First chance of the game goes to... Middlesbrough. Of course.

They lead the Championship for shots and this time it's Hayden Hackney who is contributing. Preston North End goal keeper Freddie Woodman has to get down low to put in a stop.

Lively start at the Vic as Watford's Georgian talisman Giorgi Chakvetadze fires past the base of Oliver Dovin's post.

He was in space in the box and a player of his calibre might have done better, in truth.

Andy Sixsmith
Final Score reporter

Middlesbrough welcome Preston today, with one eye on the football, looking to build a promotion push - and the other on remembering a true gentleman.

Sol Bamba tragically passed away before the international break. And although he was only here at Boro for the one season, he was a man who was as adored and loved on Teesside as he was anywhere he went.

A wonderful person. And as one fan said to me outside the Riverside, ‘There’ll never be another like Sol’ Quite.

The away side have just one point from their first four games this season.

Rubin Colwill looks to get them going early on in this but Jacob Widell Zetterstrom in the Rams goal is equal to his effort.

It's the leaders who have begun the brighter at Home Park as Chris Rigg wins the ball and finds Jobe who fires wide of Dan Grimshaw's upright from outside the box.

A win would send Notts County top, but their hopes have taken a big blow inside the first six minutes away to Bromley.

Michael Cheek slid home the opener after just four minutes, and moments later a low 18-yard strike from Ben Thompson has doubled the lead.

Charlotte Richardson
BBC Sport at Vicarage Road

The international break is over and there is a summery feel at Vicarage Road where the season has got off to a sunny start for Watford.

Three homes wins in a row, they host Coventry who change personnel and formation to end their run without victory on the road.

No wins in five road trips and just one in the past 10 league encounters.

A remedy is needed. And quickly.

Coventry couldn't have got off to a better start...

Nick Barnes
BBC Newcastle's Sunderland commentator

We have not yet seen Sunderland and how they respond when they go behind to a goal, that will be an experience.

That's of course if they do go behind.

Marc Webber
Final Score

Watch out for low flying crudités from Derby’s directors box, as Cardiff City boss Erol Bulut will be watching from there today following a touchline ban.

And he warned in his pre-match press conference that he will have to control himself in the stands, as he always very animated during a game.

His phone-a-friend on the touchline will be his assistant, Nicholaos Karydas.

Cardiff are bottom of the table and face a Derby County side who are unbeaten at home in three league and cup games after their return to Championship football.

A minute’s applause will be held before kick-off for Sol Bamba - the Cardiff City legend and one-time Derby trialist - who died last week, aged 39.

Image source, Rex Features

Stockport get the first goal of the afternoon as Louie Barry gets his fourth for the season! County just need a few more to go top. Crawley could be in for a rough 90.

Elsewhere in League One...no goals so far.

Steve Ogrizovic
Ex-Coventry City goalkeeper on BBC CWR

What a great start for Coventry City. If anything is going to give you confidence, an early goal like that will. Coventry have made hay haven't they? They’ve really come out the blocks fast.

I think 27 minutes is more than enough time to catch your breath after the end of the lunchtime kick-offs, isn't it?

We go again. Saturday. 15:00. Is there really anywhere you'd rather be?

Another 25 games up and down the length of the nation are getting under way right... now!

There's a nice early-season marker at stake for Notts County who know that victory at mid-table Bromley will send them top of the tree after defeat for leaders Doncaster last night.

Any one of six other teams could hit the summit if the Magpies slip up, with Barrow, Gillingham, and Bradford all lurking with intent one point further back.

Third-placed Barrow head to hit-and-miss Grimsby, the Gills host Tranmere who are one of just two unbeaten sides alongside Notts. The Bantams, in fifth, travel to sixth-placed Walsall.

And a goal would be a welcome change for bottom side Morecambe who have lost ALL of their first five matches by the same frustrating 1-0 scoreline.

Today they host Danny Cowley’s Colchester.

• Accrington Stanley v Crewe Alexandra
• Bromley v Notts County
• Carlisle United v Fleetwood Town
• Gillingham v Tranmere Rovers
• Grimsby Town v Barrow
• Morecambe v Colchester United
• Port Vale v Chesterfield
• Salford City v Cheltenham Town
• Walsall v Bradford City

Stockport head to West Sussex to take on Crawley knowing that a win by two goals could take them to the top of the table, leapfrogging Wrexham. The home side find themselves floating mid-table, having lost their last two.

A win for play-off chasing Lincoln could turn them into promotion chasers, as three points against Peterborough would potentially lift them into the automatics, depending on results elsewhere, of course.

Reading continue their steady start to the season and could climb into the play-offs with victory against Leyton Orient, who have lost every game so far, scoring only twice. Potential banana skin for Ruben Selles?

Third placed Barnsley could also take top spot this afternoon if they beat 17th placed Stevenage, who are winless in three games.

• Blackpool v Exeter City
• Bolton Wanderers v Huddersfield Town
• Bristol Rovers v Wigan Athletic
• Crawley Town v Stockport County
• Peterborough United v Lincoln City
• Reading v Leyton Orient
• Rotherham United v Burton Albion
• Shrewsbury Town v Charlton Athletic
• Stevenage v Barnsley

Image source, Getty Images

Unsure what to be looking out for in the EFL this weekend?

No worries, we've got you covered with a piece on five things that might be of interest over this weekend including a game between Tom Brady's Birmingham City and Ryan Reynolds' Wrexham.

You can give that a read by clicking here.

Image source, PA Media

Something has to give at Vicarage Road this afternoon.

After steering his side to five straight wins in all competitions to start the season, Tom Cleverley’s men went down 1-0 at Sheffield United in their last match.

They have had 13 days to lick their wounds and this afternoon return to the now fortress Vic, where they have won their last three straight matches, their best run in more than three years.

They do however have a sketchy record against the Sky Blues, winning just one of the last 10 encounters and none in nearly four years since a 3-2 home win under Vladimir Ivic, remember him? No, me neither.

Mark Robins’ men also lost 1-0 last time out at home to Norwich and have found goals hard to come by, scoring only four in their opening four matches – picking up four points.

Despite that keep an eye out for City’s Haji Wright who averages a touch in the opposition penalty area every seven minutes while Watford’s Giorgi Chakvetadze has continued his Euro 2024 form with Georgia by creating the most chances in the division from open play, with 12 already.

When it comes to action meeting the back of the net, Norwich's trips to Liberty Stadium hardly ever fails to disappoint. All 10 of the Canaries away fixtures against Swansea have had a winner with the Welsh outfit leading the head-to-head with six victories.

In order to avoid a seventh, Norwich will be hoping to get a consecutive away win after conquering Coventry during their last trip out, something they haven't managed since January 2023.

While the stats may be slightly in their favour, the Swans will need to watch out for the Canaries secret weapon - surnames that end in S.

Josh Sargent, Borja Sainz and the now departed Gabriel Sara have shared all of Norwich's last 10 Championship goals while the other 57 shots taken by men whose name doesn't end with the magical initial all failed to meet the target.

Image source, Rex Features

These two teams spent the majority of last season battling against relegation from the Championship.

Wednesday, who were in the bottom three from August to April before pulling off a great escape, started the new campaign with a thumping 4-0 win over Plymouth but it's been three straight defeats since.

Rangers have also only won once this campaign but they've also only lost once.

Early days of course but a fourth straight defeat for the Owls today will have fans concerned that they're in for another season at the wrong end of the table.