Image source, Rex Features

Defender Mason Holgate says West Bromwich Albion are relishing the opportunity to take on a promotion rival when they travel to Sunderland in the sole 20:00 GMT kick-off.

The Baggies are sixth and six points behind second-placed Sunderland following a 2-2 draw with Norwich at the weekend, which was their seventh draw in an eight-match unbeaten run.

"If we want to be where we want to be and if we have the quality we believe we have, these are the games where we need to stand up and make statements," Holgate told BBC Radio WM.

"I think we all know that and are ready for it and looking forward to it."

Sunderland are one of three teams tied on 32 points at the top of the table, along with leaders Leeds and Sheffield United, but Holgate believes things can change very quickly.

"I feel like this year, anybody can beat anybody and that's what makes these games where we come away feeling like we could've won a little bit more frustrating, because you add those points on, it makes a really big difference," he said.

Image source, Rex Features

A fourth successive league draw for Sunderland at Millwall at the weekend saw them replaced by Leeds United at the top of the table but they will be looking to reclaim the lead as they host sixth-placed West Brom tonight.

The last time the Black Cats started a season so strongly in the second tier in 1998 they ended up winning the league with 105 points - 18 clear of second-placed Bradford City.

Back then, Sunderland were managed by Peter Reid and able to rely on a formidable strike partnership of Niall Quinn and Kevin Phillips, who in total provided 41 goals together in the league that season.

Regis Le Bris welcomes back Jobe Bellingham, Trai Hume and Patrick Roberts from suspension for tonight's game.

Midfielder Bellingham is available for selection after serving a three-match suspension following his red card in the 0-0 draw at QPR earlier this month.

Bellingham, Chris Mepham and Chris Rigg all have four yellow cards to their name and a booking tonight means they would be ruled out of Friday's top-of-the-table clash at Sheffield United.

Image source, Rex Features

Oxford United head coach Des Buckingham believes the club might not be where it is today had it not been for the work of Chris Wilder.

The U's visit Wilder's Sheffield United tonight with Buckingham coming up against the man who gave him his first senior coaching role.

Wilder promoted Buckingham into his first-team coaching group ahead of the 2013-14 season, when he was just 28, after he had spent time in the club's academy.

Wilder led Oxford back into the EFL during nearly six years in charge at the Kassam Stadium (pictured) and Buckingham says everyone should be thankful for what he achieved.

"Chris Wilder was the first manager who brought me into the senior coaching space so I've got a lot of time for him just for that alone," Buckingham told BBC Radio Oxford.

"I look back now as the head coach of this football club and look at what Chris did at a hugely important time in 2010 to get us back into the Football League and it was a moment where I don't know if we'd be where we are now if he hadn't have done that."

"I would say 90% of (my time there) was really good," Wilder told BBC Radio Sheffield.

"It didn’t end in a great way, unfortunately, but I’d like to think that people will look back at then as a decent time for us.

"I’d like to think we all enjoyed one of the best days of my managerial career - a win at Wembley - an incredible experience and one that I look back fondly on."

Image source, PA Media

Two teams seemingly heading in different directions lock horns at Bramall Lane this evening.

Sheffield United sit level on points at the top and you have to go back to 17 August, a run of 542 minutes, for the last goal the Blades conceded at home, with Lyndon Dykes levelling for QPR in a 2-2 draw.

Chris Wilder's side have taken 13 points from a possible 15 of late and have won all six home games since that Dykes strike without allowing another goal, their best run at Bramall Lane in nearly six years.

By contrast out of form Oxford have one win in 11 and are the worst travellers in the division with just two points from seven matches, no goals in their past two, and the omens aren't great against the Blades either.

They have never kept a clean sheet at Bramall Lane in their 13 previous visits and have lost nine of the past 12 encounters.

The Us come in off the back of a 6-2 home tonking by Middlesbrough on Saturday and have sunk within two points of the drop zone.

Image source, Rex Features

Promotion-hopefuls Burnley host Coventry at Turf Moor looking to keep the pressure on those above them in the table.

Scott Parker’s side are currently fourth, two points behind Leeds, Sunderland and Sheffield United. They have won their last two games, after no wins in their previous four.

Coventry, meanwhile, will offer a stern test after losing just one of their last six games. But they are 17th, just two points above the bottom three.

Parker has made a rallying cry to the fans, claiming they are the bedrock of the club.

“I often say it to the players at 3pm or 7:45, whatever time that game is, we walk out and cross that line with one sole purpose and that’s to try and please our fans,” Parker told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"Football gravitates to everyone - it connects people, it brings people together and I understand with every single bit of it what it means to every fan base."

Meanwhile, Coventry interim boss Rhys Carr says more is to come from summer signing Norman Bassette following his first goal for the club in the draw with Sheffield United at the weekend.

He's already a good player but he's going to be a really good player," Carr told BBC CWR.

"Norman's enthusiasm is infectious and his willingness to work for the team is brilliant - you'd rather have a player you have to reign in than trying to get more out of them."

Image source, Rex Features

Watford are only behind West Brom in the play-off spots on goal difference following their 2-2 draw at Plymouth on Friday night and have won three of their last five games (D1 L1).

