Sky Sports confirms live Football League fixtures for August and September

The matches announced include the first-ever meeting in the Championship between former European Cup winners as Aston Villa play host to Nottingham Forest on 11 September. There will also be a clash of managers who have led teams to UEFA Champions League glory when Rafa Benitez's Newcastle visit Roberto Di Matteo's Aston Villa on 24 September.

Pub viewers will also be treated to plenty of derbies in the opening months of the season, including Championship newcomers Burton Albion’s first game against local rivals Derby County on 26 August and the return of the East Anglian derby between Ipswich Town and Norwich City on 21 August.

Over the course of the season, Sky Sports will be showing 127 live matches from the English Football League (EFL). Sky's head of football, Gary Hughes, said: "The passion and support shown by EFL fans is second to none, and with local derbies and the meeting of some football giants, these games will again offer some of the EFL's great stories to supporters across the country."