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Championship preview: Key manager quotes ahead of midweek fixtures

Championship preview: Key manager quotes ahead of midweek fixtures
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Forest host Hull at the City Ground on Wednesday.

Nottingham Forest boss Sabri Lamouchi dismissed any transfer speculation and insisted he is only focused on the present.

Forest host Hull on Wednesday aiming to keep touch with the pacesetters at the top of the Sky Bet Championship.

They suffered their first league defeat since the opening day after going down 1-0 at Wigan on Sunday.

Lamouchi rested Lewis Grabban, bringing in Rafa Mir, and has been linked with Newcastle striker Dwight Gayle but said he is only looking at Hull.

He told a press conference: "I am just looking at the Hull game. January, for me, is too far.

"Maybe you can make some speculation for some players – some striker, winger, box-to-box, right or left-back, goalkeeper. But for me, I am just focused on my players and my squad."

Fellow play-off hopefuls Fulham welcome Luton to Craven Cottage following their surprise 2-0 defeat at Stoke at the weekend.

The Cottagers have stuttered since their good start, winning just two of their last nine outings.

In contrast, Huddersfield are unbeaten in their last four games as Danny Cowley begins to turn the Terriers' season around.

They host struggling Middlesbrough, who have won just one of their last eight games.

"We're really pleased to be four unbeaten because that was the challenge to the players going into the Blackburn game," Cowley told the Huddersfield Examiner.

Bristol City face fellow play-off contenders Charlton at Ashton Gate with boss Lee Johnson hoping new striker Rodri can be this season's Teemu Pukki.

Forward Pukki scored 29 goals to fire Norwich to the title last term having been offered around the Championship.

Rodri joined on a free after leaving Granada and made his debut in the 3-0 defeat at Luton.

Johnson told the Bristol Post: "You've only got to look at the likes of Pukki, for example, who was literally sent in to every Championship side via, I'll show you, about 100 e-mails.

"Obviously he came in and Norwich took a chance on him and he's done unbelievably well for Norwich.

"Options are limited when it comes to that out-of-contract market, particularly as it goes on six to eight weeks beyond the window closing.

"We felt that something we wanted to look at was the type of player – a finisher, a poacher, a fox-in-the-box – and he came into that category."

Derby are aiming to hit back after their 3-0 defeat at Charlton on Saturday when they host Wigan.

The Rams are marooned in mid-table and centre-back Krystian Bielik offered no defence for their surrender at The Valley and wants to prove it was a one off.

"I don't want to try and defend myself or my team-mates, but sometimes it is not your day and they were switched on," he told Rams TV.

"We will try to forget this game now and try to focus on the next games. Wigan is a good opportunity to play at home and show our fans that it was just not our day."

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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool98102171425
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18Newcastle UnitedNewcastle9225514-98
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