Championship Preview: Cardiff manager Mackay faces Leeds test

With the international break having passed, players and fans will be looking forward to the return of the topsy-turvy world of Championship football. It may be a nightmare for managers, but for fans it provides non-stop excitement.

The Championship fixture list once again throws up some intriguing matches.

We look ahead to the standout games and players to watch this week……

MATCH OF THE WEEK

Cardiff City v Leeds United

Both teams sit just outside the play-offs after solid starts but will look to achieve automatic promotion.

The home team come off the back of an emphatic victory against possible promotion contenders Wolves, with influential midfielder Peter Whittingham scoring a hat-trick.

The Bluebirds have captured the exciting Nicky Maynard, signed for a reported transfer fee of 2.75 million from West Ham United. The striker made his debut against Wolves and will be sure to score plenty of goals, despite his disappointing spell at Upton Park.

Maynard scored four goals in seventeen appearances but was never given a run of games in London. He does however boast a proven track record at this level with rivals Bristol City.

Malky Mackay has also secured the services of Craig Noone. The ex-Brighton winger will be sure to add menacing pace and trickery. Such was his impact against Wolves, Cardiff hardly noticed the absence of Craig Bellamy.

Leeds have added El Hadji Diouf to their ranks. The Senegal front man, 31, has joined until January. He had been playing on non-contract terms at the beginning of the season. He will add experience and proven talent to the Leeds squad as Neil Warnock targets promotion back to the promised land.

Warnock will be hoping Rodolph Austin and Ross McCormack return fit from international duty. Austin, a dynamic and versatile central midfielder, was part of a Jamaica side that lost 1-0 to the United States on Tuesday whilst McCormack was an unused sub for Scotland against Macedonia at Hampden Park.

Defender Tom Lees was called up to the England U21’s for the first time against Norway on Monday, another indication of the strength of Warnock’s squad.

Two teams with experienced players and managers at this level. A difficult game for both.

MORE TOP MATCHES

Nottm Forest v Birmingham: Birmingham have underachieved this season so far but will improve under Lee Clark. Forest have started brightly after lots of investment. Should be a close one.

Wolves v Leicester: Both sides invested heavily in their squads, which are full of Championship experience. Both have not started as they would have liked. An important game for both.

Outsider: Sheffield Wednesday

Not many pundits fancied the Owls to have started as strong as they have. However Dave Jones is a fantastic manager at this level, as his Cardiff City record suggests.

His team is full of pace and power thanks to the likes of Jermaine Johnson and Michael Antonio, and has a natural goalscorer in Chris O’Grady.

Currently they stand in the last play-off place but expect them to be looking upwards rather than behind. This week they face Brighton and Huddersfield.

Expect the Owls to get a solid haul of points from these two games and prove themselves as one of the Championship teams to look out for this season. They could be very dangerous.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Jordan Rhodes

Signed for a reported fee of 8 million pounds from Huddersfield Town, Blackburn’s natural goalscorer will frighten many of the league’s defences. Blessed with a natural finishing instinct and great vision, he was a player many teams were tracking to bolster their attacking options. Rovers fans will be hoping he lives up to the large transfer fee it took to secure him.

After coming on as a second-half substitute in midweek for Scotland, Rhodes will be looking to make an instant impression for Rovers. With Huddersfield this season his performances have been full of determination and potential and he will head into Saturday’s away game with Bristol City full of confidence.

Blackburn scored three away from home last time out, so Rhodes should receive good service. His quality may prove the difference for Rovers, as Bristol City have made a solid start to the season too.

WEEKEND FIXTURES

Friday 14th September 2012

Brighton v Sheffield Wed 7.45pm

Charlton v Crystal Palace 7.45pm

Saturday 15th September 2012

Barnsley v Blackpool 3pm

Bolton v Watford 3pm

Bristol City v Blackburn 3pm

Burnley v Peterborough 3pm

Cardiff v Leeds United 3pm

Huddersfield v Derby County 3pm

Hull v Millwall 3pm

Middlesbrough v Ipswich 3pm

Nottm Forest v Birmingham 3pm

Sunday 16th September 2012

Wolves v Leicester City 3pm

MIDWEEK FIXTURES

Tuesday 18th September 2012

Birmingham v Bolton 7.45pm

Blackburn v Barnsley 7.45pm

Derby v Charlton 7.45pm

Leeds United v Hull 7.45pm

Millwall v Cardiff 7.45pm

Peterborough v Bristol City 7.45pm

Watford v Brighton 7.45pm

Blackpool v Middlesbrough 8pm

Crystal Palace v Nottm Forest 8pm

Wednesday 19th September 2012

Ipswich v Wolves 7.45pm

Leicester v Burnley 7.45pm

Sheffield Wed v Huddersfield 7.45pm

Recent Posts on Sport

• New day (slowly) rising - As Brasileirão gets underway, Brazilian football stumbles, rather than leaps into the future
• iBet: Mercedes and Hamilton to roar in Monaco
• On The Road at the Giro d'Italia: It sounds sadistic, but the team live for the mountain stages
• iBet: Rose has the ammunition for Wentworth
• Brits on fire in the wet at Le Mans!