Three Things To Look Out For This Weekend

1 Frank Lampard's Derby County face acid test of top-six credentials

Four of the last five meetings between Bristol City and Derby have ended in draws, and Rams' manager Frank Lampard would happily take another this weekend.

On another day of barnstorming clashes in the Sky Bet Championship – check out Sunday’s showdown between Leeds and the winning machine that is Aston Villa – City versus County looks colossal.

The technical areas will be populated by two of the game’s brighter young bosses in Lee Johnson and Lampard, and both have their eyes on a top-six finish.

Derby are clinging on to sixth place with the Bristol side a point and two places further back. Each club has a game in hand over Middlesbrough, the team they sandwich in the table.

Derby, 11-1 for promotion, have a less-than-proud history of making a pig’s ear of the run-in, so their fans have every reason to be wary of a fixture list which is completed by a trip to Swansea and a home game against West Brom.

2 Champagne on ice for National League leaders Leyton Orient

Salford City blinked first with their 1-0 home loss to Fylde on Easter Monday, so National League leaders Leyton Orient are poised to celebrate their return to the Football League after a two-year absence.

Orient take a three-point cushion into the final weekend, meaning the pre-season 14-1 shots need a point at home to Braintree to cement top spot. Even with a loss their superior goal difference gives them an edge over Salford, the well-backed 21-10 favourites at the start of the campaign, and Solihull Moors, who had been even-money for the drop.

Presuming they fall short Salford and Solihull will join Fylde, Wrexham, Harrogate and Eastleigh in the playoffs although Salford and Solihull – guaranteed second and third spots (but not necessarily in that order) – won’t come in until next weekend’s semi-final stage.

They will be at home to the winners of the two midweek qualifying-round tussles when the team who finish fourth entertain the side in seventh and fifth meets sixth.

3 Girona are sinking without a trace in La Liga survival scrap

Timing is everything in football and poor Girona couldn’t have timed their nosedive down La Liga any worse.

Sitting pretty in 12th before the last international break in March, the Catalans were nine points off a Europa League place and ten points clear of the drop zone.

You could have had 28-1 Girona for relegation then, although it is doubtful that any punters foresaw the six straight losses that have plunged them into the bottom three.

Coach Eusebio Sacristan has got four games to drag Girona out of trouble, starting with a tricky visit from Sevilla, who are still in the hunt for a Champions League spot.

These teams have met three times in La Liga and the 9-10 visitors have won all three contests without conceding a goal.

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