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Match Previews

EFL Matchday 4: Preview – five things to look out for

19 August 2016

Derbies, debuts and goalscoring defenders - we've pulled together five things to look out for on Matchday 4 in the EFL.

1. Derby day

It's a weekend for the renewal of rivalries in the EFL with a number of derbies taking place across the divisions on Matchday 4.

Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds United kick-off the action on Saturday lunchtime in an all-Yorkshire affair, while another duo from the county – Huddersfield and Barnsley – meet at 3pm.

Birmingham City and Wolverhampton Wanderers have clashed no fewer than 135 times over the years, and Wolves lead the head-to-head record 64-40 prior to their 136th clash, which is also at 3pm on Saturday.

In Sky Bet League One, Oldham fans will travel the 13 or so miles to Bury to see the Latics meet the Shakers, while Luton fans also have a short journey on their hands as they face near-neighbours Stevenage at the Lamex Stadium.

All eyes will then be on Sky Sports on Sunday as Ipswich Town and Norwich City lock horns in the 98th East Anglian derby.

What a weekend that is!

2. Goal-shy

Three clubs are still searching for their first goals of the season as we head into Matchday 4, and they're all in Sky Bet League One – Coventry City, Shrewsbury Town and Oldham Athletic.

Coventry lost 1-0 to Swindon before goalless draws with Shrewsbury and Bury, while the Shrews failed to find the net in defeats to MK Dons and Charlton, sandwiched by that goalless draw with the Sky Blues.

Oldham, meanwhile, have shared the points in stalemates with Northampton Town and Walsall, and lost 3-0 at Millwall on the opening weekend.

This weekend, Coventry go to Bradford City, Oldham are at Bury and Shrewsbury host Chesterfield.

3. A day off for Duffy

Blackburn Rovers will be without their top scorer this weekend but that's not a bad thing given that it is defender Shane Duffy, after he scored two own goals in midweek.

The 24-year-old also found the back of the net last weekend, again at the wrong end, and he was sent off for two bookable offences against Cardiff on Wednesday, meaning his bad week is over.

"Shane will pick himself up and go again, that is what he needs to do,” boss Owen Coyle told rovers.co.uk.

“We all know that if things don't go well then you come in for criticism, you've got to deal with it head on and you've got to be honest about it."

Coyle's men have lost all three of their opening games and prop up the Sky Bet Championship table ahead of their clash with Burton Albion at Ewood Park on Saturday.

A night to forget for @Rovers’ Shane Duffy.

14’ - Own goal
20’ - Own goal
90’ - Red card

😐 pic.twitter.com/oGIQyC7iJ0

— EFL (@EFL) August 17, 2016

4. Guess who's back?

Craig Tanner – he's back at Plymouth Argyle for a second loan spell from Reading.

The midfield man spent last season with Derek Adams' side and it took him 90 minutes to get off the mark, before going on to score five more times as Argyle reached the Play-Off Final.

After two defeats in their first two outings, Plymouth improved to beat Notts County in midweek and Tanner is in line to make his second Pilgrims debut when they host Mansfield Town on Saturday.

Delighted to return to @Only1Argyle on loan again! #greenarmy

— Craig Tanner (@CraigTanner27) August 18, 2016

5. Headline-grabbing Hefele

Twenty-six seconds.

That's how long it took Huddersfield Town's Michael Hefele to score on his Sky Bet Championship debut in midweek after being introduced as a late substitute at Villa Park.



The 25-year-old charged down Aston Villa stopper Pierluigi Gollini and blocked his clearance with the ball bouncing off the giant defender and into the back of the net to earn the Terriers a point.

David Wagner's men play Barnsley this weekend; will Hefele grab the headlines again?!

GIF: when you score your first #htafc goal 26 seconds into your @SkyBetChamp debut... @michaelhefele#HEF44 (DTS) pic.twitter.com/CyCO5JTHyt

— Huddersfield Town (@htafcdotcom) August 18, 2016

Follow, follow, follow...

Follow the EFL's social media channels to keep up-to-date with the Matchday 4 action:

- Twitter.com/EFL
- Facebook.com/TheEFL
- Instagram.com/EFL

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