They go into this boasting an unbeaten league run at Vicarage Road in their previous 11 games (W7 D4); they last went 12 such games unbeaten in January 1999.

The Hornets, who have lost only one of their last six league games against Bristol City, will have Republic of Ireland international Festy Ebosele back following a one-match ban.

Bristol City fell to their second defeat in three games in a 1-0 loss at home to Burnley on Saturday, having previously been unbeaten in eight (W3 D5).

They are in good shape if you take their form on the road into account and are looking to win three successive away league games for the first time since September 2021.

The Robins are looking to win consecutive away league visits to Watford for the first time since doing so in 2007-08 and 2008-09.

Image source, Rex Features

Stoke City go into this unbeaten in their last four games, picking up eight points out of a possible 12.

In their last outing the Potters came away from bottom club QPR with a 1-1 draw after taking the lead but manager Narcis Pelach said he was satisfied and happy with the progress which has seen his side jump up into the top half of the Championship table.

"I’m pleased with the point because I know how difficult it is to compete in every single game in the Championship," Pelach told BBC Radio Stoke.

They’ll be going into tonight’s game looking to continue their good home form having not lost a game at the bet365 Stadium in their last six.

Preston are 20th and on a run of seven league matches without a win, but head coach Paul Heckingbottom says he is not concerned with his side's league position despite sitting just one point above the Championship relegation zone.

“Its not nice. I’m not concerned by the league position, I’m concerned about us not creating the wins," Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire.

The Lilywhites who conceded to Jerry Yates' 29th minute equaliser in their 1-1 draw with Derby County on Saturday are winless in their last 12 league games on the road (D4 L8), conceding exactly three goals in seven of their last 10 such games.

Image source, Rex Features

Norwich City and Plymouth Argyle have won one game between them in the last six.

The Canaries have designs on the play-offs but their lack of recent victories has seen them drop to 13th, seven points off the pace.

Argyle are six places and two points further back. They have a propensity for late goals, having scored a 96th-minute equaliser against Watford on Friday.

Norwich’s drop in form has coincided with a ban for Kenny MacLean. He is in line for a return, much to boss Johannes Hoff Thorup’s delight.

"The impact Kenny has on the group is something you cannot underestimate - he's a great captain on the pitch for us," Thorup told BBC Radio Norfolk.

"Obviously what Kenny gives us with his technical ability, his tactical ability and the way he can dictate a game for us (is important) but also just his presence and for the way we want to play, he's the perfect midfielder for us so playing without him isn't ideal."

Plymouth have flown to Norfolk for the game, saving themselves around eight hours of travel time.

"We had to be in the air by 11pm after the game, and there was no way we'd have done that, so we're going to stay over and then fly back Wednesday morning," head coach Wayne Rooney said after his side's 2-2 draw with Watford on Friday.

"It's good for us to be flying, but whether it was flying or by coach, we have to prepare right and make sure we do the best to try and get a result."

Image source, Rex Features

Big game in store at the MKM as Sheffield Wednesday head east to visit Hull City, who start the day in the bottom three.

The Tigers' 1-0 defeat by Luton Town on Saturday was their eighth game without a win and saw them drop to 22nd and into the relegation zone, with fans letting boss Tim Walter hear their displeasure at the final whistle.

"We have 30 games to play and 30 games is a lot of points," he told BBC Radio Humberside. "Everything can change in one week. The table is so close."

A win tonight would take them within a point of their visitors, who had taken seven points from nine on their travels before their 1-0 defeat in the Steel City derby in the most recent away game.

You're never quote sure what you might get from Danny Rohl's inconsistent side, who haven't registered back-to-back results of any outcome since August.

The Owls tasted defeat on their past three visits to Hull and lost 19 away games since the start of last season - more than any other side in the second tier.

This is sure to be one to keep your eyes, and ears, on...

Image source, BBC Sport

A nervous night in store for three of the bottom four as they wait to see which of the sides around them will pull away from danger tonight.

Image source, BBC Sport

Would you take a look at this?

Six of the top-10 are in action this evening. How different will this table look in a few hours from now?

Burnley v Coventry

Hull City v Sheffield Wednesday

Norwich v Plymouth

Sheffield United v Oxford United

Stoke v Preston

Watford v Bristol City

Sunderland v West Brom (20:00 GMT)

Image source, Rex Features

Good evening and welcome to the start of a full midweek Championship programme - one of the best sentences in sport, that.

It could scarcely be a bigger round, either. In the week the advent calendars will come out we have an incredibly tight race at the head of the table - by bedtime tonight any one of four teams could sit atop the Championship.

With new leaders Leeds not in action until tomorrow we'll be keeping an eye on Sheffield United and Burnley as they try to pick up home wins to leapfrog the Whites while deposed leaders Sunderland are in action against sixth-placed West Brom in a mouth-watering late kick-off tonight.

At the other end just four points separates 10 sides on the fringes of the relegation zone and we'll be seeing seven of them in action tonight.

This promises to be a cracking few hours so pop the kettle on and settle in...