The Sky Blues v The Tractor Boys, Leicester versus Derby, and Additional Football League Previews
Hello for the full night of Football League as well as continental football fixtures. Our focus includes important second-tier matches plus those pivotal final pool matches in this Africa Cup of Nations tournament.
Opening Notes
Greetings to all. Welcome to the arguably this second-to-last football clockwatch of 2025. There’s a full Football League programme, starting with Ipswich's trip to Coventry at 18:00, while we’ll also be keeping a close watch on the two night fixtures from the first group at this Afcon: Zambia against the hosts Morocco as well as Mali facing Comoros.
We'll be focussing on these fixtures, all 7.45pm start times except where noted.
Africa Cup of Nations Fixtures
- The Coelacanths versus Mali (7pm)
- The Copper Bullets v The Atlas Lions (7pm)
Championship
- Coventry v The Tractor Boys (18:00)
- The Foxes v The Rams
- Boro versus The Tigers
- Millwall v The Robins
- The Red Dragons versus Preston
League One
- The Bluebirds versus Stevenage
Recent Team News
Coventry v Ipswich Team News
The evening's opener, between the teams who are top and third in the second tier, could be a cracker. These are the starting elevens.
Coventry City (a 4-2-3-1 formation) The goalkeeper; the right-back, the centre-back, the defender, the left-back; the midfielder, the captain; Sakamoto, the attacking midfielder, Mason-Clark; Wright.
Substitutes: Wilson, Allen, Simms, Kesler-Hayden, the full-back, Latibeaudiere, Eccles, the youngster, Andrews.
Ipswich (4-2-3-1) The shot-stopper; Furlong, O’Shea, the defender, Greaves; Matusiwa, the midfielder; Walle, Nunez, the winger; Azon.
Substitutes: The goalkeeper, the defender, Johnson, Humphreys, the midfielder, the winger, the forward, the attacker, Akpom.
Referee Anthony Backhouse (Cumbria).
Afcon 2025: First Group Scenarios
Look, it’s complicated. That's often the case where only some third-placed teams progress. Here’s how things look before tonight’s final round of matches.
- Morocco 4pts, +2 goal difference
- The Eagles 2pts, 0 goal difference (goals scored 2)
- The Copper Bullets 2pts, 0 goal difference (with 1 goal for)
- Comoros 1 point, -2 goal difference
Briefly, Morocco are probably fine but will want to defeat Zambia and top their pool. Zambia probably need a draw or better versus Morocco. Comoros probably need to beat their rivals, who should advance with a point.
Many possibilities, various outcomes, plenty of scenarios.
Angola v Egypt Update
The conclusion of the second group at the continental championship is being covered. For those wishing to remain unaware, it's best not to seek out that information.
Championship Table Overview
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coventry | 23 | 31 | 51 |
| 2 | Middlesbrough | 23 | 9 | 43 |
| 3 | Ipswich | 23 | 15 | 38 |
| 4 | Hull | 23 | 2 | 38 |
| 5 | Preston North End | 23 | 7 | 37 |
| 6 | Bristol City | 23 | 7 | 36 |
| 7 | Millwall | 23 | -6 | 36 |
| 8 | Watford | 23 | 4 | 35 |
| 9 | QPR | 23 | -2 | 35 |
| 10 | Stoke | 23 | 7 | 34 |
| 11 | Derby | 23 | 1 | 32 |
| 12 | Southampton | 23 | 4 | 31 |
| 13 | Wrexham | 23 | 2 | 31 |
| 14 | Leicester | 23 | -1 | 31 |
| 15 | Birmingham | 23 | 1 | 30 |
| 16 | West Brom | 23 | -5 | 28 |
| 17 | Charlton | 22 | -6 | 27 |
| 18 | Blackburn | 22 | -4 | 26 |
| 19 | Sheff Utd | 23 | -5 | 26 |
| 20 | Swansea | 23 | -7 | 26 |
| 21 | Oxford Utd | 23 | -8 | 22 |
| 22 | Portsmouth | 22 | -10 | 22 |
| 23 | Norwich | 23 | -9 | 21 |
| 24 | Sheff Wed | 22 | -27 | -8 |
