Image source, Rex Features

A fascinating fixture in Derbyshire this evening as one team on a slippery slope faces another looking for the fast track.

Derby are the team going backwards, having lost four in a row and gone out of the FA Cup to League One Leyton Orient.

Their current position of 19th is the lowest of the season and Paul Warne's side were booed off following Saturday's 2-0 loss at home to Watford, an indicator that the natives are getting restless.

The visit of high-flying Sunderland shows that life will no get any easier, although the Black Cats could really do with three points to put pressure on the three sides above them.

Two points went begging on Friday when Wilson Isidor missed two late penalties against Burnley, while their form on the road needs tidying up.

Regis Le Bris' side have won just one of their last eight away games and that must improve if automatic promotion is a realistic ambition.

There's a fair bit at stake at the bottom of the Championship tonight with Luton and Hull City both having the chance to get themselves out of the mire against Oxford and QPR respectively.

Cardiff City could either go four points clear this evening or end up in the relegation zone depending on how they do at Millwall who have suddenly dropped into the frame as well.

Derby County have nosedived into trouble and are another side who might finish the night in the bottom three as they host Sunderland.

Image source, Opta

Just the one change for Oxford United as they look to continue their unbeaten league start under Gary Rowett.

Matt Phillips comes into the starting line-up and Ruben Rodrigues is on the bench.

Luton Town have made two changes from the side which started the goalless draw against Preston.

Zack Nelson and Elijah Adebayo get the nod to start in place of Jacob Brown and Carlton Morris who are among the substitutes.

Image source, Opta

Image source, Rex Features

Ah, the new manager 'bounce' - Oxford are enjoying it and Luton are hoping for it.

The sacking of the popular Des Buckingham was hardly the most heartwarming moment of the season and, judging by the reaction of the majority of U's fans, it was unnecessary.

The facts however are plain, since Gary Rowett took over Oxford have won four and drawn two of his six league games in charge. Of Buckingham's final six matches at the helm they lost five and drew one.

Popular decision or not it seems to have had the desired effect with six points now separating Rowett's side and the relegation zone and they'll fancy the job tonight with 25 of their 32 points having come at home this season and facing a Luton side who have lost their past 10 on the road.

Speaking of Luton, they did their best not to sack Rob Edwards, after all promotion to the Premier League and all the riches it brings earns a fair bit of credit in the bank.

Matt Bloomfield has given up the chance to lead a Wycombe Wanderers promotion bid in order to try to prevent Luton ending up in the division he has just vacated. The task is not an easy one - the Hatters now find themselves second from bottom albeit only goal difference has them in the relegation zone.

As previously advertised, the away form is, well, appalling and only twice in their history have they lost more than 10 consecutive games on their travels, the last time being in February 2020.

Tonight might be a good time to start turning the ship around...

Image source, Opta

Abu Kamara and Lewie Coyle are out of the Hull City squad tonight as they make three changes.

Mason Burstow is among the substitutes as in come Cody Drameh, Harry Vaughan and Joe Gelhardt.

There's no place for Kyle Joseph who joined from Blackpool yesterday.

QPR make one change from the side which won at Plymouth on Saturday. Michael Frey drops to the bench and Rayan Kolli, who signed a new long-term contract last week, starts.

Image source, Opta

Image source, Getty Images

If Hull City are looking for a script to read from in their bid to climb out of trouble in the Championship, they might want to take a peek over the shoulder of QPR boss Marti Cifuentes.

When the Londoners travelled to Cardiff on 27 November they were bottom of the table, five points adrift of safety and four behind tonight's opponents.

Fast forward eight weeks and Rangers are now 12th, nine points clear of trouble and on a run of just one defeat from their past 11 league games - it's quite a story.

In those dark days, Cifuentes called for his side to be judged when their injuries cleared up and he has been as good as his word with their form earning him a manager of the month nomination for December.

The Tigers chose to change their manager with Tim Walter sacked in late November and Ruben Selles appointed in early December.

The early signs are promising with the five points they have taken from the new boss' four home games as many as they had managed in the previous eight although it doesn't prevent them from having the worst home record in the division with just 12 points accrued so far.

No one in the division has scored fewer than Hull's 14 goals although they have sought to try to alter that with the signing of Blackpool's leading scorer Kyle Joseph this week.

Bolton Wanderers need to use their game in hand well tonight.

A win over Charlton Athletic will get them level on points with sixth-placed Stockport.

Peterborough fans might be getting worried with only five points separating them from the relegation zone.

Tonight's visitors Exeter look comfortable enough but Posh could do with the points tonight.

Wigan are probably also safe enough but they won't want to offer backmarkers Burton too much encouragement this evening.

A win for Colchester at Harrogate or Fleetwood (14th) over MK Dons (12th) would see them claim the coveted place of 13th in League Two.

A victory for Harrogate would see them leapfrog both the U's and the Cod Army.

It's all just a bit congested in mid-table.

Image source, Rex Features

There are three games in League One tonight where you get the feeling two managers in particular could do with a win.

Dogged by inconsistency Bolton Wanderers just don't seem to be able to get going which has turned up the heat on boss Ian Evatt in recent weeks with Saturday's last minute equaliser to claim a draw at home to Cambridge United hardly helping.

But, victory over Charlton tonight would move them level on points with sixth placed Stockport.

Darren Ferguson's Peterborough find themselves just five points clear of the drop zone and on a six game winless run which includes four defeats. A home meeting with out-of-form Exeter might have come at just the right time for The Posh.

At the very bottom Burton look like they need snookers and even Masters champion Shaun Murphy might struggle to bridge the 11-point gap to safety as they head to Wigan.

In League Two MK Dons have gone off the boil after a lively start under Scott Lindsey and five defeats from their past seven games leaves them eight points short of the play-offs as they visit Fleetwood.

Colchester's weekend win at Bromley moved them 10 points clear of trouble as they visit Harrogate who themselves have an eight point buffer.

We'll bring you goal updates from these games tonight.

Championship

Blackburn v Coventry

Derby v Sunderland

Hull City v QPR

Middlesbrough v West Bromwich

Oxford United v Luton

Swansea v Sheffield United

Watford v Preston

Millwall v Cardiff (20:00 GMT)

League One

Bolton v Charlton

Peterborough v Exeter

Wigan v Burton

League Two

Fleetwood v MK Dons

Harrogate v Colchester

Image source, Getty Images

Yesterday was Blue Monday, officially the most depressing day of the year, not least because it had no EFL action to perk it up.

Without intending to deepen anyone's gloom, league titles aren't won on cold, dark Tuesday nights in January, but it's exactly this sort of night on which a club can lose one.

Welcome along to the start of a full programme of midweek Championship football, with eight second-tier games on the bill tonight, plus a sprinkling of League One and Two intrigue too.

We have big games and subplots galore to bring you across all three divisions, so let's not waste any more time and dive right into the action, shall we...