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More Championship team news …
Southampton v Millwall
Southampton: Bazunu, Harwood-Bellis, Wood-Gordon, Stephens, Jelert, Downes, Bragg, Manning, Scienza, Matsuki, Archer.
Subs: McCarthy, Quarshie, Welington, Fellows, Jander, Williams, Robinson, Azaz, Armstrong.
Millwall: Crocombe, Crama, Taylor, Cooper, Sturge, Leonard, Doughty, Langstaff, Neghli, Ballo, Azeez.
Subs: Benda, McNamara, Mitchell, Emakhu, Bryan, Matthews, Bangura-Williams, Harding, Howland.
Watford v Birmingham
Watford: Selvik, Abankwah, Alleyne, Pollock, Bola, Maamma, Kyprianou, Louza, Ince, Chakvetadze, Kjerrumgaard.
Subs: Baxter, Keben, Sissoko, Semedo, Morris, Nampalys Mendy, Petris, Baah, Irankunda.
Birmingham City: Beadle, Sampsted, Neumann, Robinson, Cochrane, Iwata, Paik, Roberts, Willumsson, Anderson, Furuhashi.
Subs: Allsop, Cashin, Mazwi, Leonard, Isichei, Fujimoto, Koumas, Dykes, Ducksch.
We’re just a few hours into the new year, and a Premier League manager has already left his job. Here’s more on Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea departure – and talks he held with his former club.
Let’s run through some team news, starting at Pride Park.
Derby v Middlesbrough
Derby County: Zetterstrom; Langas, Sanderson, Clarke; Elder, Ward, Adams, Thompson, Clark; Brewster, Agyemang.
Subs: O’Donnell, Forsyth, Batth, Blackett-Taylor, Weimann, Salvesen, Jackson,
Brereton Diaz, Travis.
Middlesbrough: Brynn; Brittain, Ayling, Targett, Bangura; Hackney, Morris, Whittaker, Burgzorg; Kaly Sene, Conway.
Subs: McLaughlin, Gilbert, Browne, Hamilton, Nypan, Silvera, Hansen,
Kante, Chaplin.
Preamble
As a new year begins, the race to reach the Premier League is – even by the Championship’s usual standards – absolutely wide open. Coventry remain the clear front-runners, but their blistering early form has slowed in recent weeks; Frank Lampard will seek to start the new year on a high against out-of-form Charlton today.
Behind them, Middlesbrough (at Derby), Ipswich (at home to Oxford) and Hull City (at home to Stoke) will look to keep up the chase. Elsewhere, Southampton host Millwall, eight places but just seven points above their hosts in the table. The division’s form side, Watford, host Birmingham, who are 15th but still in reach of the playoffs.
There’s also a full programme in League One – with leaders Cardiff going to Wycombe and second-placed Lincoln hosting Huddersfield – and League Two, where leaders Bromley welcome second-bottom Newport, and chasers Swindon and Walsall face Gillingham and Cambridge respectively. So grab a Berocca and get comfortable.
