Weekend Championship statistics

Barnsley (13) v Preston (18).

Jon Macken could go straight into Barnsley's starting line-up against his former club after arriving on loan from Derby, while fellow forward Istvan Ferenczi could return after an ankle injury.

Preston have signed Reading defender John Halls on a month's loan following injuries to Liam Chilvers and Billy Jones and a one-match ban for Youl Mawene. Full-back Callum Davidson returns after a one-match ban and midfield playmaker Paul McKenna is hoping to keep his place in the starting line-up. Winger Danny Pugh has joined Stoke on loan.

Last season: Barnsley 0 Preston 1, Preston 1 Barnsley 0.

Last five league matches: Barnsley W D D L L; Preston W L D D W.

Top scorers: Brian Howard (Barnsley) 6; Patrick Agyemang & Darren Carter (Preston) 3.

Match odds: H 5-4 A 7-4 D 11-5.

Referee: Clive Oliver (Northumberland).

Colchester (16) v Leicester (15).

Teddy Sheringham starts a three-game suspension, while goalkeeper Aidan Davison faces a late fitness check on a shoulder injury so Dean Gerken stands by. Young striker Jamie Guy is in contention for a place on the bench after hamstring trouble, with Kevin Lisbie and Clive Platt continuing up front.

Leicester will be without Levi Porter (knee) but on-loan striker Collins John will return to the squad after he was cup-tied for the Carling Cup defeat at Chelsea. Captain Stephen Clemence remains sidelined with a hamstring injury while fellow midfielder James Wesolowski (hamstring) and striker Iain Hume (muscle strain) are out.

Last season: Colchester 1 Leicester 1, Leicester 0 Colchester 0.

Last five league matches: Colchester W L W L L; Leicester D W D L W.

Top scorers: Mark Yeates (Colchester) 7; Dudley Campbell & Patrick Kisnorbo (Leicester) 3.

Match odds: H 5-4 A 7-4 D 11-5.

Referee: Andy Penn (W Midlands).

Plymouth (7) v Sheff Wed (21).

Plymouth defender Gary Sawyer (ankle) is out but Jermaine Easter hopes to make his first start for the club following his arrival from Wycombe last week. Peter Halmosi and on-loan Manchester United winger Lee Martin suffered slight knocks in training but are expected to be passed fit.

Owls midfielder Glenn Whelan is banned and on-loan midfielder Graham Kavanagh has not received permission from Sunderland to extend his one-month stay due to injuries at the Stadium of Light. Steve Watson is fit after a knee injury and Yoann Folly and Kenny Lunt could also come into contention. Wade Small (ankle) is a doubt and Francis Jeffers (ankle) and Richard Wood (shoulder) are out.

Last season: Sheff Wed 1 Plymouth 1, Plymouth 1 Sheff Wed 2.

Last five league matches: Plymouth W D W W L; Sheff Wed L L W L W.

Top scorers: Sylvan Ebanks-Blake (Plymouth) 6; Deon Burton (Sheff Wed) 4.

Match odds: H 8-11 A 16-5 D 9-4.

Referee: Andy D'Urso (Essex).

QPR (23) v Hull (14).

On-loan midfielder Akos Buzsaky will be hoping to make his QPR debut when new boss Luigi De Canio takes charge for the first time. Veteran midfielder Gareth Ainsworth is pushing for a recall and striker Danny Nardiello has proved his fitness after a hamstring injury. Dexter Blackstock (knee), Pat Kanyuka (thigh) and Simon Walton (broken leg) are out.

Hull will give Caleb Folan a late fitness test on a foot injury suffered in mid-September. Midfielder Jay-Jay Okocha has recovered from a stomach bug and Dean Marney is available following a one-game ban.

Last season: Hull 2 QPR 1, QPR 2 Hull 0.

Last five league matches: QPR L W D D W; Hull L D L W D.

Top scorers: Martin Rowlands (QPR) 2; Dean Windass (Hull) 4.

Match odds: H 13-10 A 13-8 D 11-5.

Referee: Steve Tanner (Somerset).

Scunthorpe (9) v Crystal Palace (22).

Goalkeeper Joe Murphy (thigh) and Matt Sparrow (hamstring) are both major doubts for Scunthorpe. Josh Lillis could again step in for Murphy. With Sparrow set to miss out again then Jack Cork, on loan from Chelsea, could make his third start.

Neil Warnock must decide whether to stick with his promising youngsters as he goes in search of his first win in charge of Palace. Paul Ifill, Paul Dickov (both hamstring), Danny Butterfield (buttock) and Mark Kennedy (calf) are all struggling.

Last season: No corresponding fixture.

Last five league matches: Scunthorpe D L D W D; Crystal Palace L D D L L.

Top scorers: Martin Paterson (Scunthorpe) 7; James Scowcroft (Crystal Palace) 4.

Match odds: H 6-5 A 9-5 D 11-5.

Referee: Clive Penton (Sussex).

Sheff Utd (19) v Burnley (12).

Sheffield United goalkeeper Paddy Kenny is set to miss out again with a badly bruised shin, so Ian Bennett continues. On-loan defenders Gary Cahill and Phil Bardsley were both cup-tied in the midweek Carling Cup clash against Arsenal, but should return, while Billy Sharp hopes for his first league start since September 1.

Burnley skipper Steven Caldwell has been ruled out for six weeks with a torn tendon. Clarets boss Steve Cotterill is without right-back Michael Duff (cruciate knee ligament) for the rest of the season. Veteran defender David Unsworth could replace Caldwell but Besart Berisha is out for the season with cruciate knee ligament damage.

