Middlesbrough, Birmingham, Stoke fixtures compared as Championship race heats up

Teesside Live's Stuart Jamieson analyzes the upcoming Championship pre-Christmas fixture lists for the top six clubs as Middlesbrough, Birmingham City, and Stoke City sit tied at the top of the table. With West Brom and Wolves only a point behind, Jamieson assesses which contenders face the most favorable paths toward securing automatic promotion spots before Boxing Day.

The writer notes that Middlesbrough can capitalize immediately after the international break when Stoke and Birmingham face each other on November 21. While Boro navigate tough tests against Swansea City, Southampton, and West Ham, Jamieson views Swansea as facing the most difficult upcoming stretch, which includes a trip to the Riverside and a South Wales derby against Cardiff City.