A look at this weekend's Championship team news, with some tough decisions facing Bristol City boss Gary Johnson.

Blackpool (14) v Preston (16)

Blackpool boss Simon Grayson is sweating over the fitness of Paul Dickov (hamstring) and Claus Jorgensen (knee). The Seasiders' only other absentee for the clash between the two Lancashire rivals is captain Michael Jackson, who remains a long-term absentee with his hamstring injury.

Preston boss Alan Irvine will be without striker Craig Beattie (hamstring) and defender Liam Chilvers (Achilles). Defender Michael Hart is nearing full fitness following his hip injury but is not expected to feature, while midfielder Richard Chaplow is still doubtful with his hamstring injury.

Bristol City (1) v Plymouth (7)

Jamie McCombe (hip) and Lee Johnson (ankle) are slight doubts for City but Liam Fontaine, Ivan Sproule and Darren Byfield are pushing for recalls and boss Gary Johnson admits he has tough decisions to make. Captain Louis Carey, who has been struggling with a toe injury, may make his 500th appearance for City.

Argyle boss Paul Sturrock is looking to land an emergency loan goalkeeper with Luke McCormick banned and Romain Larrieu injured, leaving just youth team stopper Lloyd Saxton available. Centre-back Krisztian Timar is banned so Marcel Seip will continue to partner on-loan Sunderland man Russell Anderson.

Burnley (8) v Wolves (11)

Clarets boss Owen Coyle welcomes back midfielder Joey Gudjonsson after suspension. Club captain Steven Caldwell was available for the win over Charlton in midweek following his one-match ban and is pushing for a place in the squad but midfielder Chris McCann (thigh) is set to be sidelined for two more weeks.

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy is set to be without midfielder David Edwards (groin) - striker Andy Keogh will again step in. Long-term absentees Stephen Ward, Matt Murray (both knee) and Michael Kightly (ankle) remain out of action, while strikers Freddy Eastwood, Jay Bothroyd and Kevin Kyle are pushing for returns.

Colchester (24) v Cardiff (12)

United are without Chris Coyne (hamstring), Kevin Watson (calf) join Teddy Sheringham (foot), Pat Baldwin (knee), Jamie Guy (heel), Mark Cousins (appendicitis), Aidan Davison and Mark Yeates (both shoulder) - but winger Kevin McLeod could be fit and midfielder Luke Guttridge is available after a neck injury,

Cardiff boss Dave Jones looks set to be without defender Kevin McNaughton (hamstring) - fit-again winger Joe Ledley is expected to figure after recovering from a hamstring problem of his own. Warren Feeney is in contention after ankle trouble, with Robbie Fowler (hip) the Bluebirds' only long-term absentee.

Coventry (20) v Sheffield Wednesday (21)

Coventry will give a debut to Kasper Schmeichel following his loan move from Manchester City. Dimi Konstantopoulos underwent surgery on Wednesday to remove a growth on his vocal cords while Andy Marshall has agreed to postpone a back operation until the end of the season.

Adam Bolder returns to Wednesday's squad after serving a two-game ban, with Sean McAllister expected to retain his place. Boss Brian Laws has no new injury or suspension problems but is without banned winger Jermaine Johnson and on-loan Chelsea striker Ben Sahar (knee), as well as Steve Watson (hamstring), Frank Simek (ankle), Francis Jeffers, Akpo Sodje (both ankle), Matt Clarke (knee) and Etienne Esajas (foot).

Crystal Palace (9) v Barnsley (17)

Victor Moses and Danny Butterfield face late fitness tests on thigh strains, while fellow midfielders Neil Danns (groin) and Mark Kennedy (Achilles) are still sidelined and transfer-listed striker Shefki Kuqi will not figure.

Martin Devaney and Marciano van Homoet are expected to return to Barnsley's squad. Winger Devaney missed the midweek win over Ipswich due to a broken nose and defender van Homoet had an ankle problem. Manager Simon Davey has no new injury or suspension problems, but may choose to rest some players.

