Saturday promises to be a crucial day in the Championship, both at the top and the bottom of the league. Let’s take a look at the key fixtures in the promotion race.

Southampton v Portsmouth

Both of these bitter rivals need the three points in Saturday’s lunchtime fixture, albeit for different reasons. The Saints are currently riding high at the top of the Championship while second from bottom Pompey will be hoping to stave off the very real threat of relegation.

The return of Saints’ top scorer Rickie Lambert, who missed last weekend’s 3-0 defeat to Blackpool, is ominous for a Portsmouth side that have conceded 48 goals this season. They are coming into this match after shipping five goals at home against Burnley so back Lambert at 11/4 to score the first goal.

Despite the Saints’ drubbing last time out, they have kept three clean sheets in their last six games and will be determined to get their promotion push back on track against their local adversaries. Pompey have only scored 41 goals this season so Southampton could easily win this game to nil.

A scorecast of Lambert first goalscorer and a Saints 3-0 win at 18/1 looks tempting.

Birmingham City v Crystal Palace

The Midlands side are firmly ensconced in the play-off places and will be hoping to consolidate this position against mid-table Palace.

The St Andrew’s outfit will hope to welcome back midfielder Keith Fahey, who has missed the last three games through injury, but boss Chris Hughton may have one eye on the match against promotion rivals West Ham on Monday and could rest players.

With defenders Stephen Carr (knee), Jonathan Spector (thigh) and Pablo Ibanez (hamstring) all unavailable, the 11/2 on Palace looks a good price. However, they are coming into this game on the back of a 3-0 home defeat to lowly Nottingham Forest and Birmingham are on a run of successive 3-1 wins. Totesport pay 10/1 on this result being repeated.

Middlesbrough v Cardiff City

This clash at the Riverside is a battle between two teams on the fringes of the play-off places. Only two points separate seventh-placed Boro and eighth-placed Cardiff in the league standings.

If recent form is anything to go by, expect a draw at 12/5 in this one. Cardiff travel to the North-East on the back of four straight stalemates, while Boro have remarkably been held to 1-1 draws in each of their last four games. 11/2 on the same scoreline is tempting.

The return of midfielder Faris Haroun is set to boost Tony Mowbray’s side and the 9/4 for him to score anytime is a good punt as he is a player who makes things happen.

Meanwhile, the Bluebirds have no new injury or suspension worries, although boss Malky Mackay will have to decide whether to drop misfiring striker Kenny Miller who has not scored in any of his last 14 outings.

Both sides have faltered of late and will be desperate to get their play-off push back on track. Expect a result that will benefit no-one – a fifth successive draw for both sides.

Millwall v Hull City

The Tigers currently sit in ninth place in the Championship, five points off the play-off places, and will be targeting this game as a must-win if they are to keep their faint hopes of promotion alive.

Four straight defeats, including to lowly Portsmouth and Coventry in the last two, has derailed Hull’s promotion bid and, even though Millwall are facing a midfield injury crisis, this is the sort of game the Tigers have been losing.

Skipper Jack Hobbs and fellow defenders James Chester and Joe Dudgeon will all be absent meaning the relatively inexperienced duo of Liam Cooper and Sonny Bradley will form the heart of the defence. Hull have shipped two goals in each of their last four games so a 2-0 success for Millwall in this one at 9/1 looks the stand-out pick.

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