The Championship fixtures you need to keep an eye on this weekend | OneFootball

The Championship has delivered heaps of entertainment this season and that isn’t about to change, with plenty still at stake on the final weekend.

Read on to discover the most exciting upcoming games and what each team is playing toward.

Burnley v Millwall

Arguably the best Championship fixture of the weekend, Millwall’s visit to Burnley has all the potential to be an intense battle.

Burnley have already achieved automatic promotion, but trail league leaders Leeds United on goal difference. A win for Leeds would make it very unlikely for Burnley to overturn the goal difference of 13. However, if Leeds only manage a draw, a win for Scott Parker’s men would see them lift the Championship trophy.

The game is also of great importance to Millwall, a team only outside the play-offs on goal difference. If Coventry fail to defeat Middlesbrough, the Lions would achieve promotion with a victory over Burnley.

The Clarets, of course, are a tough side to crack. They have kept 30 clean sheets during their league campaign, which includes 68 per cent of matches to have taken place at Turf Moor. On top of this, the last time Burnley suffered a league defeat was at the beginning of November.

However, the team that handed Burnley that defeat was none other than… Millwall!

Bristol City v Preston North End

This is one of those games which means just as much to both teams, yet for very different reasons. Bristol City want to secure a coveted spot in the play-offs, but Preston would be happy enough to remain in the league.

The home team haven’t tasted top flight football in 45 years, making this the biggest match of their season so far. A win would guarantee a place in the play-offs, regardless of other results.

Preston do not necessarily need a victory to ensure survival. Although if Hull City and Luton Town both come out on top against Portsmouth and West Brom respectively, this will no longer be the case. A point could potentially secure the Lancashire outfit’s safety, but they may well take the required risks to attempt to bag all three points.

Derby County v Stoke City

What a fixture this is for the final day of the season! Derby are 19th in the league on 49 points, while Stoke are a mere point ahead. If the sides draw, both could be relegated, however, there is the possibility that both will stay up.

Stoke have had a rough couple of weeks, being thrashed 6-0 by Leeds, before falling short against Sheffield United. Derby on the other hand have won two consecutive matches, although their opponents, West Brom and Hull, were much lower in the table.

Whoever wins this game secures survival without having to worry about how other matches play out. Therefore, both teams are likely to play with a must-win attitude.

Sorry Stoke fans, but the idea of a cross-city derby with Port Vale in League One next season sounds exhilarating. Derby v Burton Albion would also be a fairly local derby, but the Rams have more of a rivalry with Leicester City, who have just been relegated to the Championship. As a neutral, it would be more interesting if Stoke went down than Derby.

Coventry City v Middlesbrough

Coventry are currently sixth in the Championship. Things are less positive for Middlesbrough, who sit in ninth, yet Michael Carrick’s team have a notably strong goal difference, which could become important on Saturday.

If Middlesbrough win this match, there is a small possibility that both teams make the play-offs. However, this could also mean neither side finishes in the top six. It all depends on what happens elsewhere.

Undeniably, Coventry will set out to take all three points. Millwall are highly unlikely to overturn a goal difference of four against Burnley, so a win would most likely see Coventry remain in the play-offs. As for Middlesbrough, winning is the only way they have a fighting chance of promotion.

Honorable mentions