vale’s winning run has to happen.
A win for the away team sees them cement a promotion place. For the home side, they have to find something, or risk being third by 5PM.
Bradford City vs Crewe Alexandra – Saturday 5, 3PM KO
After first vs third, it’s time for second vs eighth as Bradford City host Crewe Alexandra.
The Bantams are finally making a real promotion push after some dire years in League Two. The team currently sits second in the table but is level on points with Port Vale and just two points above Notts County in fourth.
Bradford have fallen off the form track in their last five games, winning just once and losing three times. Like Walsall the question has to be asked? Do they really want to go up? On form like that, we know the answer.
Crewe are a point off the play-offs and need a solid win to get back in. In their last game they beat rivals Grimsby Town in a much need win, after a run of several draws. Crewe will be hoping to pick up form now and then power through the play-offs. A good time to play an out of form team.
Both teams could be in a wildly different place in the table post this game, but a win is undeniable for both. Do City want this enough? Or can Crewe get the scalp and get back in the promotion fight?
Honourable Mentions
In the Championship Luton Town, in need of points to stay up, host Leeds United, who need a win to stay in the top two and ward off Burnley.
West Bromwich Albion play Sunderland in a play-off six pointer, both teams in the top six but need points to stay there. West Brom could drop out with a loss and other results going against them.
In League One, Wrexham face off with Burton Albion. The Welsh side need to win to stay in the top two, whilst Burton has to win all they can to stay in the division.
