League leaders Newcastle United host basement side Rotherham United on another busy weekend of football in the Sky Bet Championship.

Rafa Benitez’s side reached the fourth round of the FA Cup in midweek courtesy of a 3-1 win over Gianfranco Zola’s Birmingham, and the Magpies will return to league action on Saturday confident of recording an 18th victory of the campaign over struggling Rotherham, who are already 11 points adrift of safety.

Second place Brighton host sixth place Sheffield Wednesday at the AMEX Stadium tonight hoping to get back to winning ways after last weekend’s loss at Preston, and indeed avenge their Play-off semi-final defeat to the Owls last term.

Garry Monk’s Leeds, who are six points behind Chris Hughton’s Seagulls in third, travel to local rivals Barnsley on Saturday evening, while the team two points and place below them, Reading, visit Steve McClaren’s Derby County.

There are two big clashes at the bottom of the table as 21st place Burton Albion travel to Cardiff City, who are three places above them in the league, while struggling Nottingham Forest host Lee Johnson’s Bristol City, who have lost their last seven league games in a row.

In what is set to be a fascinating weekend of action in the second tier, here are the TOP THREE games that you should be keeping an eye on over the next few days…

Brighton vs Sheffield Wednesday

Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.

Second meets sixth in the Championship on Friday night as Brighton host Sheffield Wednesday in a repeat of last year’s Play-off semi final.

Chris Hughton’s men suffered a surprising 2-0 defeat at Preston last weekend to end their 18-match unbeaten run in the league, and they won’t find it easy this evening either against Carlos Carvalhal’s Owls, who are once again in the promotion picture after last season’s Play-off final heartbreak.

Wednesday lost 1-0 to Hull in last season’s showpiece at Wembley, but did beat Brighton en route to the final, drawing 1-1 at the AMEX Stadium having won the first leg 2-0 at Hillsborough.

Carvalhal’s men have lost just one of their last ten league games, while Hughton’s side as aforementioned, lost for the first time since September last time out.

Two good sides with Premier League ambitions will clash at the AMEX Stadium tonight in what is sure to be an exciting encounter.

Derby vs Reading

Photo: Paul Roberts / Offside.

Jaap Stam’s fourth place Reading travel to a stumbling Derby County on Saturday hoping to continue their Championship promotion push.

The Royals were beaten 1-0 at home by Queens Park Rangers in their last league outing, which saw them slip to fourth in the table, but they have an excellent record at the iPro Stadium, having lost just two of their last 11 meetings in Derbyshire.

However, Steve McClaren appears to have rescued Derby from an early season slump which saw Nigel Pearson relieved of his duties, yet the Rams have lost their last two league games, and won just one of their last five matches.

Nonetheless, seventh place Derby have won six and drawn two of their last eight home league games, and will be a stern test for Reading on Saturday.

Nottingham Forest vs Bristol City

Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.

There is a massive clash at the bottom of the Championship on Saturday as 19th place Bristol City travel to 20th place Nottingham Forest.

Forest, who are without a manager after Philippe Montanier was sacked earlier in the week, have lost five of their last seven league games, dating back to their 2-1 victory over Newcastle on December 2.

However, Lee Johnson’s Bristol City have been on an even worse run of their own, losing their last seven league matches, and 12 of their last 15.

The Robins were fifth in the table when they beat Forest 2-1 back on October 1, but since then have picked up just seven points from a possible 45 – a run of form which has plunged them into a relegation battle.

Just goal difference separates these two sides ahead of their meeting at the City Ground on Saturday in a game both sides quite simply have to win.