Championship Tenner - Preview: Pompey Face More Misery, The FA Cup And Chopra Faces Old Club

With NPower Championship sides still involved in the FA Cup and things hotting up in the league, there promises to be plenty of excitement over the next week. Here, TheHardTackleAi??takes a look at 10 things you should be looking out for:-

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1. Portsmouth set for administration

Once again, Portsmouth football club are in the midst of financial problems.

After being issued with a winding-up petition by the HM Revenue and Customs on 3^rd January, Pompeyai??i??s bank accounts have been frozen until they are due at the Royal Courts of Justice on February 20^th. With no access to the bank accounts, the club is financially crippled and have recently been unable to pay players and staff their wages.

On Monday, Portsmouth Chief Executive David Lampitt confirmed that the South Coast club have ai???made an application for an administration orderai???, a decision which would allow access to the bank accounts again. (Portsmouth became the second British club that day to seek administration after Scottish giants Glasgow Rangers went down the same route)

However, with administration comes a 10-point penalty. Pompeyai??i??s long-suffering fans have already seen their club suffer this fate in 2010 and a repeat would see Michael Appletonai??i??s side drop to 21^st in The Championship, outside the relegation places only on goal difference. A fight to stay in the division would be on, but in reality, the bigger and more important fight for Portsmouth and its fans is to keep the club alive.

2. Friday night football

This week sees Friday night football as Reading host Burnley in a Play-off six pointer.Ai??Both sides come into the game in good form, with 6^th place Reading having won 8 out of 10 league games, whilst Burnley have won 6 in the same period.

Built on strong defences, both sides possess plenty of firepower. For the Royals, Noel Hunt, Simon Church and Adam Le Fondre have spread the goals about, whilst veteran Blackburn Rovers striker Jason Roberts has scored twice since his recent loan signing. Prolific Jay Rodriguez, who has hit 18 goals, spearheads the Claretsai??i?? attack, with the likes of Charlie Austin and Martin Paterson proving more than adequate accomplices.

Both teams like to keep the ball on the floor so it promises to be an exciting and entertaining game under the lights at The Madjeski Stadium. If pushed for a winner, TheHardTackle will plump for Reading to nick the 3 points, just.

3. Championship flag flying in FA Cup

Some Championship games have had to be moved from Saturday to midweek, due to the involvement of five sides in the 5^th Round of the FA Cup.

In-form Birmingham face a tough task on Saturday, at lunch time, when they visit Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea. Millwall, who knocked out fellow Championship side Southampton in Round 4, will be hoping to cause an upset as they entertain struggling Bolton Wanderers at the New Den, whilst Leicester City travel to East Anglia to face Norwich City.

Perhaps, the biggest chance of an upset is at Goodison Park where Ian Hollowayai??i??s in-form Blackpool take on Everton. Although the Merseysiders themselves have had some fine results lately, with home wins over both Manchester City and Chelsea, concerns over the size of their squad may result in some key players being rested this weekend as they look to prioritise their league campaign. If that is the case, Blackpool could have a real chance. With confidence high in the Seasidersai??i?? camp, the likes of Lomano Lua-Lua, Matt Phillips and Kevin Phillips are all capable of causing a shock.

The final tie involving a Championship side sees Liverpool entertain Brighton. These two sides have already met this season, when the Reds triumphed 2-1 at the Amex Stadium in the Carling Cup. The hosts will start as red-hot favourites, but with this being the cup, donai??i??t bet against the Seagulls getting at least a replay.

4. Bottom of the table clash

Separated by only 38 miles, a match between Nottingham Forest and Coventry City is always a heated affair. But, with the two sides currently occupying the 22^nd and 23^rd places in The Championship, this weekendai??i??s clash at the City Ground takes on added importance.

Home side Forest are on a dreadful run. With only two wins in 15 league games, the former twice-European Cup winners have only netted nine times in that period. Coventry on the other hand are on a recent upturn in form. Having been rooted to the table for most of the campaign, Tuesday nightai??i??s stoppage-time 2-1 win over Leeds United, their fourth win from their last 6 home league games, saw the Sky Blues finally lift themselves up to 22^nd, above Forest and Doncaster Rovers.

When the two sides met back in October, Coventry took all three points, thanks to Lukas Jutkiewiczai??i?? winner. He has since moved on to Middlesbrough, but TheHardTackle still believes that the Sky Blues have enough firepower to take at least a point from their trip to Nottingham.

5. Chopra faces old club

Saturdayai??i??s meeting between Ipswich Town and Cardiff City will be extra special for Town striker Michael Chopra, who will face his former club.

In 2006-07 season, Chopra scored 22 goals from 42 games for the Bluebirds earning a A?5 million move to Sunderland. But after scoring in his opening two games for the Mackems, Chopra struggled to adapt to life at the Stadium of Light and just over a year later he returned to Cardiff on-loan.

After 5 goals in 11 appearances, he returned to Sunderland for a month, before returning once again to Cardiff on-loan until the end of the season, where he netted a further 4 goals in 16 games. During the summer of 2009, a permanent return to Cardiff was sealed as the Bluebirds broke their transfer record. It proved to be money well spent as he went on to net 21 goals and make the Championship Team of The Year as the South Wales side ended up as beaten Play-off finalists. His form attracted the interests of Ipswich, then managed by Roy Keane, who had three bids rejected for the striker.

