Championship leaders Newcastle face another promotion hopeful in Fulham this weekend as the Magpies hope to take step closer to the Premier League.

Rafa Benitez’s side drew 0-0 at Reading in midweek to consolidate their position at the top of the pile, although victories for second place Brighton and third place Huddersfield means that the gap has been reduced to three and nine points respectively.

Nonetheless, the Magpies will be confident of a return to English football’s top-flight, although they’ll need to get past seventh place Fulham on Saturday to get closer to promotion, and with Slavisa Jokanovic’s men seeking a play-off place, it’s not going to be easy for the league leaders.

Elsewhere, Chris Hughton’s Brighton host Derby this evening hoping to put pressure on Newcastle, while Huddersfield go to 12th place Brentford on Saturday.

At the bottom, 21st place Wolves face bottom side Rotherham United knowing that anything less than victory could see them fall into the bottom three, and there’s a crucial clash at the DW Stadium on Saturday between second-bottom Wigan and third-bottom Bristol City.

Clearly, it’s going to be another fascinating weekend of action in England’s second tier, and here are THREE games in particular that you should keep an eye on over the next few days…

Brighton and Hove Albion vs Derby County

Brighton got back to winning ways in midweek with a crucial 2-0 victory at bottom side Rotherham, but they have to back that up with a positive result at home to Derby tonight.

Chris Hughton’s men lost to both Newcastle and Nottingham Forest to perhaps suggest that they are once again feeling the pressure of securing promotion, yet their win at the New York Stadium on Tuesday maintained their six-point gap over third place Huddersfield.

Nonetheless, the Terriers do have a game in hand on the Seagulls, so victory over Steve McClaren’s Derby is important in keeping David Wagner’s side at bay.

However, if the Rams still have play-off ambitions – they are ten points behind sixth place Sheffield Wednesday – nothing less than three points will do at the AMEX Stadium.

The East Midlands club have won just one of their last eight league games to fall out of the play-off picture, and with just three wins in 2017, it looks like they will once again fail in their quest to return to the Premier League.

Yet, a victory this evening against a Brighton side who have lost just twice at home this term will just about keep them in with a shout of gatecrashing the top six come May.

Wigan Athletic vs Bristol City

As relegation six-pointers go, the clash between second-bottom Wigan and third-bottom Bristol City is right up there.

Warren Joyce’s Latics are two points adrift of safety having won just eight of their 36 Championship games this term, while Lee Johnson’s Bristol City were sixth back in October, but just three victories in 25 games has seen them plummet into the bottom three.

The Robins have won just twice on the road all season, and given that they both came within their first five away games of the campaign, they are winless in 13 away from Ashton Gate, picking up just three points from a possible 39.

Back-to-back home draws has given Johnson’s men some hope of avoiding the drop, but it is the hosts that will go into Saturday’s six-pointer as favourites given that they beat Birmingham 1-0 in midweek.

Nonetheless, just one win in their last 12 games at the DW Stadium is hardly going to fill the Wigan fans with optimism ahead of what is likely to be a tense and nervous afternoon in Lancashire.

Newcastle United vs Fulham

Rafa Benitez’s Newcastle are on course for an immediate return to the Premier League having picked up seven points from nine against sides in the top five of the Championship in the last few weeks.

The Magpies won at second place Brighton last week before brushing aside third place Huddersfield 3-1 last weekend, and they then picked up a 0-0 draw at fifth place Reading in midweek to go nine points clear of the Terriers, and three clear of Hughton’s Brighton.

Their success this term has been built on a stunning away record, which has seen them pick up 42 points on the road, ten better than the next best Brighton, and that will give Fulham fans hope ahead of their trip to St James’ Park on Saturday.

Slavisa Jokanovic’s men are seventh in the table and just five points off the top six after four wins and two draws in their last six matches, and they have lost just two of their last eight games on the road.

The Cottagers have the third best away record in the division, and with Newcastle having lost four times at home this term, Jokanovic’s men will be confident of getting a result in the North East on Saturday.