We get it. You’ve been distracted by the Premier League and now you feel like the family member told they are about to dive in blind to the fifth season of a TV series they know nothing about.
Sure, you recognise some of the characters (that Coventry manager looks familiar) or some of those teams even look like the ones that used to prop up the Premier League table but while the Premier League’s decision to show just one game on Boxing Day – starting at 8PM for that matter – has got Sean Dyche searching for his nearest green brick wall, the EFL is here to provide football addicts a much-needed hit as their stomachs process to convert a month’s worth of food.
And luckily for you, there is more narrative than you will know what to do with in your chocolate-filled haze…
Can Frank Lampard’s Coventry continue their promotion charge?
Remember when Frank Lampard wasn’t cut out for management? For those not keeping up with the Championship, the former Chelsea and Everton boss has not only found his feet but is currently masterminding the runaway leaders of the division.
If goals are your thing, then Swansea’s vicinity to the Coventry Building Society Arena is for you. The Sky Blues have whacked in 53 of them this season, a figure only Bayern Munich have surpassed. Of those, Brandon Thomas-Asante is the top scorer on 10 but the great thing about this Coventry side is that the goals are spread out with five players having hit at least five this year.
The question everyone is asking is: will they fall off? A 3-0 defeat away at Ipswich looked to be the start of a downfall and even they could only draw two of the next three, the rest of the league playing a game of ‘the promotion spots are lava’ means Lampard’s men are still 11 points clear of third place.
Like Coventry, Swansea are looking down rather than up and are seven points off the drop zone but have found some form, winning three of their last four.
For the sadists of you out there, Cameron Burgess scored his third own goal of the season during the Swans’ 2-1 over Welsh rivals Wrexham. The record for a single season in English football is five set by Middlesbrough’s Robert Stuart in the 1934/35 First Division and Coventry could well force another unwanted mark on the Australian’s record.
Does anyone actually want to get promoted?
Away from Coventry, it’s as if no one wants to get promoted. In second, Middlesbrough have had their post-break up glow-up and are five points clear in the automatics but you could throw a net over the other contenders.
Ipswich’s ability to lose 2-1 to relegation-threatened Oxford and then beat the league leaders has them third while three wins on the trot for Hull has pushed them up to fourth.
Three points separate fifth place Preston to ninth-placed Bristol City with the latter most recently beating Boro.
Of the Boxing Day fixtures, Ipswich’s visit to sixth-placed Millwall stands out, as does Preston’s visit to Stoke.
Hull will be hoping to make light work of bottom side Sheffield Wednesday, who are still on -9 having lost 18 points due to their ongoing financial issues.
Also keep an eye out for the late kick-off of Wrexham v Sheffield United. The Welsh/Hollywood side had been one of the surprise packages earlier in the year and had potential for the playoffs but a poor run of form has dropped them down to 15th.
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