Blackburn win the first attacking free kick of the game as Todd Cantwell is felled down their right.

The away side stand up to it.

Dafydd Pritchard
BBC Sport Wales at the Swansea.com Stadium

There's a certain irony to the fact Swansea City host West Bromwich Albion today - after a week when Swans boss Luke Williams has had to field questions about speculation linking him to the Baggies.

Williams was installed as favourite with bookmakers to replace Carlos Corberan after the Spanish coach left West Brom to join Valencia during the festive period.

After initially failing to shut down links to the Hawthorns vacancy when questioned by the media, Williams eventually confirmed he was staying at Swansea.

Swans chairman Andy Coleman has described the speculation as "unhelpful" in his match programme notes today.

Williams has said his light-hearted responses to media questions were because there was "absolutely nothing in" rumours about a move to West Brom, and he'll hope his Swansea side can back that up with a third successive home win this afternoon.

A nice warm reception for Potters boss Mark Robins before kick-off on a typically frigid day at the Bet365.

Can he get off to a perfect start against one of the worst away sides in Football League history, or is this a new beginning for Argyle?

Stoke did pick up the points in Robins' only previous visit here this season, beating his Coventry side 1-0 back in balmy August.

Image source, Rex Features

We're under way in our three early Championship games.

Fingers crossed for some end of Christmas crackers!

Image source, Getty Images

West Brom announced this morning that midfielder Jayson Molumby has signed a new three-and-a-half-year contract with the club.

Molumby, 25, has been with the Baggies since the summer of 2021. He was signed on a season-long loan from Brighton and then on a permanent deal the following year.

The Republic of Ireland international has made 120 league appearances for Albion, with 22 of them coming this season. His contract was due to expire this summer.

Mark Atkins
Former Blackburn midfielder on BBC Radio Lancashire

Image source, Rex Features

Last time I played in one of these games I think we won 3-0, I think we will take that result today.

I see it being very tight with one goal probably going to be the one that wins it. I think both teams can defend properly and I think that is what they have been doing, and that is why they are getting the results and they are where they are in the league.

It is going to be very difficult for both teams to break the other team down. I think the forward players have got to do a bit more than they have been, but defensively Blackburn are very solid and they know what they are doing. They are willing to defend when they have to, but they have to be better on the ball especially to the front players.

These derby days are not great for players, but they are great to play in. I have played in a few Wolves v West Brom games and it is horrible with the crowds, you have really got to be at it as a player mentally more than physically.

You don't want to get any bad tackles. But the fans are here and they want you to tackle - it is as simple as that. It is difficult but you have got to keep your head.

Glen Little
Ex-Burnley winger on BBC Radio Lancashire

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I only ever played in a derby once and not played here since, and it was a 5-0 [loss]. So not a great experience for me, but from what I think we have seen from both these sides this season, I don't think we will be seeing that again.

For maximum points, Burnley need the forward players. I was saying on the way here it could be a tight one and we hate to say it but Burnley have got two 0-0's in a row, and it wouldn't surprise anyone if it was another 0-0. But we hope to see a much better game than that though and an exciting game, but it could be a case of the first team that scores wins.

The previous game at Turf Moor between these two was played like a proper derby game. I know Blackburn had a man sent-off but there was a bit of needle, there were a few challenges going in and sometimes you don't get that in todays football. Mainly because of the possession game and lots of teams sort of sat off letting you have the ball.

So I'm hoping to see that again that is what you really want. You want to see a few challenges and in your face football, I think we are going to get that again.

It is a game were I have a feeling Blackburn might be a bit cagey at first and it will be Burnley with the possession, but it is just whichever team can get that goal and they will have the big advantage.

Image source, BBC Sport

Swansea boss Luke Williams has made four changes after the 4-0 defeat to Portsmouth on Wednesday.

Out go Ben Cabango, Kyle Naughton, Jay Fulton and Florian Bianchini, with Cyrus Christie, Josh Key, Goncalo Franco and Zan Vipotnik coming in.

Image source, BBC Sport

West Brom goalkeeper Alex Palmer makes his 100th start for the club as two changes are made to the side that beat Preston on New Year's Day.

Mason Holgate comes in for Kyle Bartley in the centre of defence, and captain Jed Wallace starts ahead of Tom Fellows.

Mark Robins has made one change to the Potters XI which Ryan Shawcross picked for the goalless draw at Burnley in his final game in interim charge on Wednesday.

Sam Gallagher comes into the midfield with Wouter Burger dropping to the bench, though City are still missing the likes of Ben Pearson, Jordan Thompson, Eric Bocat and Million Manhoef to injury.

Interim bosses Joe Edwards and Kevin Nancekivell have made just one change from the Pilgrims side which salvaged a 2-2 draw against Bristol City on Wednesday.

Michael Obafemi comes in up top for Ryan Hardie, who is not even on the Greens bench, having come off in the New Year’s Day game against the Robins.

There’s no place yet for new record signing Michael Baidoo while Andre Gray, who came off the bench on Wednesday, has left the club at the expiration of his short-term deal.

Blackburn make three alterations to the team that started the 1-1 draw at leaders Leeds on Wednesday. Amario Cozier-Duberry, Todd Cantwell and Makhtar Gueye all come into the XI.

