THE BIG MATCH

The first npower Championship weekend of February has thrown up some mouth-watering fixtures - not least West Ham United's game at home to Millwall, which kicks it all off on Saturday lunchtime.

The Hammers and the Lions meet in front of the Sky Sports cameras for a 12.30pm start in an encounter that's important for both sides and for different reasons.

Leaders West Ham can set an early marker down for the day by recovering from their 5-1 defeat at Ipswich Town in midweek while Millwall, who will start the day one place and five points outside the relegation zone, can put more pressure on the teams around them.

The Hammers snapped up Ravel Morrison, Ricardo Vaz Te and Nicky Maynard on deadline day then suffered that reverse at Portman Road, leading to Manager Sam Allardyce and skipper Kevin Nolan to apologise to supporters.

And Allardyce told www.whufc.com: "Casting our mind back to the last game [away to Millwall in September] it all went very well on and off the field, apart from at the end when we didn't convert one of our chances and it ended in a 0-0 draw.

"The game panned out as I thought it would. Millwall were using the atmosphere and the players were giving 100 per cent like ours were. When the game died down a bit we started to exploit some of the spaces but we couldn't find the goal we were looking for. I think it will be the same on Saturday."

Prior to defeat at Ipswich, West Ham had won their last three Championship fixtures to take over at the top of the table from previous leaders Southampton.

Millwall's deadline day activity saw them raid Wolverhampton Wanderers for Republic of Ireland striker Andy Keogh, who goes straight in to their squad for the seven-mile journey to East London.

There is always added spice when the two rivals meet and with the Lions looking to improve on a run of one win in their last five Championship matches, you can guarantee that no quarter will be given anywhere on the pitch.

And while the Hammers have been big-spenders this season, there's no jealousy in the Millwall camp.

Manager Kenny Jackett told the News Shopper: "We have to sort ourselves out and keep trying to improve Millwall as a club, which is a big thing and I don't look much further away than that.

"West Ham are a big club and their aspirations to get automatic promotion this year have been well documented by everybody there.

"They've taken a few players in and are already a strong squad, but that's OK, that's why we want to be in the Championship competing with clubs like this."

KEEP AN EYE ON

London bragging rights aren't the only ones up for grabs in the npower Championship this weekend as on Sunday, Derby County host Nottingham Forest.

The scene is well and truly set for the Pride Park Stadium encounter - which is screened live on the BBC and gets under way at 12.15pm - due to the clubs' respective fortunes this season.

Derby's campaign has been a little up and down at times but prior to a 3-2 defeat at Barnsley on Tuesday night they had gone five Championship games unbeaten with four clean sheets in that time too.

They sit 12th in the table while Forest have slipped to second from bottom after winning just one of their last 11 games, although of even greater concern to Manager Steve Cotterill will be his side's lack of goals - they have scored just three in that time.

Derby were poor in the first half of their defeat at Barnsley on Tuesday and trailed 3-0, their first goals conceded of 2012, before getting themselves back into the game with a much-improved display after the break.

Manager Nigel Clough told www.dcfc.co.uk: "We'll be doing our utmost to put on a performance and try and get a positive result but it won't be easy against Forest, who have brought in three fresh faces this week, and it would be a grave mistake to underestimate how hard we'll have to work to get something out of the match.

"Although their manager has changed since we last met the players remain pretty much the same and they will be desperate to make amends for losing that game in September - just like we were when we travelled to the City Ground off the back of two disappointing defeats last season."

Forest were busy on deadline day to bring in defenders Danny Higginbotham and Scott Wootton on loan from Stoke City and Manchester United respectively, while midfielder Adlene Guedioura joined on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers the previous day.

Guedioura made his debut in Tuesday night's 2-0 defeat at home to Burnley while Wootton and former Derby man Higginbotham are expected to make their bows at Pride Park.

And Chairman Frank Clark told the Nottingham Post: "Any win would be good to get us going again now, but it would be doubly sweet if it came against Derby.

"I know Derby is the big game for our supporters, I understand that. I hesitate to use the word enemy, when we are talking about two football clubs. But this is the big derby for us and getting a win could kick-start our season.

"The players are suffering a crisis of confidence. But there are 18 games left and a lot of points to play for. I am convinced that, if we can just get a win, it will gee us up."

Derby came from behind to win the reverse fixture 2-1 at the City Ground in September, despite going a goal down and having goalkeeper Frank Fielding sent off in the first couple of minutes.

ELSEWHERE IN THE DIVISION

The big games continue on Saturday with Birmingham City hosting Southampton in the evening kick-off (5.20pm, Sky Sports).

Chris Hughton's Blues are up to fourth in the table on the back of winning their last four npower Championship fixtures and another three-point haul would put them right on the coat-tails of their visitors.

Southampton did hold a comfortable lead at the top not so long ago but have only picked up two Championship wins in the last two months, though they remain second and could go back to the summit by winning at Birmingham, or they could be looking for a return to the top-two having been overtaken by Cardiff City, depending on the day's earlier matches.

The post-Simon Grayson era begins for Leeds United as they head to Bristol City under the caretaker charge of Neil Redfearn.

Grayson was sacked by Leeds on Wednesday after the Yorkshire side suffered a 4-1 defeat at home to Birmingham, and they will be looking to bounce back against Derek McInnes's side, who are two places outside the relegation zone but with a six-point cushion.

It's also third verses seventh at the Cardiff City Stadium as the Welsh side, Carling Cup finalists and with one Championship defeat since October, take on Blackpool - who have been in good form themselves of late.

Saturday's remaining fixtures see Brighton & Hove Albion host Leicester City, Burnley take on Peterborough United, Coventry City welcoming Ipswich Town, Doncaster Rovers up against Reading, Middlesbrough facing Crystal Palace, Portsmouth at home to Hull City, and Watford against Barnsley.

For the full list of televised games please click here

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