Leeds v Sheff Utd kicks off big EFL weekend at top

The international break is over and there are no more distractions from the ebb and flow of the English Football League.

There were no matches in the Championship last weekend and only two went ahead in League One, but we are back on track with a full round of fixtures to enjoy.

Meanwhile, League Two is arguably the most entertaining division in the country right now, given how tight things are at the top of the table.

With so much already at stake in the race for promotion and the fight to avoid the drop, let's take a look at what lies ahead over the next few days.

A mouth-watering clash between two Championship heavyweights will kick us off on Friday night as in-form Sheffield United travel to Leeds United for a big Yorkshire derby.

Leeds went into the international break on a somewhat downbeat note after goalkeeper Illan Meslier's extraordinary blunder gifted Sunderland a 97th-minute equaliser at the Stadium of Light.

It means the Whites have now drawn their past two games and will be desperate to return to winning ways in what will likely be a thunderous Elland Road atmosphere under the lights.

The unbeaten Blades, meanwhile, have won five of their past six and are level on points with leaders Sunderland - they would be top if not for a two-point deduction for defaulted transfer payments.

Chris Wilder's side boast the best defence in the league, having conceded only three times this season, and head into the game on the back of six successive clean sheets - they last let a goal in on 24 August in a 1-1 draw at Norwich.

Both sides will have the chance to go top before Sunderland visit Hull City on Sunday, although even with victory, Daniel Farke's team would be heavily relying on results elsewhere to fall their way to stay at the summit.

League One and League Two are also serving up some crunch games to whet the appetite.

Fourth-placed Lincoln City host League One leaders Birmingham City, who suffered their first defeat of the season away at Charlton on 5 October.

The Imps are unbeaten in their past seven matches since a 2-1 defeat at home by Barnsley in their second game of the season and could close the gap to Blues to one point with victory.

It's eighth against sixth at The Valley as Charlton Athletic welcome Stockport County in another enticing clash between two promotion-chasers.

The Addicks ended a run of three straight losses with their 1-0 victory over Birmingham and could leapfrog County into the play-off spots if they win.

In League Two, just one point separates six teams in the chasing pack behind leaders Port Vale and second-placed Doncaster Rovers.

Four of those sides in the promotion hunt will go head-to-head on Saturday as stuttering Gillingham travel to Bradford City off the back of three consecutive defeats.

The Gills are fifth on 19 points, while the Bantams are seventh on 18 points after picking up two wins from their past two games.

Fourth-placed Walsall, also on 19 points, visit eighth-placed Grimsby Town and are similarly only separated by one point.

That's not to mention AFC Wimbledon who are 10th but have three games in hand on most sides above them and visit Notts County, who are third. It could be all change again in the top half of League Two by Saturday evening.

At the other end of League Two, Bromley and Tranmere Rovers will both try to put an end to miserable winless streaks when they meet at Hayes Lane.

Bromley are without a victory in their past eight games (D4, L4), while Tranmere have failed to win in six (D3, L3).

Championship strugglers Portsmouth are yet to win a single game this season and will aim to break their duck at the 10th attempt when they visit QPR, who themselves are winless in five (D2, L3).

League One's bottom pair Cambridge United and Burton Albion are the other two of only three teams in the EFL still yet to pick up a victory and they face Wigan Athletic and Bolton Wanderers respectively.

Elsewhere, Crawley Town have lost five games in a row and have not won in their past eight since picking up two wins to start the season. They travel to Reading on Saturday lunchtime.

Luton Town have endured their worst start to an EFL season for 22 years but there is a long way to go and a win over rivals Watford would provide a huge lift.

The Hatters are one place and one point above the drop zone heading into the M1 derby at Kenilworth Road, while the sixth-placed Hornets are looking up.

Tom Cleverley's side produced an excellent second-half display to come from 1-0 down to beat Middlesbrough 2-1 last time out and are just three points off the top two.

"I see it (the Watford game) as an opportunity for us," said Luton boss Rob Edwards, looking ahead to the match against a club he briefly managed two years ago.

"There's no excuse in that one to not win challenges, not compete and not win duels."

Edwards was sacked by Watford after only 11 games in charge in September 2022 before joining Luton two months later and leading them to promotion to the Premier League that same season.

You can follow live text coverage of all the EFL action across this weekend on the BBC Sport website, starting with Leeds United v Sheffield United from 19:30 BST on Friday.