The Weekend Preview: 7-8 May

Football: Final weekend of the Football League season

Saturday, 12pm, Sky Sports 1 & 2 HD; Sunday 12.15pm Sky Sports 2HD

It’s been an unforgettable week for Leicester City, yet for multiple clubs throughout England the first week of May carries just as much importance. Over the next couple of days, countless teams in the Championship, League One and League Two will see their 46-game season decided in just 90 nerve-shredding minutes. Those supporters brave enough to attend their club’s quest to win promotion/secure a play-off place/avoid relegation (delete as appropriate),  will enter the stadium with more trepidation than hope; knowing that the likelihood of leaving in a state of ecstasy is just as strong as going home feeling nothing but crushing disappointment.

Middlesbrough’s Riverside Stadium is in for a nervous Saturday. Image: Flickr/John Lord

So which teams enter the weekend with something to play for? For the neutral, Saturday’s game of the day is undoubtedly Middlesbrough v Brighton. The Championship’s second and third best teams go head to head, with just one automatic promotion place up for grabs. A draw would be enough for Boro to return to the Premier League for the first time since 2009; the loser will face Sheffield Wednesday in the play-offs. Within minutes of the Championship season ending, it’s League Two’s turn. Second-placed Accrington, third-placed Oxford United and fourth-placed Bristol Rovers are separated by just two points, but only the top three go up automatically. For two of these teams it will be a day of jubilation, while one will have to pick themselves up for a play-off push.

Just when you’ve finally caught your breath, the final round of League One matches takes place on Sunday lunchtime. Doncaster host Burton and both teams still mathematically have something to play for, although realistically this is much more straightforward for the latter. If Burton draw then they are promoted, whereas Doncaster need to win – and win big – to avoid relegation, due to a goal difference that is vastly inferior to the teams above them. There is plenty more going on: Blackpool need to win, otherwise they will suffer their second consecutive relegation, while Barnsley, Scunthorpe and Gillingham fight over the one remaining play-off position.

If you’re still in any doubt about whether these matches will live up to the hype, then watch the video above. Something similar could happen this weekend – don’t miss it.

Boxing: Saul Alvarez v Amir Khan

Sunday, 1.30am, BoxNation

Some have called his decision to fight Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez ‘career suicide’ – but Amir Khan has proved people wrong before. At the age of just 17, Khan went to the Athens Olympics in 2004 as an unknown phenomenon; two weeks later he returned with the silver medal. Make no mistake, if the Brit is to beat Alvarez in Vegas on Saturday night, he will have to raise his performance levels just as high.

The odds are stacked against Khan because he’s not even in the same weight category as the Mexican. In fact, he’s not just one weight category below him: the 29-year old light-welterweight is moving up two weights to challenge Alvarez for the WBC middleweight title. But that’s not all. The Mexican’s only defeat in 48 pro contests was a defeat in 2013 to the one and only Floyd Mayweather. Though Khan has emerged victorious from every fight since being knocked out by Danny Garcia in 2012, he isn’t exactly up against a man lacking in confidence. Khan will have to fight tactically, as there’s no way he will come out on top if he attempts to trade punches with his opponent. Even if Khan falls, there’s no doubt that it’ll make fascinating viewing.

The 20,000 capacity T-Mobile Arena is a setting fit for the occasion. Image: Wikipedia/Bill Feldberg