Striker Yuki Ohashi is facing a spell out with an ankle injury picked up in that game.

Image source, BBC Sport

Burnley bring forward Zian Flemming back into the XI at the expense of veteran striker Jay Rodriguez and Josh Laurent into midfield for Luca Koleosho.

Legendary striker Ashley Barnes is named on the bench after returning to the club from Norwich earlier this week.

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, Rex Features

A lot of eyes will be on Swansea head coach Luke Williams today after a week of strong speculation linking him to the vacant manager’s role at the Baggies.

Some disappointed Swans fans felt the former Notts County boss didn’t exactly rule himself out of leaving with some of his comments earlier this week but it would appear he is set to stay in south Wales for now.

Williams’ side currently sit in 12th, six points behind West Brom in sixth, so a win today would pull them closer to a play-off spot and keep the Baggies within striking distance.

The West Brom hierarchy are said to be in no rush to replace Carlos Corberan who left for Valencia on Christmas Eve, with the Spaniard suffering a dramatic late defeat against star-studded Real Madrid in his first game last night.

The Baggies’ interim management team of Chris Brunt, Boaz Myhill and Damia Abella did a decent job over the festive period and some fans have called for them to be given the role on a permanent basis.

But the Baggies have lost on their last three visits to Swansea and are without a win in their last five away games so today will be a big test for the trio.

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While most of us have vowed to get more fresh greens in during January, Plymouth are leading by example, breaking their transfer record to sign Ghana midfielder Michael Baidoo last night.

With key defender Lewis Gibson departing for Preston in another seven-figure deal yesterday, and no permanent replacement for the departed Wayne Rooney in the dugout, Argyle remain in a state of flux with Kevin Nancekivell and Joe Edwards taking charge for the second time after Wednesday's dramatic home draw against Bristol City, which couldn't haul the Greens off the bottom of the table.

Stoke City are only seven points better off but have their man, announcing ex-Coventry boss Mark Robins as the man to succeed Narcis Pelach in the lead-up to Wednesday's stalemate at Burnley.

Plymouth have not been just bad on the road this season, they've been historically bad.

They have taken two points from 13 away games, scored just three goals and conceded 35 - at this rate they are on course to become only the second team in Football League history to register such lop-sided stats on their travels, behind Gainsborough Trinity's ill-fated 1901-02 side.

While the Potters will have a new face in the home dugout for the third January in succession, after Alex Neil in 2023 and Steven Schumacher last year, the Potters have an extraordinary record at home to Plymouth.

Argyle have never won in 20 previous visits to City, picking up just six points in total - the fourth longest winless away run in the EFL, behind Mansfield (25 games at Reading), Coventry (23 at Preston) and Blackburn (22 at Luton).

More of the same, or will Argyle reinvent themselves on the road in 2025?

Image source, Rex Features

Absolutely no offence to the nine other Championship games being played this afternoon but there's no doubt about what the game of the day is in the second tier.

Seventh-placed Blackburn are confounding some pre-season expectations to be right in amongst the play-off chasers with half the season played and a win today would not only boost those aspirations but, just as importantly for fans, dent the promotion dreams of their nearest and not dearest.

It'll be no easy task to get past Burnley though.

The Clarets have conceded just NINE goals from their 25 matches so far and they haven't lost to Rovers since March 2010.

Victory for Scott Parker's men today would move them level on points with leaders Leeds, albeit possibly only for a short period.

We're not quite in the six-pointer portion of the campaign but tell you what, a win for Mark Robins in his first Stoke game against Plymouth this lunchtime would make life a lot more comfortable for Potters fans, and far less so for the Pilgrims faithful.

Preston also host upwardly-mobile Oxford United this afternoon, with Gary Rowett seeking to continie his winning start to life at the Kassam, while Luton travel to QPR for the Monday night match.

The Hatters will be hoping it's a case of 'as you were' by then as Cardiff, Hull City and Portsmouth face tough tests of their own against promotion-chasing Middlesbrough, Leeds and Sunderland this weekend.

Sunderland were the sole winners in the top four on New Year's Day as they battled past Sheffield United to consign the Blades to a third game without victory.

The Black Cats will be interested spectators for today's action as they're off today before hosting Portsmouth tomorrow.

Burnley's draw with Stoke was enough to see them move up to second and local rivals, and this afternoon's opponents, Blackburn did them a favour by scoring a lat, late equaliser at league leaders Leeds.

Those top four teams all have a pretty decent cushion to the chasing pack just now but could one of them emerge in the second half of the season to push for a top two place? It's certainly been done from further back before.

Image source, Rex Features

Blackburn v Burnley

Stoke v Plymouth

Swansea v West Brom

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Same old rivalries.

East Lancashire neighbours Blackburn and Burnley have been going head-to-head in the Football League since the inaugural season in 1888-89.

They meet at Ewood Park today for the 94th time in the league and, remarkably, both have won 38 of their match ups.

Will someone strike out a lead today?

We've also got Mark Robins taking charge of Stoke for the first time against managerless Plymouth while another side under a caretaker, West Brom, visit Swansea in the now customary early triple header.

After that? Seven more Championship games.

Let's get started!