Hull (6) v Southampton (19)

Defensive duo Wayne Brown (calf) and Andy Dawson (knock) are both injury doubts for Hull - but striker Dean Windass is closing in on full fitness after missing the last seven games with a knee problem. Midfielder Nick Barmby (groin) continues to miss out while Caleb Folan and Jay-Jay Okocha are suspended.

Jermaine Wright (hamstring) and Darren Powell (calf) will have late fitness tests for Saints but goalkeeper Kelvin Davis (dislocated finger) and second-choice Bartosz Bialkowski (thumb) are expected to miss out, so Michael Poke continues in goal with 16-year-old Andrej Pernecky on the bench.

Ipswich (10) v Charlton (5)

Ipswich manager Jim Magilton will hand a late fitness test to top scorer Jonathan Walters (knee) - Pablo Counago will continue to partner Alan Lee up front with Walters coming in on the right-hand side if he is fit enough to feature. Danny Haynes (groin) and full-back Luis Castro Sito (ankle) are also doubts.

Charlton forwards Svetoslav Todorov, Chris Dickson and Izale McLeod are all missing with long-term knee injuries. Ben Thatcher should keep his place after knee surgery, while Zheng Zhi will push for a recall in midfield. Lloyd Sam (hamstring) and Madjid Bougherra (foot) are still out.

QPR (13) v Scunthorpe (23)

Fitz Hall is fit to retain his place in the QPR defence after recent groin trouble, while midfielder Martin Rowlands - who has been carrying a hip injury of late - will continue to play through the pain barrier. Suspended winger Hogan Ephraim is therefore Rangers' only absentee.

Andy Crosby is a doubt for the Iron after limping out of the midweek win over Plymouth when he was replaced by on-loan Liverpool defender Jack Hobbs. Andy Butler is expected to retain his place in the back four. Manager Nigel Adkins has to decide whether to start with Hobbs and retain player/assistant manager Ian Baraclough, who stepped in for Marcus Williams at left-back.

Sheffield United (15) v Norwich (18)

James Beattie is a major doubt for the Blades due to a groin strain - Jon Stead, Billy Sharp, Luton Shelton and Rob Hulse will all be vying for a starting place if he misses out. Midfielder Stephen Quinn is available after serving a ban but on-loan Manchester United winger Lee Martin remains sidelined with knee trouble.

Norwich centre-half Gary Doherty has served a suspension and should come straight back into the side at the expense of Jason Shackell or Alex Pearce. Midfielder Darel Russell is banned so captain Mark Fotheringham will again be partnered by Matty Pattison. Forward Darren Huckerby should be on the bench after his groin injury with left-back Adam Drury (knee) and Luke Chadwick (shoulder) long-term absentees.

Watford (3) v Stoke (2)

Watford manager Adrian Boothroyd will hand left-back Mat Sadler a recall after a hamstring injury, while Lee Williamson could come in for John-Joe O'Toole. Fellow midfielder Damien Francis (knee) is still out while Gareth Williams is expected to miss the whole season after suffering a reoccurrence of knee trouble.

Stoke are without the suspended Liam Lawrence, while striker Mamady Sidibe and defender Leon Cort are struggling with ankle injuries - Paul Gallagher and Ryan Shawcross are respectively on stand-by. Midfielder Glenn Whelan has completed a two-game ban but Dominic Matteo (foot) continues to miss out.

West Brom (4) v Leicester (22)

West Brom are likely to be without Chris Brunt (hamstring), James Morrison (ankle) and Filipe Teixeira (knee) meaning South Korean international Do-heon Kim should make his first start following four substitute appearances. Manager Tony Mowbray will check on the fitness of defender Carl Hoefkens, who has resumed training after a hamstring injury.

Patrick Kisnorbo is fit after Achilles trouble, while City may also have James Wesolowski available after a hamstring problem. Captain Stephen Clemence (thigh) is out and the game also comes too soon for Jamie Clapham (groin). On-loan goalkeeper Ben Alnwick has returned to Tottenham for treatment on a thigh injury.

Sporting Life / Eurosport