All the team news ahead of the latest round of Championship fixtures.

(Current league positions in brackets)

Saturday

Cardiff (16) v Sheff Utd (12)

Cardiff boss Dave Jones will be without suspended striker Steve Thompson and also Robbie Fowler after he picked up an ankle ligament injury in training. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Steve MacLean and Riccardo Scimeca have returned to full training but midfielder Trevor Sinclair remains sidelined.

The Blades have been hit by a virus and could be forced into several changes, although boss Bryan Robson has not revealed which first-team players had been laid low this week. Rob Hulse (broken leg), Derek Geary and Danny Webber (both knee) all remain long-term absentees.

Last season: No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches: Cardiff D L W W L; Sheff Utd W W L L W

Top scorers: Robbie Fowler (Cardiff) 6; James Beattie (Sheff Utd) 12

Referee: Keith Stroud (Hampshire).

Blackpool (18) v Coventry (14)

Blackpool midfielder Keith Southern recently had an operation on an ankle ligament injury and faces around two months on the sidelines - but boss Simon Grayson should have no other injury concerns.

Leon McKenzie is a doubt for Coventry with a thigh strain but fellow striker Kevin Kyle will return to contention for the Sky Blues. Midfielder Jay Tabb has recovered from a mystery stomach problem.

Last season: No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches: Blackpool W D W L L; Coventry L D L W D

Top scorers: Wesley Hoolahan (Blackpool) 5; Michael Mifsud (Coventry) 13

Referee: Anthony Taylor (Greater Manchester).

Bristol City (3) v Barnsley (10)

Bristol City goalkeeper Adriano Basso is confident he will recover from a calf injury. Steve Brooker edged closer to a first-team recall after he completed his first full match for almost 10 months this week when he played for the reserves.

Barnsley boss Simon Davey will give defender Marciano Van Homoet a late fitness test on an ankle injury. Rob Kozluk remains sidelined (thigh) but Dominik Werling returns following his one-game ban.

Last season: No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches: Bristol City D W W D W; Barnsley L D W D L

Top scorers: Darren Byfield (Bristol City) 5; Brian Howard (Barnsley) 8

Referee: Keith Hill (Hertfordshire).

Charlton (5) v Hull (13)

Charlton have been hit by injuries to Andy Reid, Zheng Zhi, Darren Ambrose and Luke Varney but top scorer Chris Iwelumo has been passed fit despite an ankle injury. Chris Dickson has been recalled from his loan spell at Gillingham while Danny Mills and Lloyd Sam are back after one-match bans, but Jonathan Fortune is suspended.

Hull striker Dean Windass is suspended but Damien Delaney is available after a ban of his own. Midfielders Jay-Jay Okocha and Nick Barmby could feature and on-loan Manchester United striker Fraizer Campbell is pushing for a start - but Henrik Pedersen (knee) continues to miss out.

Last season: No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches: Charlton L L W W L; Hull D D L L W

Top scorers: Chris Iwelumo (Charlton) 9; Dean Windass (Hull) 7

Referee: Tony Bates (Staffordshire).

Crystal Palace (15) v Plymouth (7)

Crystal Palace could be unchanged for a third successive game. Portuguese defender Jose Fonte is still struggling with a thigh injury so Matt Lawrence is set to continue alongside Mark Hudson at centre-back. Winger Paul Ifill (thigh) remains a long way short of fitness. Tony Craig is continuing his rehabilitation following shoulder surgery, Mark Kennedy is missing with an Achilles problem and Paul Dickov is out with a toe injury.

Plymouth defender Paul Connolly and midfielder Lilian Nalis are both back from suspension, while on-loan Manchester United winger Lee Martin is back in contention after a hamstring injury. Boss Paul Sturrock may be reluctant to bring the trio straight back in after his side's 1-0 win over Watford.

Last season: Plymouth 1 Crystal Palace 0, Crystal Palace 0 Plymouth 1

Last five league matches: Crystal Palace W D W D W; Plymouth L W L D W

Top scorers: Clinton Morrison (Crystal Palace) 9; Sylvan Ebanks-Blake (Plymouth) 9

Referee: Michael Jones (Cheshire).

Ipswich (6) v Burnley (9)

Veteran midfielder Sylvain Legwinski (ankle) again misses out for Ipswich but Owen Garvan and Gavin Williams should continue in midfield. Defender Richard Naylor (neck) remains a long-term concern.

Burnley midfielders Joey Gudjonsson and Chris McCann are banned and Alan Mahon (hamstring) is a doubt but defender Steven Caldwell may figure after making a goalscoring return to action in a midweek friendly.

Last season: Ipswich 1 Burnley 1, Burnley 1 Ipswich 0

Last five league matches: Ipswich D L L W W; Burnley W D W L L

Top scorers: Pablo Counago (Ipswich) 10; Andy Gray (Burnley) 13

Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire).

QPR (24) v Colchester (22)

QPR welcome Adam Bolder and Rowan Vine back from suspension but Michael Mancienne will again miss out as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury, although fellow defender Sampsa Timoska is in contention after shaking off a virus. Defender Pat Kanyuka (thigh) is still out.

