Midweek Preview: Spotlight on Sheffield United, Barnsley, Bradford City, Doncaster Rovers, York City and Middlesbrough

It is a major league night for Middlesbrough, who play their game in hand at Blackburn Rovers this evening, mindful that victory would see them go two points clear at the top of the Championship, with Hull City having a watchful eye on developments at Ewood Park.

It is also a big evening in the battle for the play-offs in League One, with ninth-placed Barnsley - whose successful makeover since Christmas is shaping up to be one of the Football League stories of 2015-16 - playing host to top-six rivals Coventry City.

Bradford City, in seventh, also have key business to attend to at home to Colchester United and victory over the U’s - allied to Coventry failing to pick up three points at Oakwell - would see them leapfrog the Sky Blues into the final play-off spot.

Over at Bramall Lane, a liberal sprinkling of spice sees Nigel Clough make his first return to S2 with Burton Albion following his sacking as Sheffield United boss last May - with the pressure on his successor Nigel Adkins to turn the Blades’ flagging fortunes around.

At the foot of League Two, York City are also in action - a toughie at Johnstone’s Paint Trophy finalists and promotion chasers Oxford United.

Here’s our midweek lowdown ...

Blackburn Rovers v Middlesbrough: Karanka must be careful if he tinkers

All was set for ahead of Boro’s Boxing Day trip to Ewood Park - Aitor Karanka’s men were in pole position of the Championship after a six-match unbeaten run featuring five wins and were three points clear of third-placed Brighton.

It has all tightened up since after Boro suffered some summit fever in the final throes of winter, with the Teessiders currently in third spot.

But victory tonight would see them leapfrog second-placed Hull and leaders Burnley to take a two-point lead at the top - with Clarets fans in the rare position of rooting for arch-rivals Blackburn tonight.

Boro are currently in the midst of a hectic run of matches and are back in action on Friday night at home to Wolves before travelling to Rotherham next Tuesday.

Karanka’s squad depth is well known and expect him to tinker tonight, with Jordan Rhodes itching for a start on his first return to East Lancashire.

But Karanka should be wary. He has tinkered before and got things wrong and it remains a delicate balancing act for the Spaniard. The stakes are high if he plays his hand poorly.

Sheffield United v Burton Albion: The ex-factor

Nigel Adkins expects Nigel Clough to be more concerned about quietening the Sheffield United fans and getting them to turn on the Blades rather than scoring a personal point or two after being axed by the club following play-off failure last term. That’s the official line anyway.

If Clough emerges victorious with his Burton Albion side, you can bet your bottom dollar that once he is back home in the East Midlands in the small hours of wednesday morning, he will afford himself a little celebratory moment, however fleeting. It’s human nature.

For his Bramall Lane successor Adkins, it is a night which has the potential to put him seriously under the microscope if things go wrong. He knows it and Clough knows it.

The mood of some sections of Blades fans is mutinous and tinder-box and as night follows day, Burton will try and prey on that frustration tonight. Who wouldn’t?

Adkins speaks regularly of players having the right mentality to play for Sheffield United and having the tools to cope.

Several have been found wanting in that department and with Dean Hammond - one of the Blades on-pitch leaders - absent again tonight, have they enough players to step into the breach and direct them around the park and ‘manage’ the game tonight and step up to the plate. Time will tell.

Barnsley v Coventry City: Opportunity tantalisingly knocks for the Reds

It is hard to fathom that after Barnsley went down at the Rioch Arena on November 3 that 17 points separated these sides. That gap will be wiped out if the Reds prevail tonight and record their sixth successive home win.

Just before Bonfire Night, Barnsley were in 22nd place in League One with fans metaphorically burning effigies of former head coach Lee Johnson.

Fast forward to today and the Oakwell outfit trail sixth-placed Coventry by three points. Funny old game.

It has been a job thoroughly well done so far this new year for Barnsley, but they need to run with the baton now.

A host of sides in play-off contention will now be very wary of the Reds and they need to continue to display the proactive, vibrant attacking approach which has been serving them well and also show further evidence of their stingy tendencies at the back.

Now is to time to kick on and not pat yourself on the back. As Paul Heckingbottom says, the hard work starts now.

Bradford City v Colchester United: The Bantams must be ruthless

In the reverse fixture in north Essex, City suffered a dismal 2-0 loss, a rare aberration given their strong form against relegation-haunted sides so far this season and they must revert to type in this re-match with the U’s.

Memories of remedying that poor night earlier this season is perhaps no bad thing for City and will avoid any complacency as they take the field against a rock-bottom Colchester side who look increasingly doomed in their quest for safety - they are 19 games without a win.

It is the time of year when successful sides show no mercy and pile on the anguish for others. Nothing less than three points will suffice.

If Bradford’s application and attitude is spot-on, things should take care of themselves - but they need to stay focused ahead of the arrival of one of Phil Parkinson’s old clubs.

Swindon Town v Doncaster Rovers: Can Rovers and Andy Williams get their mojo back?

It’s perhaps no coincidence that Rovers’ downturn and worrying run of no wins in eight matches in all competitions is dovetailing with 14-goal Andy Williams enduring a barren streak - the forward has not scored in his past six outings. Tonight, Williams returns to familiar territory in Swindon, with the hope being among Doncaster supporters who make the long trek to Wiltshire that Williams can relight his goalscoring fires at a venue where he has scored a fair few goals in the past and boost the visitors in the process.

A confident and predatory Williams has usually meant good news for Rovers this season. Another a hard-fought point against Millwall when Rovers at least showed their stomach for a fight, the next step is getting over the line with three points - and Williams contributing a goal or two would be providing the icing.

Oxford United v York City: A side with travel sickness meets a side with home sickness

On paper, most people will be undoubtedly favouring an Oxford win tonight, given that York have won just once on the road this term, losing eight of their last nine fixtures and drawing just one.

Awful is the phrase you are looking for.

When you are down among the dead men, you desperately search for any crumb of comfort.

Here’s one: Oxford have lost five of their last six home games and drawn the other. That’s as bad as York’s vital away statistics.

Pressure is on the shoulders of Michael Appleton’s U’s, who occupy the final automatic promotion slot, but are mindful of the need to sort out their home form if they are to firmly nail it down.

It is an evening when York’s discipline and game management must be spot-on.

If they can frustrate the hosts in the first half, frustrated home fans might just do a job for them.