Cashless and forced to play youngsters, Coventry City are on the verge of a sadly historic relegation

Southampton took a large stride back towards the Premier League last night when they won 3-1 at Peterborough to open up a five-point gap on third-placed West Ham with two games to play in the Championship. At the bottom Coventry are on the verge of relegation after a 1-0 home defeat to Millwall.

Brighton manager Gus Poyet has described opponents Reading as the best team in the npower Championship ahead of tonight's clash.

David Norris's equaliser in the fourth minute of injury time at St Mary's Stadium earned Portsmouth a 2-2 draw in a tense South Coast derby with Championship leaders Southampton, slowing the Saints' title drive. Billy Sharp gave the hosts a 27th-minute lead, but Chris Maguire soon levelled. When Sharp added Saints' second in the 89th minute – a goal initially ruled out for offside – they seemed to have won the match, but Norris fired in from just outside the penalty area. Southampton are top on goal difference. "We were not defeated and it puts us back top of the League," Saints' manager, Nigel Adkins, said.

With his rugged looks, flowing locks and immense physical presence, Barry Kitchener was the epitome of the warrior centre-half, and from the middle 1960s to the early 1980s he embodied the indefatigable spirit of Millwall Football Club.

Leeds boss Neil Warnock believes a "hostile and intimidating" atmosphere at Elland Road tomorrow can inspire his side to victory over promotion hopefuls West Ham in the npower Championship.

Ravel Morrison has been told he must wait for his West Ham debut as Sam Allardyce's men seek to go back to the top of the npower Championship table at Blackpool tonight.

Millwall 0 Bolton 2

West Ham United 1 Southampton 1

A full run-down of the transfer ins and outs in the Premier League during the January window.

1. But what about the 'other' word attributed to Terry?

Arsenal yesterday became the first London club to signal their home Boxing Day fixture was under threat from proposed industrial action that would hit Tube services in the capital. The club said that they were "monitoring the situation" regarding the proposed London Underground strike which could affect their game against Wolves on Monday.

The Football League Column: Rhodes' goalscoring exploits will attract attention in January