The Sky Blues against Ipswich, Leicester versus The Rams, and Additional EFL League Previews
Greetings to a busy night of Football League as well as international football action. Our focus includes important Championship encounters and those crucial last pool matches in the Africa Cup of Nations tournament.
Preamble
Greetings to all. Welcome to what is reportedly this second-to-last football clockwatch of 2025. We have an extensive Football League programme, kicking off with Coventry v Ipswich at 18:00, and we will also monitor a close watch on both night fixtures from Group A at this Afcon: Morocco hosting Zambia as well as Comoros v Mali.
We'll be focussing on these fixtures, all 19:45 kick-offs unless stated.
Afcon 2025
- The Coelacanths v Mali (7pm)
- The Copper Bullets v Morocco (7pm)
Second Division Matches
- The Sky Blues versus The Tractor Boys (18:00)
- The Foxes v The Rams
- Boro v The Tigers
- The Lions v The Robins
- Wrexham versus Preston
Third Tier Fixture
- The Bluebirds versus Stevenage
Recent Lineup Updates
Ipswich at Coventry Team News
The evening's opener, featuring the sides sitting top and third in the second tier, looks like a cracker. These are the two XIs.
Coventry (4-2-3-1) Rushworth; the right-back, the centre-back, the defender, Brau; the midfielder, Grimes; the winger, the attacking midfielder, Mason-Clark; Wright.
Subs: The backup keeper, Allen, the forward, the defender, the full-back, Latibeaudiere, the midfielder, the youngster, Andrews.
Ipswich (a 4-2-3-1 setup) Walton; the defender, O’Shea, Kipre, the left-back; Matusiwa, the midfielder; the attacker, the playmaker, Jack Clarke; Azon.
Subs: Palmer, the defender, the midfielder, the defender, Cajuste, Burns, the forward, the attacker, the striker.
The official Backhouse (Cumbria).
Afcon 2025: First Group Permutations
It's a tricky picture. It always is when some but not all third-placed teams qualify. This is the current state before this evening's final round of games.
- The Atlas Lions 4 points, GD+2
- Mali 2 points, GD0 (goals scored 2)
- Zambia 2pts, 0 goal difference (with 1 goal for)
- Comoros 1pt, -2 goal difference
To summarize, Morocco is likely safe but will want to defeat Zambia to win the group. Zambia probably need at least a point against Morocco. Comoros likely need to beat Mali, who will probably be okay with a point.
A host of potential results and permutations.
Egypt's Match with Angola Latest
The final act of Group B at the continental championship is being covered. If you don’t want to know the score, it's best not to seek out that information.
Championship Standings Snapshot
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coventry | 23 | 31 | 51 |
| 2 | Middlesbrough | 23 | 9 | 43 |
| 3 | Ipswich | 23 | 15 | 38 |
| 4 | Hull | 23 | 2 | 38 |
| 5 | Preston North End | 23 | 7 | 37 |
| 6 | Bristol City | 23 | 7 | 36 |
| 7 | Millwall | 23 | -6 | 36 |
| 8 | Watford | 23 | 4 | 35 |
| 9 | QPR | 23 | -2 | 35 |
| 10 | Stoke | 23 | 7 | 34 |
| 11 | Derby | 23 | 1 | 32 |
| 12 | Southampton | 23 | 4 | 31 |
| 13 | Wrexham | 23 | 2 | 31 |
| 14 | Leicester | 23 | -1 | 31 |
| 15 | Birmingham | 23 | 1 | 30 |
| 16 | West Brom | 23 | -5 | 28 |
| 17 | Charlton | 22 | -6 | 27 |
| 18 | Blackburn | 22 | -4 | 26 |
| 19 | Sheff Utd | 23 | -5 | 26 |
| 20 | Swansea | 23 | -7 | 26 |
| 21 | Oxford Utd | 23 | -8 | 22 |
| 22 | Portsmouth | 22 | -10 | 22 |
| 23 | Norwich | 23 | -9 | 21 |
| 24 | Sheff Wed | 22 | -27 | -8 |
