Naija, make una hear wetin dey happen for England Championship tonight. E go be serious ball wey go shake table for top and bottom. Sky Sports go show eight matches live, but two big ones dey make mouth water.
Portsmouth wey dey fear relegation go host Ipswich Town wey dey chase promotion. This match don suffer postponement two times since January—first for frozen pitch, again for waterlogged pitch. But forecast say tonight go be fine for south coast, so we dey good to go.
For Portsmouth, timing sweet small. Dem dey inside bad form before international break, but dem don collect five points from three games since. Last Saturday, dem win Middlesbrough 1-0 with last kick of game. Conor Chaplin score am, save Pompey from entering bottom three.
Portsmouth manager John Mousinho talk say, “We get lucky, make we honest, but that one na wetin we never see this season.” Him add say, “When you dey bottom, na so e dey happen.” Mousinho dey hope say luck go still dey for Ipswich match.
But Ipswich no be small team. Dem just win Norwich for weekend derby, dem dey control second position for table. If dem win tonight, dem go lead Millwall by five points. Trip to Fratton Park no too hard again—Portsmouth get only one home win this year, just one point from last four home games.
Incentive for Portsmouth na say if dem win, dem go lead drop zone by four points with four games remain. That one go feel like big gap.
Another big match dey St Mary's where Southampton go host Blackburn. This match don bring forward because Southampton get FA Cup semi-final with Manchester City for Wembley next weekend.
Southampton manager Tonda Eckert no go mind. Saints dey march well well, momentum dey king for this stage. Dem win Derby on Saturday, move to fifth position. If dem win Blackburn tonight, na six league wins straight.
Eckert talk after Derby win say, “Na outstanding performance, I think na best one for the week.” Praise strong because week start with win over Arsenal, then 5-1 shellacking of Wrexham follow.
Blackburn dey face wahala. Back-to-back draws don slow dem for push away from relegation. Dem still get four-point gap, but if dem lose for Southampton, dem go know say teams below dem get games in hand. Next match dey Friday when dem go host leaders Coventry. For this league, things fit change quick quick.
For League One, Bolton look like dem go enter play-offs, dem want build momentum. Dem go host Stevenage wey dey sixth position. Cardiff City fit move closer to promotion when dem go Huddersfield.
Leyton Orient go try move from relegation zone when dem host Mansfield. Port Vale go move closer to drop as dem host Barnsley. Rotherham fit confirm relegation if dem lose at Wigan.
For League Two, nothing fit confirm tonight, but Barrow wey dey fear relegation go try move closer to safety as dem host Oldham. Chesterfield vs Grimsby na big match for top-seven shake-up—seventh vs eighth with just one point between dem for play-off line.
Team news for Portsmouth vs Ipswich show say Portsmouth injury list include Zak Swanson, Mark Kosznovszky, Franco Umeh, Florian Bianchini and Josh Murphy. Ebou Adams go miss fourth game, but dem hope say him go return for Saturday match with Leicester. Conor Ogilvie dey serve second match of three-game ban, Chaplin no fit play against parent club.
Ipswich no fit use Ashley Young, Conor Townsend and David Button because injury. Wes Burns don miss last three matches with calf problem, him still dey doubt. Dan Neil, Kasey McAteer and Jack Clarke fit enter lineup if manager Kieran McKenna want change things.
Possible starting lineup for Portsmouth: Schmid; Devlin, Poole, Shaughnessy, Williams; Pack, Dozzell; Caballero, Segecic, Anderson; Bishop. For Ipswich: Walton; Furlong, O'Shea, Greaves, Davis; Matusiwa, Neil; McAteer, Mehmeti, Clarke; Hirst.
Portsmouth avoid defeat for last three games, but dem lose four of last five home matches. Ipswich win three of last four road trips. Many people think say Ipswich go collect maximum points from this rearranged fixture.
Ipswich dey eye immediate return to Championship after nine-game unbeaten run. Dem win three of previous four matches, including 2-0 win over Norwich on Saturday. Jaden Philgoene and George Hirst score goals give dem first win at Carrow Road since 2006.
Dem dey second place, two points clear of Millwall, three points clear of Middlesbrough. With two games in hand over promotion rivals, dem dey strong position to win promotion with leaders Coventry City wey almost confirm promotion already.
After winning 2-1 in September reverse fixture, Ipswich dey hope complete league double over Portsmouth for first time since 2011-12 season. Tractor Boys don show strong force for road recently—dem win three of previous four away matches without conceding goal.
Odds for match dey around 20-23 for Ipswich win with BoyleSports. Tight contest expect because Portsmouth just boost survival hopes with weekend win at Middlesbrough.
All eyes dey Championship tonight. For Portsmouth, na fight for survival. For Ipswich, na step closer to Premier League return. E go be serious ball.
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