EFL on Sky This Weekend: A Welsh Reunion & a Thrilling Saints vs. Sky Blues Clash

A Welsh reunion takes place on Friday night

• Swansea City vs Wrexham – live on Sky Sports Football from 7.30pm on Friday night; kick-off 8pm

South Wales hosts North Wales on Friday night as hostilities renew between Swansea City and Wrexham for the first time since 2003. It has been so long since these two sides last met that Wrexham’s last trip south was played at Vetch Field.

It hasn’t been too long since the Swans were in the Premier League while Wrexham were labouring in the National League. But things change in football and the North Wales side head to the Swansea.com stadium as favourites for victory.

David Prutton on the Sky Sports Essential EFL podcast:

“These two last met in the league 22 years ago, so this is a huge one. If you are not fully au fait with this matchup, you probably will not understand just how deep the rivalry goes.”

“It is geographical, political, economical, all the elements that go into making a rivalry what it is. Under the lights on a Friday night, it feels like the perfect stage, and I have got a feeling this is going to be an absolute corker.

“I think Wrexham win 2-1.”

What EFL is live on Sky Sports+ at 12.30pm on Saturday?

Sky Sports+ brings you seven live EFL games on Saturday, with build-up starting from 11am on Sky Sports Football ahead of the feature game: Southampton vs Coventry. You can also keep up with all the action on the EFL Goal Zone on Soccer Saturday from midday.

Southampton may have been beaten last time out at Norwich City, but still have an imperious home record under Tonda Eckert. Four wins from as many games since he replaced Will Still at St Mary’s, including 12 goals in that time.

They will want to lay down a marker at the very least on leaders Coventry City – who head into the weekend five clear of Middlesbrough in second, and 12 clear of Preston in third. They edged out Bristol City at home last time out after a mini wobble of two winless games.

David Prutton on the Sky Sports Essential EFL podcast:

“With Coventry City, we have seen a slight bit of fallibility. Nobody expected them to go through the division all season just smashing teams to bits and scoring at will. There was always going to be a tougher spell, but I do not think it has stretched on too long or caused any undue concern, given how well they have been led by Frank Lampard.”

“It is a cracker of a game. You might look at that second half from Southampton against Norwich and say the creative side was not quite there, and there were hints of that against West Brom, where they could have let it slip in the second half. That will be taken as a warning sign, and I would expect a response this weekend.”

“I am going for a 2-2 draw.”

Elsewhere in the Championship, Blackburn Rovers are without a win in five and sit just three points above the bottom three heading into the weekend. They host a Millwall side who will be hoping to recover from their home defeat by Hull last weekend.

And third-placed Preston North End welcome Norwich City, who are coming off the back of their much-needed victory over Southampton. But they are still three points off safety heading to Deepdale.

In League One, play-off chasing Stevenage host a Burton side just a point above the relegation zone. An improving Wigan Athletic welcome a Blackpool side still two points adrift of safety.

In League Two, fourth-placed Bromley face a Grimsby side that have drifted into the bottom half, while it’s second versus first at Meadow Lane as Notts County play Walsall.