Boxing Day is upon us and from the Premier League to the National League there will be matches all day long. CBS Sports Golazo Network will host a special to follow the championship action, but with the holidays in full swing, it’s also a good time to take a look at what’s happening around the pyramid in what will be a eventful day.
Be sure to tune into CBS Sports Golazo Network for championship programming at 10 a.m. ET with 10 matches, as you’ll see every goal, every exciting moment and more.
You can also watch selected EFL matches throughout the season on Paramount+.
Here’s what you need to know about the day’s action in England.
EFL on Paramount+
All times Eastern
Sheffield United v Burnley, 10am Paramount+
Blackburn Rovers v Sheffield United, 10am Paramount+
Middlesbrough v Sheffield Wednesday, 10am Paramount+
Norwich City v Millwall, 10am Paramount+
Wrexham v Blackpool, 10am Paramount+
Swansea City v Queens Park Rangers, 10am Paramount+
Watford v Portsmouth, 10am Paramount+
Bristol City v Luton Town, 10am Paramount+
Coventry City v Plymouth Argyle, 10am Paramount+
Charlton Athletic v Cambridge United, 10am Paramount+
Derby County v West Brom, 12 p.m. Paramount+
Stoke City v Leeds United, 12:30 p.m. Paramount+
Can Wrexham secure a third promotion in a row?
Already on their second consecutive promotion after moving from the National League to League Two and then winning it, Wrexham Dragons are once again making waves. By strengthening ahead of this season with a mix of youngsters like Sebastian Revan and experience like Dan Scarr, if the season ended today Wrexham would be in the League One playoffs, which is a pretty impressive feat. Just three points off the top of the league, there’s a chance they could find themselves with an automatic promotion place to the Championship, at which point their Hollywood dream can truly come true.
It’s one thing to believe you can be promoted from the lower leagues to the top of the table, but it’s another to actually do it and with another promotion Werxham would be just one step away from the Premier League. There’s a long way to go to get there, but with them rising in the standings even without star striker Paul Mullin’s usual scoring, there’s reason to believe.
Be sure to watch Wrexham vs Blackpool on Thursday at 10am ET on Paramount+.
Who is on course for promotion to the Premier League?
Initially, Sheffield United and Leeds United were leading the race for automatic promotion places in the Championship. Following the relegation of Sheffield United, Burnley and Luton Town, two of these teams are on course to bounce back quickly while Luton are 10 points away from a playoff place as things stand. The Championship landscape can change quickly, so no one is out of contention yet, but this could be too big a gap to come back from.
A team to watch in the playoffs is Sunderland. The Black Cats have a youth movement led by Chris Rigg, and the Championship’s youngest team are poised to push for a return to the Premier League for the first time since the 20017-18 season. It would be quite an achievement if they manage it, but it will also be a tall order with Burnley, Blackburn Rovers and Middlesbrough currently occupying the playoff places alongside them.
Tom Brady’s Birmingham City in hiding
It was a shock when Birmingham City were relegated from the Championship. Jude Bellingham’s youth club, the Blues are no longer that far from playing European football during the 2011-12 season. But after their relegation, it took years of treading water before a new group of owners, including NFL legend Tom Brady, pumped funds into the club.
Breaking the League One transfer record to secure striker Jay Stansfield worked in a big way. The 22-year-old has 11 goals so far this season as Birmingham sit at the top of League One with a game or two in hand against most of the teams around them. This will be critical as the season continues and having a lead of more than a game can make up for any mistakes they might make, but all signs point to the championship.
Americans to watch
Injuries have ravaged the American EFL landscape with Josh Sargent, Haji Wright, Gaga Slonina and Aidan Morris currently out, but Brenden Aaronson has performed well for Leeds United. With two goals and an assist in his last five games, Aaronson has been strong in midfield as the Whites climb the Championship table. Duane Holmes is the only other American making consistent appearances for his club at the moment. At Preston North End he scored one goal but had to make do with coming off the bench most of the time.
Aaronson’s six goals are second only to Wright for the Americans in the championship, with Sargent not far behind with four goals and five assists. In what was supposed to be a season where the Americans would light up England’s second division, and even if it didn’t, many of these players have a vital role to play upon their return to the club.
Wayne Rooney, bottom of the league
Turning our eyes down the Championship, there is a familiar face in Wayne Rooney at the helm of Plymouth Argyle. Rooney’s foray into management has been mixed with spells at DC United, Derby County and Birmingham City under his belt, but this could add another relegation to the mix. Plymouth are just one point from safety, but without a win in their last five matches and tied on 18 points with Cardiff City and Oxford United, they will need to get points sooner rather than later. They have conceded the most goals in the league while struggling to score, so Rooney will need reinforcements and tactical changes to right this ship.
