EFL preview for December - Sheffield United v Burnley, key derby game, promotion rivals clash | OneFootball

There are plenty of mouth-watering games coming up in the month of December, as teams compete for points during a busy festive period.

It looks set to be an exciting December in the EFL, with plenty of mouth-watering clashes coming up during the festive period.

This could be a crucial period for those competing at both ends of their respective divisions, with a packed schedule set to test squads across the EFL.

Leeds United, who spent time at the top of the table in November, will be hoping to build on their work and make notable strides in their quest for automatic promotion.

Birmingham City, after dropping points in recent weeks, will also be looking to secure a comfortable place in the top two.

Port Vale are another side with promotion aspirations - and look to be in a good position to secure a place back in League One at the first time of asking.

Below, we take a look at fixtures to watch in the Championship, the third tier and League Two.

Championship

Coventry City v Hull City

Coventry City will be hoping to progress under Frank Lampard, who has endured a mixed managerial career thus far.

In terms of potential key players, Ben Sheaf could be a vital player in midfield, and Norman Bassette could have a role to play as he continues to shine in the first team.

With the home advantage, the Sky Blues will certainly be aiming for a win.

In terms of Hull City, they will be looking to enjoy a brighter future after the departure of Tim Walter, who failed to impress at the MKM Stadium.

Jacob Greaves and Jaden Philogene may have been sold during the summer, but the Tigers have still performed well below par.

Against his former team, Kasey Palmer will be hoping to step up and make the difference.

Watford v West Bromwich Albion

Watford and West Bromwich Albion are both aiming to secure a top-six finish at the end of the season.

The Hornets endured a nightmare pre-season, but have shown enough promise this season to suggest that they will be in the promotion mix at the end of the season.

Vakoun Bayo has been in decent form this season and Giorgi Chakvetadze has been a key player during the 2024/25 campaign thus far, so Tom Cleverley will be hoping the pair can prove their worth in this important game.

West Brom also have some players who can make a difference, with Josh Maja destined to be the Baggies’ top scorer this season.

Tom Fellows is also a key player for Carlos Corberan’s side in the final third - and he will be keen to make an impact out wide at Vicarage Road.

Sheffield United v Burnley

It’s the clash of two automatic promotion candidates at Bramall Lane, with Sheffield United hosting Burnley.

Jesurun Rak-Sakyi is becoming more and more comfortable with life in South Yorkshire and Tyrese Campbell is one to watch too, having enjoyed a fairly decent start to his spell with the Blades.

His goal in the Steel City derby could prove to be the launchpad for a successful time for him at the Lane.

The Clarets, meanwhile, will be hoping to be as solid as they can defensively.

CJ Egan-Riley, who has performed well this season, could help to nullify the threat of Kieffer Moore, Campbell, Callum O’Hare and others, but he has a big job on his hands.

At the other end of the pitch, previous promotion-winner Jaidon Anthony will be keen to make a difference out wide, using the experience he has.

Considering this will be a tight clash, there could be some good odds on either way to win on sports betting sites.

League One

Birmingham City v Stockport County

Birmingham, with the squad they have, would wanted to sit at the top of the third-tier table by a clear distance.

But Wycombe Wanderers have been exceptional this season and Wrexham are also promotion contenders, so they need to enjoy a good December to secure themselves as favourites for automatic promotion.

Thankfully for them, they have plenty of game-changers who can step up and make a difference, including prolific striker and marquee summer signing Jay Stansfield.

Stockport County are another very strong team, with plenty of top-quality players in their squad allowing them to compete at the top end of the division.

Their strong start has also played a part, with Dave Challinor’s team going unbeaten in 10 of their opening 11 league games of the season.

Louie Barry is one of the biggest names in their team - and it will be interesting to see what impact he can have at St Andrew’s.

With the quality they have though, Blues will surely be the favourites to win with football betting companies.

Cambridge United v Shrewsbury Town

Cambridge United and Shrewsbury Town are led by two capable managers.

It’s fair to say that Garry Monk has endured a fairly miserable time at Cambridge so far, but they are keeping themselves in the mix to stay up and will be hoping to secure a good result in this match.

In truth, they probably haven’t fully recovered from the departures of Harvey Knibbs and Sam Smith, both of whom were game-changers for them.

Shrewsbury, meanwhile, will be hoping to make some progress under Gareth Ainsworth, who is probably the most important figure at the club right now.

He may have struggled at Queens Park Rangers, but Ainsworth has a decent track record at this level with Wycombe and will be hoping to produce similar results in Shropshire.

Bolton Wanderers v Wigan Athletic

This game may not be the most highly-anticipated on this list, but it is a derby and it could prove to be an important game for both teams.

Wigan Athletic have endured a fairly average season so far, but they will have hopes of climbing up the table under Shaun Maloney.

This game, however, could end up being more important for hosts Bolton Wanderers, who are in with a chance of securing a return to the second tier.

Having suffered such a disappointing play-off loss against Oxford United, and following a slow start to the season, they will be hoping to redeem themselves.

Promotion will be the key aim for them again this season - and they will be hoping someone like Dion Charles can step up and score a vital goal in what looks set to be a tasty derby.

In their current position and with the home advantage, online betting websites are likely to back the hosts in this clash. Wigan will be looking to upset the odds though, with their recent record against Wanderers likely to give them confidence.

League Two

Port Vale v Walsall

Quite a few players have been able to get themselves on the scoresheet and contribute in the final third for the Valiants this term.

Rekeem Harper, who was recently sent off in a derby against Crewe Alexandra, will be looking to redeem himself, and the likes of Ethan Chislett and Jayden Stockley could be key contributors in the attacking third.

For Walsall, Nathan Lowe has proved to be a shrewd loan addition from Stoke City, and his goals have helped the Midlands side to climb into the promotion mix.

This game could end up being important for both teams in their respective promotion quests.

Chesterfield v AFC Wimbledon

Chesterfield and AFC Wimbledon are both contenders for a top-seven finish.

The teams have been on different journeys in recent years, with the former winning the National League last season and the latter being stuck in League Two after their relegation from the third tier.

Matty Stevens, who has been a vital player for the Dons this season, will be hoping to have the final say in this game.

But with Paul Cook’s side having the home advantage, they could potentially overtake the visitors in the league table.