There's some cracking looking fixtures as the festive period continues at a pace in Sky Bet League One
40,000 in the house
Sunderland have lost each of their last four league games on Boxing Day, no side currently playing in the EFL is on a longer run. But there’ll be looking for some Christmas spirit to change the mood by rewarding their home fans with a win – as the Stadium of Light is set to be sold out with over 40,000 attending for the first time in years.
After defeat for the first time in 12 games at Portsmouth, Sunderland will be keen to get back to winning ways to keep the pressure on at the top. But Bradford have won the last two games and scored six in the process, without conceding. They’re out of the bottom three for the first time since September. Which way will this one go?
Play-off places up for grabs
Barnsley got back to winning ways after a massive win at fellow play-off chasers Blackpool at the weekend and they face another contender this weekend when Peterborough United travel to Oakwell to face the Tykes.
Posh have only won once in their last six against Barnsley on their own patch, but should they be able to continue their good form with maximum points here, they could find themselves as high as 3rd by the end of the day’s action.
In form Charlton to heap misery on Sky Blues?
Charlton Athletic will be confident of notching another three points to their tally when they travel to Coventry City, for the first league match between them on Boxing Day since 1928.
Lee Bowyer’s Addicks have won seven of their last eight matches in Sky Bet League One and are in fantastic form. Their striker Lyle Taylor is in red hot form having scored five goals in his last six appearances.
Can Scunthorpe United cause an upset?
Scunthorpe United slipped in to the Sky Bet League One relegation zone with a 2-0 loss at Bradford City on Saturday and are in desperate need of the points when they face the division’s high flyers, Luton Town, on Boxing Day.
But if they’re to do so, it will be a first for their manager Stuart McCall who has never beaten Luton in the league as a manager, drawing two and losing one of three games. And it will be a tough ask against a team who have won seven Sky Bet League One games in a row.
Around the grounds
Oxford United will be confident they can keep their good form going when they face Southend United at the Kassam Stadium. However, it’s probably unlikely to be a draw, with just one stalemate between the two sides since 1979.
Rochdale won a vital three points at Southend on Saturday to steer further clear of the bottom three. They’ll be keen to follow it up on their home turf against a Blackpool side who last faced Dale on a Boxing Day, 34 years ago!
Doncaster Rovers thought they had another win in their last outing, only for Oxford Utd to snatch a 97th minute leveller. It meant they dropped out of the play-off spots, but they’ll look to get back in there when they travel to Fleetwood Town.
There’s a big battle at the bottom of the table when the sides holding up the table, AFC Wimbledon and Plymouth Argyle, battle it out. Argyle have never lost away at AFC Wimbledon in six visits there - the most they have visited an opponent in the EFL without ever suffering defeat.
Elsewhere, Burton Albion will be confident of securing a win against struggling Wycombe Wanderers at the Pirelli Stadium and having picked up a vital win against Fleetwood Town, Bristol Rovers will be looking for consecutive victories at Walsall.