A few of the Championship’s best players were on show in the FA Cup over the weekend. Here are seven who could step up to the top flight this month

Football League clubs enjoyed a good weekend in the FA Cup, with a number of Premier League sides coming unstuck. Only eight top-flight teams are guaranteed a place in the fourth round of the Cup, which shows there is plenty of talent below the Premier League. With the transfer window open for business, here are seven players who are ready to make the step up from the Championship.

Barry Douglas, Wolves

Barry Douglas will be a Premier League player soon but his performances this season show he is ready made to make the transition now. One of the club’s lower profile acquisitions in the summer, the Scot arrived from Konyaspor in Turkey, where he spent a season after a stint at Lech Poznan. His output from left wing-back has helped turn Wolves into runaway league leaders.

At 28 he remains uncapped at international level, but that seems sure to change before long. He has racked up four goals and eight assists (as many as any player in the division) in 19 league appearances this season. His deliveries from both set pieces and in open play have been outstanding and he hasn’t shirked his defensive responsibilities either, making more tackles than any of his Wolves team-mates. The defender has earned our second highest rating in the league (7.55 – just below his team-mate Willy Boly).

Joe Bryan, Bristol City

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Another left-sided player to have impress in the Championship this season, Joe Bryan has also been instrumental in Bristol City’s run to the semi-finals of the League Cup. He was our man of the match in Bristol City’s win over Manchester United in the quarter-finals, when he scored a stunning goal.

The 24-year-old has been equally effective at left-back and left midfield this season. He is tenacious in defence, ranking fifth in the Championship for tackles per game (3.1), and he has been key to the team’s attacking approach. Bombing forward whenever possible, the versatile club graduate has averaged 1.4 dribbles and 1.2 shots per game.

James Chester, Aston Villa

Some defenders take longer than others to reach their full potential, though perhaps James Chester wasn’t given a proper opportunity to show what he could do earlier in his career, particularly at West Brom. The Baggies signed him for £8m in 2015 but gave him just nine starts – and none in his favoured centre-back position. He proved how capable a defender he is at Euro 2016, prompting Aston Villa to spend just over £8m on bringing him to Birmingham.

Chester has been a mainstay in the side, not only playing every league game (71 matches) but every single minute. He was appointed captain when Steve Bruce became Villa manager but has since relinquished it to John Terry, though he looks every bit as impressive as the former England captain, if not more so. As dependable as they come, he has not made a single error that has led to an opposition goal in the league for Villa, while ranking among the top five players in the Championship for pass accuracy (88%) and clearances (215) this season.

James Maddison, Norwich City

Facebook Twitter Pinterest James Maddison in action for Norwich City at Carrow Road. Photograph: Chapl/ProSports/Rex/Shutterstock

Signed from Coventry two years ago before being loaned back to the Sky Blues, James Maddison was made to wait a long time for his Canaries debut. He came on as a 79th-minute substitute against Preston last April and took no time to show his quality, scoring in the 92nd minute in a 3-1 win. But he has truly shone this season under the tutelage of Daniel Farke.

Still just 21, Maddison leads the Championship in both key passes per game (2.7) and the number of times he is fouled per game (3.8), which is a decent indicator of the threat he poses to opposition defences. The playmaker has excelled in the No10 role, scoring six goals – including some truly memorable strikes – and laying on five assists.

Ryan Sessegnon, Fulham

Manchester United, Tottenham and Real Madrid have all expressed an interest in Ryan Sessegnon, but the 17-year-old is still with Fulham. Slavisa Jokanovic’s side started slowly this season but they have improved lately. If they do go on to reach the play-offs, they will owe a debt of thanks to their 17-year-old protégé .



His threat in the final third has caught the eye, with seven goals and four assists this season. He usually plays at left-back but may be better suited to a more attacking role – he has five goals and two assists from his seven appearances on the wing – but time is on his side to hone his skills in a variety of roles. His versatility will only add to his value when the inevitable move comes to pass.

Diogo Jota, Wolves

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Diogo Jota celebrates after scoring for Wolves against Aston Villa at Molineux. Photograph: Sam Bagnall - AMA/Getty Images

Like Barry Douglas, Diogo Jota is likely to be a Premier League player come next season – if Wolves can agree a permanent deal with his parent club, Atlético Madrid. The Portuguese winger has been a revelation since his arrival in the Midlands, starting every league game for Nuno’s side so far and weighing in with 11 goals and four assists.

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Jota doesn’t stay wide on the left flank but instead comes infield with the ball, which allows Douglas to bomb forward on the overlap. The tactic has been hugely productive for the Championship leaders, allowing Jota to complete the fourth most dribbles in the league (67) at an impressive 70.5% success rate. He has also taken the most shots on target in the division (28).

Ollie Watkins, Brentford

The only player to rank among the top 10 in the league for dribbles (65, fifth), key passes (54, third) and shots (83, first), Ollie Watkins has taken to the Championship with ease after his £1.8m move from Exeter City to Brentford in the summer. His value has soared in the last six months.

The 22-year-old winger has started 21 of his 25 league appearances so far this season, chipping in with seven goals and three assists. Those numbers are a little low given how many chances he creates and shots he takes, which suggest he still needs to work on his end product, but Watkins has all the tools to become a top player. He is fast, strong, has an eye for a pass and puts in good deliveries from wide, so may not be with the Bees for long.

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