Burnley maintained their march towards promotion to the Premier League as the Championship leaders won 1-0 against Coventry, while Cardiff boss Mark Hudson was sacked after a 1-1 draw with Wigan on Saturday.
Vincent Kompany´s Burnley are on course for an immediate return to the top flight after last season´s relegation.
They sit five points clear of second-placed Sheffield United after Jordan Beyer headed the winner in the 82nd minute at Turf Moor.
Hudson´s time as Cardiff manager ended following his struggling team´s lacklustre display against rock bottom Wigan.
Cardiff are just above the relegation zone after Will Keane´s stoppage-time equaliser cancelled out an 82nd minute opener from Callum O´Dowda.
Hudson was visibly downcast afterwards and Cardiff later announced Dean Whitehead would take over as interim boss.
"Cardiff City Football Club has relieved Mark Hudson of his duties as first-team manager," a club statement read.
"The board of directors would like to place on record its thanks to Mark for all of his work as a player, coach and manager whilst with the Bluebirds. We wish Mark all the very best of luck for the future."
Sheffield United kept pace with Burnley after a 3-1 win against Stoke.
Iliman Ndiaye netted his 10th goal of the season to give the Blades a ninth-minute lead and Jayden Bogle made it two when his deflected effort found the back of the net.
Nick Powell cut the deficit on the stroke of half-time before Bogle bagged his second on 90 minutes.
Watford moved into third place after Tobi Adeyemo´s second-half strike and Ismaila Sarr´s penalty sealed a 2-0 victory over lowly Blackpool at Vicarage Road.
Marcus Forss scored the second-half winner in fourth-placed Middlesbrough´s 1-0 win against Millwall as the hosts´ promotion charge gathers pace under the management of former Manchester United star Michael Carrick.
Blackburn dropped to fifth after a surprise 4-0 defeat at Rotherham, while Swansea beat 10-man Sunderland 3-1 at the Stadium of Light.
Luton blew a two-goal lead in their 3-2 defeat against West Bromwich Albion at Kenilworth Road.
Mark Sykes scored his first two goals for Bristol City in a 4-2 win over Birmingham at Ashton Gate.
Tyler Roberts´ brace saw QPR battle back from a two-goal deficit to earn a 2-2 draw at Reading, whose goals both came from Jeff Hendrick.
Kieran Dowell and Teemu Pukki both scored twice as Norwich beat Preston 4-0 to move into seventh place, while Huddersfield´s trip to Hull also ended 1-1.
