The Championship continued its festive goal-fest this midweek with 39 goals in 11 fixtures as the action now enters 2011 with a full programme of 12 games to be played out on New Year’s Day.

All eyes will be on Carrow Road where fifth-placed Norwich face league leaders QPR.

Norwich v QPR (3pm)

The Canaries cemented their place in the play-off places with a 4-2 win against struggling Sheffield United on Tuesday and will fancy their chances of inflicting a third defeat of the campaign on the Hoops. However, Neil Warnock’s side bounced back from their recent two successive defeats with comprehensive wins over Christmas, including a victory at Coventry, and are looking to condemn Norwich to a fifth home defeat of the season, while possibly stretching their seven-point lead at the top of the Championship.

Match Bet: 1-1 Draw @ 11/2

Bristol City v Cardiff (3pm)

This Severn-side derby at Ashton Gate could have big implications at both ends of the Championship table. Bristol City are just four points off the relegation zone with no wins in their last three games, while they grabbed a fortunate 1-1 draw against lowly Crystal Palace on Tuesday. Cardiff’s automatic promotion hopes took a dent with a 4-1 mauling at Watford and they have struggled on the road of late. Keith Millen’s Robins have improved on home soil of late and they will look to avenge last season’s humiliating 6-0 thrashing in the corresponding fixture.

Match Bet: Bristol City To Win @ 19/10

Swansea v Reading (3pm)

The third-placed Swans moved level on 40 points with their South Wales rivals Cardiff after securing a seventh home win of the season against Barnsley on Tuesday. And they will look to jump into the automatic promotion places with a win against Brian McDermott’s sixth-placed Royals, who are unbeaten in eight league outings.

Match Bet: Draw HT/Swansea FT @ 7/2

Leeds v Middlesbrough (1pm)

The New Year action in the Championship starts at Elland Road with Simon Grayson’s in-form side looking for at least a point which will take them into the promotion places behind QPR. The Whites have not lost in 11 league games – six of those wins – since a 4-0 home drubbing against Cardiff on October 25 and they will be confident of making it 12 against struggling Boro after blowing a two-goal lead to draw 3-3 with Portsmouth. But Tony Mowbray’s side have shown signs of improvement lately and arrive in West Yorkshire on the back of a 3-1 win at bottom club Preston so will be no pushovers.

Match Bet: Leeds 2-1 @ 7/1

Coventry v Ipswich Town (3pm)

The Sky Blues are outside the play-off places on goal difference following the 2-0 home loss to league leaders QPR which made it three defeats on the bounce, so they will be looking to get back on track against struggling Ipswich. Roy Keane’s men have not played since ending a run of six straight defeats in style with a 3-0 win against Leicester at a snow-bound Portman Road on December 18 due to the bad weather so could be rusty at the Ricoh Arena.

Match Bet: Coventry To Win @ 21/20

Nottingham Forest v Barnsley (3pm)

Forest maintained their unbeaten home record throughout 2010 in style with a 5-2 thrashing of local rivals Derby at the City Ground on Wednesday and Billy Davies’ side should start the New Year with that record intact against a Barnsley side going into the game on the back of two successive defeats.

Match Bet: Forest To Win @ 8/13

Watford v Portsmouth (5.20pm)

Malky Mackay’s Hornets are buzzing at the moment as they have moved to within a point of the play-offs having followed up a 3-1 win at league leaders QPR earlier in December with a 4-1 mauling of second-placed Cardiff at a foggy Vicarage Road to make it five unbeaten. Pompey stormed back from 2-0 and 3-1 down at Leeds to earn a 3-3 draw on Tuesday which followed successive away wins at high-flying Swansea and Norwich so to bet against Steve Cotterill’s side would be a huge risk.

Match Bet: Draw @ 12/5

Burnley v Sheffield United (3pm)

These two sides go head-to-head at Turf Moor without permanent managers at the helm as Stuart Gray is in temporary control of the Clarets following Brian Laws’ departure on Wednesday, while John Carver could still be in command of the Blades after they lost Gary Speed to Wales unless Micky Adams’ imminent appointment goes through in time. Burnley have lost their last two at home, while the Blades have dropped to within two points of the relegation places after the 4-2 defeat at Norwich made it three away-day losses on the bounce.

Match Bet: Burnley To Win 1-0 @ 11/2

Millwall v Crystal Palace (1.30pm)

This south London derby gets underway early on Saturday after the Lions made it six games unbeaten after seeing off Leicester 2-0 on Tuesday, despite playing for over half an hour with 10 men when Alan Dunne was sent off. Second-bottom Palace were unlucky not to pick up three points at Bristol City, but with the worst away record in the Championship they will find it difficult in the Den.

Match Bet: Palace HT/Millwall FT @ 25/1

Preston v Derby (3pm)

Bottom club Preston get life without the sacked Darren Ferguson underway with a visit from a Derby side currently on a downward spiral. North End axed Ferguson after Tuesday’s 3-1 Deepdale defeat to fellow strugglers Middlesbrough left them five points adrift of safety, but they will look to make up some ground on the sides above them when Nigel Clough’s Rams arrive on the back of a 5-2 battering at rivals Nottingham Forest which made it five straight defeats.

Match Bet: Draw @ 23/10

Doncaster v Scunthorpe (3pm)

More derby action at the Keepmoat Stadium sees mid-table Doncaster up against a Scunthorpe side still in the relegation places, despite winning 2-0 at Burnley. Sean O’Driscoll’s men have not played since a 2-1 home win against Middlesbrough on December 17 due to the weather so they will be looking to reduce the four-point gap to the play-offs with a win. However, despite their struggles, the Iron have six wins on the road this season but strangely no draws from 11 games – could that trend be bucked on Saturday?

Match Bet: 2-2 Draw @ 12/1

Hull v Leicester (3pm)

This game sees Hull boss Nigel Pearson face his former employers following his move to the KC Stadium from the Foxes last summer. However, the season has not panned out how either side would have liked as they both sit in the bottom half of the table going into 2011. The Tigers’ form has improved of late as they are unbeaten in eight outings, while Sven Goran-Eriksson’s side have so far lost nine on the road and conceded 30 goals – more than any other side in the Championship.

Match Bet: Hull To Win 2-0 @ 9/1

Want £200 Free? Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.