Despite a large majority of Sky Bet League One Clubs being out of EFL action this weekend, we still have three important fixtures taking place which could impact both ends of the table.
Black Cats to take second spot?
Sunderland and Luton Town will go head-to-head in a huge League One clash next weekend but, as the Hatters don’t have a league game until then, the Black Cats will be looking to take advantage and leapfrog their promotion rivals on Saturday.
However, to do so, they will have to overcome a strong Charlton Athletic side that got back to winning ways with a 2-1 victory over Walsall on New Year’s Day.
The Addicks will be looking for revenge on Saturday as, in the reverse fixture on the opening day of the season, Jack Ross’s side nicked all three points at the Stadium of Light, with Lynden Gooch scoring the winner in the 96th minute.
This will be the first time the two sides have met since December 2005, with Charlton winning on that occasion by two goals to nil - Darren Bent and Darren Ambrose were on the scoresheet.
Iron to move out of the relegation zone?
Scunthorpe United have had a mini-resurgence in League One in the past two games with victories over Wycombe Wanderers and Peterborough United respectively.
They will be looking to make it three out of three with a win over Coventry City at Glanford Park; Stuart McCall’s side have won their last five encounters against the Sky Blues, scoring nine goals and conceding only three.
Coventry are in fine form in League One, recording three wins from their last three games, and with a win on Saturday they could reduce the gap between themselves and seventh-placed Peterborough to three points.
Sky Blues boss Mark Robins has only won one of his 10 managerial matches against his former employers since 2016.
Carabao Cup Semi-Finalists visit the Crown Oil Arena
With one of the biggest games in the club’s history just around the corner, Nigel Clough will be keen to ensure that his players do not take their eyes off the league.
Burton Albion travel to Rochdale’s Crown Oil Arena on Saturday looking to heap more misery on the hosts, who have lost their last two games by an aggregate scoreline of 9-0, losing 4-0 to Bradford City and 5-0 to Doncaster Rovers.
Keith Hill’s men will take heart from their last two league games against the Brewers though; they ran out 2-1 winners in each of those games.
A win over Burton could see Rochdale move up to 13th in the league standings.