Sunderland snubbed in latest round of games selected for live coverage

This weekend's Tees-Wear derby against Middlesbrough at the Riverside on Sunday lunchtime (KO 12.15pm) had already been selected by Sky Sports but the race for promotion is the focal point for their festive coverage.

Managerless Sunderland are second bottom and battling against a second successive relegation and don't feature on the latest list of live games announced this morning.

League leaders Wolverhampton Wanderers will kick off the run of televised Christmas matches when they travel to Sheffield Wednesday’s Hillsborough on Friday 15 December at 7.45pm. Cardiff City will host Hull City in the 5.30pm kick off on Saturday 16 December.

Christmas weekend sees Aston Villa welcome Sheffield United to Villa Park on Saturday 23 December in a 5.30pm kick off. Then on Boxing Day Burton Albion face Thomas Christiansen’s Leeds United side who currently sit in seventh position at 3.00pmbefore Brentford finish the festivities off by hosting Steve Bruce’s Villa at 7.30pm.

Two of the top four clash at Ashton Gate to round off the calendar year with Bristol City and Wolverhampton Wanderers facing off in a 5.30pm kick off on Saturday 30 December, whilst Friday Night Football returns to Cardiff City 24 hours earlier as they welcome Preston North End on 29 December at 7.45pm.

Leeds United and Nottingham Forest, meanwhile, make the first appearance of 2018 in front of the Sky cameras when they meet at Elland Road on Monday 1 January at 3.00pm.

Later in the month Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United continue their quest for back-to-back promotions after a positive start sees them lying in third position, with their Steel City derby clash with Sheffield Wednesday broadcast live to Sky Sports viewers at 7.45pm on Friday 12 January.

Then 24 hours later Villa will travel to Nottingham Forest’s City Ground for a Saturday evening 5.30pm meeting.

The list of games selected for live coverage:

Friday 15 December Sheffield Wednesday v Wolverhampton Wanderers 7.45pm

Saturday 16 December Cardiff City v Hull City 5.30pm

Saturday 23 December Aston Villa v Sheffield United 5.30pm

Tuesday 26 December Burton Albion v Leeds United 3.00pm

Brentford v Aston Villa 7.30pm

Friday 29 December Cardiff City v Preston 7.45pm

Saturday 30 December Bristol City v Wolverhampton Wanderers 5.30pm

Monday 1 January Leeds United v Nottingham Forest 3.00pm

Friday 12 January Sheffield United v Sheffield Wednesday 7.45pm

Saturday 13 January Nottingham Forest v Aston Villa 5.30pm