Championship talking points: Singing Canaries and out-of-form Owls

Norwich are the team to catch while bitter rivals Ipswich prop up the table as the league starts to take shape ahead of a busy Christmas period.

Here, Press Association Sport looks at the major talking points ahead of the midweek action.

Seventh heaven for the Canaries?

There is no stopping Norwich at the moment. The Canaries have surged to the top of the table, opening up a two-point gap, following a six-match winning run in which they have scored 17 goals. Not many teams win seven in a row in the second tier, but Norwich have the chance to do just that when they travel to second-bottom Hull.

Gary Rowett faces former club

Rowett failed to navigate Derby through the play-offs last season and then jumped ship, joining Stoke in May as the Potters prepared for an immediate return to the Premier League. Things have not gone as planned for Rowett yet, despite keeping the bulk of last season’s Premier League squad and splashing the cash in the summer, as Stoke sit eight points off Frank Lampard’s sixth-placed Derby.

Pressure is mounting

There is a big game at Hillsborough considering Sheffield Wednesday and Bolton are in dreadful form, which has turned the heat up on managers Jos Luhukay and Phil Parkinson. Wednesday are only three points above the relegation zone, losing five of their last six matches, while third-bottom Bolton have lost six of their previous eight outings. Hull, Reading and Millwall are also struggling and face tough midweek fixtures against Norwich, Leeds and Birmingham respectively.

Ipswich to secure first home win?

Paul Lambert has brought a renewed energy and confidence to Ipswich since replacing Paul Hurst at Portman Road, despite results not yet showing that. The Tractor Boys were unfortunate not to win at Reading, conceding a 84th-minute equaliser, while they gave promotion-chasing West Brom a late fright last week. Ipswich, six points adrift of safety, have yet to win at home this season. They will not have a better chance of ending that nine-game winless streak against Bristol City, who have lost their last four.

Something has got to give

Two of the form sides in the division go head-to-head at Deepdale. Preston have emerged from a difficult start to the season admirably, going eight games unbeaten with a 4-1 victory over Lancashire rivals Blackburn on Saturday. They face a different challenge on Tuesday night, though, taking on a confident Middlesbrough side who are second in the table. Tony Pulis’ team have not tasted defeat in seven matches in all competitions and are unbeaten on the road since September.