EFL 5/1 Acca – Gab Sutton

Birmingham need around two points per game between now and the end of the season to secure a top six berth, and the second-city club have been ambitious in the January window to facilitate that, signing MLS star Kai Wagner from Philadelphia Union and forward August Priske from Djurgårdens, then loaning midfielder Jhon Solís from Girona and winger Ibrahim Osman from Brighton.

Those additions all look to have the quality to enhance the Blues, who already enjoy excellent home form, with Chris Davies’ side having taken 26 points from 13 games on familiar soil – and are unbeaten in four in all competitions.

Visitors Stoke, on the other hand, remain in the Play-Off shake-up, despite having lost eight of their last 14 league games, including a 2-1 defeat to Middlesbrough in midweek. Due to injuries, Mark Robins is having to field four centre halves: hardly ideal, from a balance perspective.

Having accrued 20 points from 13 games after Ian Evatt returned to the club in a managerial capacity in October, Blackpool are threatening to shoot up a tightly packed bottom half of League One.

The Seasiders have fuelled that ambition further by making three impressive loan signings in the January window, borrowing towering centre-back Kamarl Grant from Millwall, Joel Randall from Bolton, and athletic striker Michael Obafemi from Burnley.

Obafemi’s recent record at higher levels might have been patchy, but the former Ireland international had an elite youth reputation and used to feature semi-regularly for Southampton – he could prove a class above League One, in an Evatt side.

Visitors Northampton, by contrast, could only dream of such a threat: only bottom side Port Vale have scored fewer goals than Kevin Nolan’s side, who have won just one of their previous eight league games.

After a mixed first three months, Cambridge have hit their stride since November, following tradition for Neil Harris’ sides to rise to the high stake's parts of a season. The U’s are unbeaten in 11 having won their last three and boast the division’s strongest defensive record.

The CB5 outfit don’t have any star performers, as such; they’re a team of consistent performers, and it’s the net contribution of the collective that’s given them such a high floor, allowing them to churn out points at a sustainable rate.

Visitors Tranmere can only aspire to such solidity, with Andy Crosby’s side having conceded more goals than even 23rd-placed Harrogate, partly due to absentees.

The Birkenhead outfit have loaned Will Tamen from Everton with the intention of remedying their defensive woes, but recent heavy defeats to Crewe, Oldham, Barrow, Bromley and Walsall suggests it won’t be an overnight job.