Leaders Southampton get the chance to open up a 6 point lead over West Ham and an eleven point cushion over Cardiff if they beat Bristol City on Friday evening.
After just two points from the last nine available Cardiff really need to collect three points from the trip to the City Ground on Saturday.
Fixtures and table below:
| Friday 30th December 2011 | |||
| Championship | |||
| Southampton | v | Bristol City | 19:45 |
| Saturday 31st December 2011 | |||
| Championship | |||
| Leicester City | v | Portsmouth | 12:15 |
| Barnsley | v | Leeds United | 13:00 |
| Derby County | v | West Ham United | 13:00 |
| Millwall | v | Crystal Palace | 13:00 |
| Watford | v | Doncaster Rovers | 13:00 |
| Birmingham City | v | Blackpool | 15:00 |
| Burnley | v | Hull City | 15:00 |
| Coventry City | v | Brighton and Hove Albion | 15:00 |
| Middlesbrough | v | Peterborough United | 15:00 |
| Nottingham Forest | v | Cardiff City | 15:00 |
| Reading | v | Ipswich Town | 15:00 |
League table
| # | Team | Pl | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | GD | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southampton | 23 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 5 | 4 | 47 | 24 | 47 | +23 | ||||
| 2 | West Ham United | 23 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 19 | 12 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 19 | 9 | 13 | 5 | 5 | 38 | 21 | 44 | +17 | ||||
| 3 | Middlesbrough | 23 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 14 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 15 | 10 | 12 | 8 | 3 | 29 | 19 | 44 | +10 | ||||
| 4 | Cardiff City | 23 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 21 | 13 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 16 | 13 | 10 | 9 | 4 | 37 | 26 | 39 | +11 | ||||
| 5 | Hull City | 23 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 15 | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 3 | 8 | 26 | 23 | 39 | +3 | ||||
| 6 | Reading | 23 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 19 | 13 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 30 | 22 | 36 | +8 | ||||
| 7 | Blackpool | 23 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 17 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 19 | 20 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 36 | 28 | 35 | +8 | ||||
| 8 | Leeds United | 23 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 15 | 15 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 21 | 16 | 10 | 5 | 8 | 36 | 31 | 35 | +5 | ||||
| 9 | Burnley | 23 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 21 | 15 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 14 | 16 | 10 | 3 | 10 | 35 | 31 | 33 | +4 | ||||
| 10 | Crystal Palace | 23 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 10 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 12 | 16 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 22 | 22 | 33 | 0 | ||||
| 11 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 23 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 15 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 9 | 5 | 9 | 23 | 26 | 32 | -3 | ||||
| 12 | Leicester City | 23 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 18 | 12 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 12 | 14 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 30 | 26 | 31 | +4 | ||||
| 13 | Peterborough United | 23 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 26 | 19 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 16 | 20 | 9 | 4 | 10 | 42 | 39 | 31 | +3 | ||||
| 14 | Derby County | 23 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 17 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 10 | 19 | 9 | 4 | 10 | 27 | 32 | 31 | -5 | ||||
| 15 | Birmingham City | 21 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 12 | 19 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 26 | 24 | 30 | +2 | ||||
| 16 | Barnsley | 23 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 18 | 18 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 13 | 17 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 31 | 35 | 30 | -4 | ||||
| 17 | Portsmouth | 22 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 17 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 15 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 24 | 24 | 27 | 0 | ||||
| 18 | Watford | 23 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 17 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 14 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 23 | 31 | 27 | -8 | ||||
| 19 | Ipswich Town | 22 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 17 | 17 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 16 | 26 | 8 | 3 | 11 | 33 | 43 | 27 | -10 | ||||
| 20 | Millwall | 23 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 17 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 17 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 24 | 26 | 26 | -2 | ||||
| 21 | Bristol City | 23 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 13 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 20 | 5 | 6 | 12 | 21 | 33 | 21 | -12 | ||||
| 22 | Nottingham Forest | 23 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 11 | 20 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 17 | 6 | 3 | 14 | 18 | 37 | 21 | -19 | ||||
| 23 | Doncaster Rovers | 23 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 11 | 27 | 5 | 4 | 14 | 19 | 39 | 19 | -20 | ||||
| 24 | Coventry City | 23 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 12 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 6 | 19 | 3 | 7 | 13 | 18 | 33 | 16 | -15 | ||||