EFL Tips | Gab Sutton

Chesterfield have seen their promotion bid undermined by three defeats in four, so Paul Cook’s side must bounce back from Tuesday’s 3-0 loss at MK Dons.

For all their defensive imperfections, the Spireites do have quality going forward – only Walsall have scored more goals in League Two this season - and that should be enough for them to see off a Tranmere side languishing in 20th, having scored the division’s fewest goals.

Despite being one of the biggest clubs in the league, Rovers have been hamstrung by poor recruitment along with the loss of star winger Rob Apter.

More focus is on matters off the field than on them, with a proposed takeover rumbling on, but they have to be careful to ensure that the theoretical new ownership regime can begin with EFL status in safe hands.

Norwich have coped admirably with the loss of star striker Josh Sargent, who had been arguably their most important player up until his October injury.

The likes of Emiliano Marcondes and Ante Crnac have stepped up another gear in recent games, with the latter taking Sargent’s spot up top last time out, while Borja Sainz has become the quickest Canary to reach 15 league goals in a season since Hugh Curran in 1968!

City are one of the most entertaining sides in the Championship, yet boss Johannes Hoff Thorup has built this on principles of order, control and positional discipline – ironic, eh?

Life is tougher for his opposite number, Marti Cifuentes, at QPR, who are currently in the bottom three, having relied on the heroics of goalkeeper Paul Nardi to stay within touching distance.

Blackburn Rovers will be on a high from three wins in eight days, following a 3-1 victory at Cardiff with impressive 1-0 victories over arguably the two most creative sides in the league - Middlesbrough and Leeds – to revitalise an unlikely Play-Off bid.

John Eustace is re-establishing the burgeoning reputation he enjoyed at Birmingham, prior to his controversial sacking, thriving in tough circumstances at Ewood Park with excellent people skills and a likeably honest, down-to-earth leadership style.

Whether it’s Pears, Hyam and Batth, the ‘Travstad’ midfield, Owen Beck helping Harry Pickering nullify Dan James on the left last time out, partnerships and combinations are building across the park.

It’s the same in attack, where joint-top goalscorer Yuki Ohashi brings a relentless energy up top, to complement Tyrhys Dolan’s strong running and Todd Cantwell’s flamboyant creativity; the trio will be out to inflict more damage on troubled Hull.

Coventry’s draw with Cardiff began a new era under Frank Lampard, but it also continued an existing trend of the Sky Blues conceding twice, which they’ve now done in five consecutive league games.

Because the Midlanders have prioritised saleable assets in their recruitment, they may have been guilty of overlooking the importance of experience, leadership and organisation that one or two older players might provide – as well as a powerful, aerially dominant presence in central defence.

The box-bombardment that their trip to the Den will inevitably bring could exploit those particular deficiencies, even if the hosts are missing Jake Cooper, Japhet Tanganga, Shaun Hutchinson plus striker Josh Coburn.

Forwards Tatsuhiro Sakamoto and Ephron Mason-Clark could have some joy for Lampard’s side, but the Lions have failed to score just once in South Bermondsey.

Portsmouth might feel aggrieved to have only come away from Swansea with a point, after Matt Ritchie and Josh Murphy had given John Mousinho’s side a two-goal first half lead in South Wales.

The second half was a difficult one for Pompey, who struggled to engage effectively in the latter stages of their third game in eight days with a depleted squad, but performances have been competitive all season – bar September’s 6-1 drubbing at Stoke – and they’re now four unbeaten.

Now Colby Bishop is back from a long-term injury, the freshly promoted outfit now have the genuine focal point they’d missed up to that point, with mixed output from the likes of Mark O’Mahoney and Kusini Yengi.

Visitors Bristol City travel to Fratton Park off the back of a 4-0 thumping of Plymouth Argyle, but Liam Manning’s side have also lost three of their last five.