Midweek wins for QPR and Coventry robbed the Championship of a great stat this week.
Prior to Wednesday evening’s fixtures, Blackburn were top of the table having lost seven, while Coventry were bottom after only losing five.
However, the Hoops’ 3-0 win over Cardiff City saw them take over the summit, while the Sky Blues scored late on to beat Sheffield United and leapfrog Huddersfield at the basement.
Nevertheless, the unpredictability of the division was again illustrated with thumping away wins for Middlesbrough and Hull, who both started the day inside the bottom three.
And, with just seven points separating the top 15 there will be plenty of movement again following this weekend’s games.
League One is not quite so tightly packed, with leaders Plymouth four points clear on the back of five successive wins. They will be looking to make it six at Bristol Rovers on Saturday.
League Two, meanwhile, has some interesting match-ups at both the top and bottom, where only three points separate 16th to 24th
We break down the biggest games of the weekend.
Championship
QPR vs Wigan Athletic
Saturday’s Championship focus would already have been on QPR after their midweek win at home to Cardiff sent them top of the table. However, events off the field have intensified the media glare around the club.
Wolves ’ very public pursuit of Hoops boss Michael Beale only looked to be heading one way, especially in the eyes of the bookies who stopped taking bets on the former Aston Villa assistant head coach.
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But, if it seems 24 hours is a long time in politics, it is also a very long time in football circles with Beale turning down Wolves’ approach on Thursday morning.
Whether that plays out well for the fledgling boss remains to be seen but it is clearly good news for the London club in the short term, with Beale obviously viewing them a much more attractive prospect than his Premier League suitors.
Middlesbrough vs Huddersfield Town
Michael Carrick looks all set to take over at the Riverside, though that is not expected to happen in time for him to lead the troops against Huddersfield.
That Boro can afford to take their time in appointing the former Manchester United midfielder is thanks to the work of Leo Percovich who oversaw his second win in temporary charge in midweek.
The 4-1 victory at Wigan lifted Boro out of the bottom three, in turn inflicting a fourth defeat in five on the home side.
Despite Chris Wilder paying the price for an underwhelming start, Middlesbrough are only eight points off the play-offs. A win against bottom club Huddersfield and that could be as little as five - the same number of points Boro finished adrift of the top six last season.
Carrick could still do big things this season.
Sheffield United vs Norwich City
Leaders Sheffield United looked unstoppable going into the international break after winning four on the bounce without conceding a goal.
However, since the resumption they have taken just two points from 15, conceding nine goals in the process, to slip down to fourth.
A lengthy injury list has taken its toll, with Enda Stevens, Jack O'Connell, Sander Berge, Max Lowe, Ismaila Coulibaly, Jayden Bogle, Ciaran Clark and Daniel Jebbison out and Oli McBurnie playing with a hernia problem that requires an operation.
Nevertheless, there was still a hard-earned point on offer at Coventry City in midweek, only for a rush of blood from Chris Basham to hand the Sky Blues a penalty to win it.
Thankfully, Norwich arrive similarly out of form having lost their last three.
It looks a match neither team can afford to lose.
League One
Bristol Rovers vs Plymouth
It seems you can’t take a team to the top of a table anymore without being linked to a job in a higher division.
Plymouth boss Steven Schumacher has claimed it is “business as usual” despite being installed as the bookies’ favourite to take over at West Brom. To be fair to him, that business has been pretty brisk, with Argyle having played seven games within the last month, winning them all.
Five of those have been in the league, where they hold a four-point advantage at the summit.
They can expect no favours from Joey Barton’s Bristol Rovers who are on an impressive run of their own thanks to three successive wins.
The return of Gas old boy and former Chelsea and Celtic winger Scott Sinclair adds to the feelgood factor, with Barton hailing the signing as one for “old romantics”.
League Two
Stevenage vs Northampton
First plays third at the Lamex Stadium where Steve Evans has transformed the home side.
Near the bottom of the league when Evans was appointed six months ago, Stevenage first escaped the drop and then, with the help of 12 summer additions, shot to the top of the table.
Evans’ summer recruitment drive was all about power, intensity and stamina levels.
It wasn’t about big money, however, with the Scot admitting he failed with approaches for “three or four” Northampton players in the summer “but couldn't get near their packages”.
The one he did get, Danny Rose, has a goal and two assists in his last three games for Evans’ side. Though he may be wondering why he was paid much less than some of his former Cobblers teammates.