Colchester captain Karl Duguid and striker Kevin Lisbie are back in contention after respective thigh and virus problems. Midfielder Kevin Watson is still sidelined with a calf problem and is expected to be out for three weeks, but defender Bela Balogh is back following an ankle injury.

Last season: QPR 1 Colchester 0, Colchester 2 QPR 1

Last five league matches: QPR L L D W D; Colchester L W L L D

Top scorers: Akos Buzsaky, Damion Stewart and Rowan Vine (QPR) 3, Mark Yeates (Colchester) 7

Referee: Dean Whitestone (Northamptonshire).

Scunthorpe (19) v Norwich (21)

Scunthorpe manager Nigel Adkins is short of central defenders. Centre-half Andy Butler is ruled out for at least six weeks and he joins fellow foot injury victim Cliff Byrne on the sidelines. Kelly Youga and Izzy Iriekpen are also unavailable, meaning veteran midfielder Ian Baraclough is set to partner Andy Crosby at the heart of defence. Midfielder Matt Sparrow returns from suspension.

Winger Luke Chadwick looks set to feature for Norwich despite dislocating his shoulder playing for the reserves on Monday. Long-term absentees Adam Drury (knee) and Matthew Gilks (ankle) remain sidelined, while midfielder Michael Spillane is suspended following his red card for the reserves.

Last season: No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches: Scunthorpe D L D D L; Norwich W L W W D

Top scorers: Martin Paterson (Scunthorpe) 10; Jamie Cureton (Norwich) 6

Referee: Graham Laws (Tyne & Wear).

Sheff Wed (17) v Watford (2)

Frank Simek (ankle) joins striker Francis Jeffers (ankle) and defender Richard Wood (shoulder) in Wednesday's treatment room. Striker Akpo Sodje also remains sidelined due to an ankle problem, but manager Brian Laws has been boosted by the return to fitness of Deon Burton (knee).

Watford striker Darius Henderson returns from suspension and Danny Shittu is fit after knee trouble but former captain Gavin Mahon is again set to be left out of the squad altogether and Gareth Williams (knee) is out.

Last season: No corresponding fixture

Last five league matches: Sheff Wed D W L D L; Watford L L W D L

Top scorers: Akpo Sodje (Sheff Wed) 5; Marlon King (Watford) 10

Referee: Clive Oliver (Northumberland).

Southampton (11) v Preston (23)

Wayne Thomas may be on the Saints bench but winger Nathan Dyer underwent ankle surgery on Monday and is out for three months, while midfielder Inigo Idiakez is recovering from an Achilles problem. Defenders Claus Lundekvam, Phil Ifil (both ankle), Chris Makin (hip) and Alexander Ostlund (hamstring) are all out.

Preston skipper Paul McKenna is set to miss out with ankle ligament damage but full-back Billy Jones and striker Paul Gallagher are hoping to shake off knocks. Striker Patrick Agyemang's hamstring will be assessed before kick-off, while the club hope on-loan Blackburn forward Gallagher is passed fit.

Last season: Preston 3 Southampton 1, Southampton 1 Preston 1

Last five league matches: Southampton L W D W D; Preston L L W L W

Top scorers: Stern John (Southampton) 10; Patrick Agyemang (Preston) 4

Referee: Andy Penn.

Stoke (4) v West Brom (1)

On-loan Sunderland defender Stephen Wright is available for Stoke after a head wound but Dominic Matteo (foot) remains sidelined and Salif Diao is not yet match fit.

West Brom boss Tony Mowbray has not ruled Dean Kiely out despite the goalkeeper having missed the last two matches with a broken toe. Former Stoke defender Carl Hoefkens was declared fit earlier this week after also missing two games. Martin Albrechtsen, Neil Clement, James Morrison and Ishmael Miller are making good progress from knee injuries and could also feature.

Last season: West Brom 1 Stoke 3, Stoke 1 West Brom 0

Last five league matches: Stoke W W W D W; West Brom W D L W W

Top scorers: Ricardo Fuller (Stoke) 8; Kevin Phillips (West Brom) 11

Referee: Mark Halsey (Lancashire).

Wolves (8) v Leicester (20)

Wolves manager Mick McCarthy must decide whether to recall fit-again Jody Craddock (groin) but fellow centre-back Gary Breen (knee) is unlikely to return until further into the Christmas period. Michael Kightly (ankle) is out and keepers Matt Murray and Graham Stack both remain sidelined with knee problems.

Leicester boss Ian Holloway is without DJ Campbell (pelvic problem), Elvis Hammond (ankle) and James Wesolowski (hamstring). He selects from the same pool of players that lost at Hull.

Last season: Leicester 1 Wolves 4, Wolves 1 Leicester 2

Last five league matches: Wolves W W L L D; Leicester L D L L L

Top scorers: Freddy Eastwood and Stephen Elliott (Wolves) 4; Iain Hume (Leicester) 5

Referee: Neil Swarbrick (Lancashire).

Sporting Life / Eurosport