Last season: No corresponding fixture.

Last five league matches: Sheff Utd D L D W D; Burnley D L D W L.

Top scorers: James Beattie (Sheff Utd) 9; Andy Gray (Burnley) 9.

Match odds: H 5-6 A 11-4 D 11-5.

Referee: Richard Beeby (Northamptonshire).

Southampton (10) v Charlton (8).

Southampton are likely to be without defenders Andrew Davies (calf), Alexander Ostlund (hamstring) and Darren Powell (calf). Claus Lundekvam (ankle) and Chris Makin (hip) are long-term absentees, so Wayne Thomas will probably be partnered by makeshift centre-half Jhon Viafara. Midfielder Jason Euell (calf) faces a fitness test but playmaker Inigo Idiakez (Achilles) is expected to be fit. Youssef Safri is suspended.

Charlton manager Alan Pardew may give Izale McLeod only his second start of the season, with Luke Varney the likely to miss out. Midfielder Darren Ambrose is also pushing for a return following an ankle injury but left-backs Chris Powell (ankle), Ben Thatcher (knee) and Cory Gibbs (foot), striker Svetoslav Todorov (knee) and midfielder Matt Holland (calf) are all out.

Last season: No corresponding fixture.

Last five league matches: Southampton L W W L W; Charlton W D L L L.

Top scorers: Grzegorz Rasiak (Southampton) 6; Andy Reid (Charlton) 5.

Match odds: H 5-4 A 7-4 D 11-5.

Referee: Keith Hill (Hertfordshire).

Stoke (6) v Coventry (11).

Stoke boss Tony Pulis is waiting to see whether defender Leon Cort will be available as the Potters have returned to the negotiating table to discuss the terms of his switch after Clint Hill's proposed move to Crystal Palace collapsed. Richard Cresswell returns from his one-match ban and Stephen Wright is fit after a calf problem. Demar Phillips looks poised for a place on the bench.

Winger Julian Gray and striker Dele Adebola are injury doubts for Coventry. Gray limped out of the Carling Cup defeat to West Ham and Adebola missed the game with a hamstring strain. Leon McKenzie is closing in on a return following six weeks out with a knee injury.

Last season: Coventry 0 Stoke 0, Stoke 1 Coventry 0.

Last five league matches: Stoke D W L W L; Coventry W L L L W.

Top scorers: Ricardo Fuller (Stoke) 6; Michael Mifsud (Coventry) 8.

Match odds: H 10-11 A 5-2 D 11-5.

Referee: Andre Marriner (W Midlands).

Watford (1) v West Brom (3).

Watford goalkeeper Mart Poom should be available after recovering from a back injury. Midfielder Damien Francis (knee) is recovering well and could return later this month but Gareth Williams (knee ligaments), Al Bangura (broken arm), Jordan Parkes (foot) and Moses Ashikodi (broken leg) are all still out.

On-loan striker Roman Bednar could be included in West Brom's squad for the first time as a back injury has so far prevented the Hearts player from making his Baggies debut since his arrival from Tynecastle in August. Manager Tony Mowbray has no new injury problems to contend with.

Last season: No corresponding fixture.

Last five league matches: Watford W W W W W; West Brom D L L W W.

Top scorers: Darius Henderson (Watford) 8; Ishmael Miller & Kevin Phillips (West Brom) 8.

Match odds: H 11-10 A 2-1 D 11-5.

Referee: Michael Jones (Cheshire).

Wolves (5) v Bristol City (2).

Wolves winger Matt Jarvis could make a belated full debut after recovering from a hip injury, while on-loan Manchester United midfielder Darron Gibson is also battling to be fit after a groin tear. Jody Craddock (ankle), Gary Breen (knee) and Stephen Elliott (hamstring) are all injury concerns.

Bristol City midfielder David Noble will travel to Wolves despite spending most of the week struck down by illness. Noble has recovered from the calf injury that forced him off against Stoke last weekend but he has since been suffering from a sickness bug. Young defender Christian Ribeiro will also be part of the squad at Molineux.

Last season: No corresponding fixture.

Last five league matches: Wolves D W W W L; Bristol City L W W W W.

Top scorers: Freddy Eastwood (Wolves) 4; Darren Byfield (Bristol City) 4.

Match odds: H 11-10 A 21-10 D 21-10.

Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire) Sunday, November 4.

Norwich (24) v Ipswich (4).

Norwich left-back Adam Drury has been ruled out for several months after an operation to repair ligament damage to his right knee and Simon Lappin is set to continue. On-loan Birmingham central defender Martin Taylor is poised for his debut. Dion Dublin is fit following a back injury and on-loan John Harston is available after missing the match with parent club West Brom. Mark Fotheringham (ankle) and Gary Doherty (groin) are long-term absentees.

Ipswich manager Jim Magilton is set to name an unchanged side following the 3-0 win over Wolves. Tommy Miller (ankle) is doubtful and Richard Naylor, who has been out since February, is close to a first-team return following a foot injury. Gavin Williams (ankle) is also nearing a return.

Last season: Norwich 1 Ipswich 1, Ipswich 3 Norwich 1.

Last five league matches: Norwich D L L L L; Ipswich D W D W W.

Top scorers: Jamie Cureton (Norwich) 4; Alan Lee (Ipswich) 7.

Match odds: H 17-10 A 11-8 D 2-1.

Referee: Rob Styles (Hampshire).