Chopra was ruled out of much of the 2010-11 season with a series of injuries, but did score 11 times and appeared as Cardiff were beaten by Reading in the Play-Off Semi-finals. When Cardiff boss Dave Jones left, so did much of the team, so when Ipswich came back in for Chopra, he moved to Portman Road.

Despite some off-the-field problems, including a gambling addiction and a drink-driving ban, Chopra has recently hit form for the Tractor Boys. He is currently their leading scorer with 10 goals, and has 4 goals in his last 3 games, including the winner at Portsmouth on Tuesday night.

Players usually do well against their former clubs, so TheHardTackle predicts Chopra to do just that this weekend.

6. Yorkshire derby at Elland Road

Saturday sees a Yorkshire derby at Elland Road as Leeds United host Doncaster Rovers.

Leeds are still under the stewardship of temporary boss Neil Redfearn following the dismissal of Simon Grayson earlier this month. This could change in the next week or so though following the bizarre news that Huddersfield Town sacked manager Lee Clark, even though they have only lost 3 times in 55 games! As one of the best young managers around, Clark has been linked with the Elland Road hotseat. In Redfearnai??i??s three games so far, Leeds have won one and lost 2, resulting in a drop to 11^th, six points off the play-offs.

Their opponents Doncaster are in an even worse spell. No wins in their last 5 games in all competitions means they have dropped to the bottom of the table, whilst the recent cold weather has resulted in two postponements, leaving Donny with two games in hand. After losing top scorer Billy Sharp to Southampton during the transfer window, Dean Saundersai??i?? men are in for a tough relegation fight between now and the end of the season.

With both teams desperately needing a win for differing reasons, it is sure to be a game not lacking in effort and desire. TheHardTackle predicts that Leedsai??i?? will be the side celebrating come Saturday evening.

7. Two home games for Barnsley

One side with two league games over the next seven days is Barnsley.

It has been an up and down season so far for Keith Hillai??i??s side. Doing the double over Yorkshire rivals Leeds United is undoubtedly the highlight, but 13 defeats from their 30 games means the Tykes are closer to the relegation places rather than the Play-offs positions.

With Craig Davies, Ricardo Vaz Te and Andy Gray all hitting the net on a regular basis, 28 goals from 15 home league games makes Barnsley one of the most prolific teams in the division. Keeping the goals out at the other end has been the problem, with 26 conceded at home.

In January, the Tykes were weakened when striker Vaz Te left for leaders West Ham. In a further blow, Danny Drinkwater, who had been in exceptional form whilst on-loan at Oakwell from Manchester United, sealed a permanent move to rivals Leicester City.

This week, Barnsley will face debt-ridden Portsmouth followed by high-flying Birmingham. With both games at home, it is a chance for Hillai??i??s side to pick up some points to edge nearer the top of the table rather than the bottom.

8. Leadersai??i?? trip to the Seaside

On Tuesday evening, leaders West Ham United take a trip to the Seaside to face Blackpool.

Without a game on Saturday, the Hammers could find themselves knocked off the top of the table by the time they visit Bloomfield Road, with rivals Southampton, who lie a point behind, facing Derby at home on Saturday. They will have two games in hand though, so avoiding defeat against Ian Hollowayai??i??s men will be seen as a good result.

9. A Thursday night date for Derby and Leicester

In an unusual move, The Championship sees a match being played on Thursday night next week, as Derby County play Leicester City.

The match is somewhat of a local derby, with only twenty-five miles separating the two clubs. Both teams are locked on 42 points, with Leicester ahead on goal difference, although they have played one game more.

Both sides lost last time out, with Derby suffering a 1-0 home defeat to Reading, whilst the Foxes surrendered a 2-1 lead at Watford to eventually lose 3-2.

The aspirations of both clubs is to regain their place in the Premier League, so, 9 points behind the play-off places and with games running out, it is imperative that they start to mount a challenge sooner rather than later.

TheHardTackle predicts that in Jermaine Beckford, David Nugent and Paul Gallagher, Leicester possess superior firepower to their opponents, so will just shade things and pick up a valuable three points.

10. Posh face Robins

Our weekly look at Peterborough United shows Posh suffered another defeat in midweek when they went down 3-1 at Cardiff City.

The result leaves Darren Fergusonai??i??s team in 19^th, 9 points clear of the relegation zone. This weekend though they have a realistic chance of picking up three points as 21^st placed Bristol City visit London Road. Without a win in 4 games, the feel-good factor, which enveloped the Robins following the arrival of boss Derek McInnes, has gone, replaced by anxiety and a worry that they could be dragged back into the relegation places.

Posh could be without influential defender Gabriel Zakuani, but TheHardTackle still thinks they will have too much quality for Bristol City.

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Click here for a full list of NPower Championship fixtures

Tags: NPower Champ

Championship Tenner – Preview: Pompey Face More Misery, The FA Cup And Chopra Faces Old Club

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