Image source, Rex Features

Newcastle United hit six goals against Preston in midweek as they progressed to the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup.

Rafael Benitez's Magpies have taken 25 points from the last 30 on offer in the Championship and are three points clear at the top of the table.

Preston have won their last four games at Deepdale - and are unbeaten in six - to move to within touching distance of the play-off places.

Boss Simon Grayson will not be expecting a repeat of Tuesday's drubbing in the north east, when the Lilywhites played with 10 men for over an hour.

Adam Pope
Leeds United commentator for BBC Radio Leeds

This game is a real test of the squad, and how well head coach Garry Monk has managed his players after the drama and emotional excitement of the penalty shoot-out win over Norwich in midweek.

He is very keen to avoid what he calls a “bounce game” where players fail to reach the levels of mental and physical intensity required to go into the next game.

He has taken a strict approach of not talking about the EFL Cup quarter-final draw away to Liverpool in a bid to avoid any distractions this weekend.

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Leeds v Burton: Leeds have made nine changes from the team that beat Norwich on penalties in the EFL Cup on Tuesday, including the return of Pablo Hernandez after a two-game absence.

There is just one change for Burton from the team that beat Birmingham City last weekend, with Tom Naylor dropping to the bench for Lee Williamson.

Preston v Newcastle: Preston name the same side that won at Norwich last weekend but only Ben Pringle and Bailey Wright keep their starting places from the team that was thrashed 6-0 by Newcastle in the EFL Cup.

Aleksandar Mitrovic starts for Newcastle, who have made five changes, but there is no place in Rafael Benitez's squad for Dwight Gayle.

Reading v Nottm Forest: Chris Gunter returns for Reading, who make five changes from the side that were beaten by Arsenal.

Forest, who have nine players out through injury or suspension, hand a senior debut to academy graduate Joe Worrall.

Leaders Plymouth are looking to stretch their unbeaten league run to 13 games as they host a Colchester side looking for their first victory in eight matches.

Carlisle, the only team yet to lose this season in the EFL, play Crawley as they look to close the four-point gap to the Pilgrims.

Grimsby begin life without Paul Hurst at Yeovil, while bottom side Newport travel to Yeovil.

There will be regular updates from League One and Two throughout the afternoon.

Final Score, our football goals service, has just got under way on the Red Button and on the BBC Sport website.

Click on the play button at the top of the page to watch the programme online.

New Rotherham manager Kenny Jackett discovered the scale of the task in front of him last week, when his new side slipped to a late defeat at home against Reading.

It was the Millers' seventh successive loss in the Championship, leaving them rock bottom of the table and eight points from safety after 14 games.

Rotherham are now just one defeat shy of their club-record of eight in a row, suffered in 1956.

Ipswich, meanwhile, have failed to score in six of their last seven league games.

It could end up being a tense afternoon at Portman Road...or a very dull one!

Image source, Rex Features

Image source, Rex Features

Fulham haven't won at home since beating Newcastle 1-0 on the opening evening of the Championship season.

Slavisa Jokanovic's side have drawn three and lost three since then, scoring just six times in as many games.

However, the Whites are unbeaten in nine league games against Huddersfield stretching back to 1993.

The Terriers have made their best start to a second-tier season since 1952-53 and could move back into the top two with victory at Craven Cottage.

Steve McClaren suffered his first defeat in his second spell as Derby boss last weekend, when the Rams were beaten 1-0 by Huddersfield.

County have struggled at home so far this season, scoring just twice in seven home games, and only winning once at the iPro Stadium.

Wednesday, meanwhile, have won four or their last six games in the Championship and will be looking to close the gap on the top two. 

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Phil Parkinson's Bolton Wanderers have suddenly hit top gear and are seeking their fifth straight win as Port Vale visit the Macron Stadium this afternoon. You've got every reason to look pleased with yourself Phil!

Leaders Scunthorpe got back to winning ways last Saturday with a 3-0 victory at Chesterfield. This afternoon the Iron welcome Swindon Town to Glanford Park.

Bottom side Shrewsbury, under new manager Paul Hurst, face a trip to a resurgent Southend United, while Coventry are looking to make it three league wins on the bounce with a short journey across the Midlands to Walsall.

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Cardiff City have had a renaissance since Neil Warnock took charge, picking up seven points from a possible nine to move out of the relegation zone.

Today's visitors Wigan will be hoping for a similar boost after Gary Caldwell was sacked on Tuesday following a four-game winless run.

The Latics are 23rd in the table, three points from safety and four behind the Bluebirds.

Wigan have not appointed a new manager yet, and assistant manager Graham Barrow and development squad manager Peter Atherton are in charge for this afternoon's trip to the Cardiff City Stadium.

Rangers boss Mark Warburton has been linked to the job but says he is bemused by those rumours.

It's second versus fourth at the Amex Stadium, as Brighton & Hove Albion host Norwich City.

Brighton are top of the Championship form table, having won six of their last eight league games in an unbeaten run stretching back to 10 September.

Seagulls boss Chris Hughton spent almost two years in charge of today's visitors but was sacked in April 2014. The Canaries went on to be relegated from the top flight that season.

Norwich, who are bidding for an immediate return to the Premier League, have won on their last four trips to Brighton stretching back to 2002.

Image source, Rex Features

Image source, Rex Features

Tammy Abraham is having the longest goal drought of his fledgling club career.

The 19-year-old, who is on loan at Bristol City from Chelsea, has gone four games without a goal.

However, the teenager netted 11 times in 14 appearances prior to that - form which helped him win the EFL's Young Player of the Month award for September.

Six of Abraham's eight league goals have come away from home and he'll be looking to help the Robins remain in the play-off places.

Barnsley ended a run of three straight defeats with victory at Brentford last week, and are just four points behind the visitors going into today's match at Oakwell.

Image source, Rex Features

You can get involved with our live text coverage of the EFL today.

Given 31 October is just around the corner, we want your best Halloween-themed footballers (and mangers) from the EFL.

Think Fright Gayle instead of Newcastle's Dwight Gayle. Or what about Aston Villa's Jack Squealish?

Include #bbcefl in your tweets on Twitter and we'll include the best ones throughout the afternoon.

Get your spooky thinking caps on.

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Derby v Sheff Wed: Derby make two changes from last weekend's defeat at Huddersfield. Will Hughes and Matej Vydra drop out with 20-year-old Jamie Hanson and Darren Bent coming in.

Sheffield Wednesday are unchanged with Fernando Forestieri and Gary Hooper leading the line.

Fulham v Huddersfield: Fulham make four changes from the 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa - Tomas Kalas and Ryan Fredericks two of the men to return to the side.

Three changes for Huddersfield with Harry Bunn, Aaron Mooy and Mark Hudson starting.

Ipswich v Rotherham: Mick McCarthy brings in four new faces into the Ipswich side - Myles Kenlock, Cole Skuse, Teddy Bishop and David McGoldrick all start.

Rotherham are missing skipper Lee Frecklington, while new signing Peter Odewingie is on the bench.

The first game of the day in League One, between Oxford United and Millwall, kicked off at 13:00 BST.

Liam Sercombe gave the U's the lead just after the half-hour mark but Steve Morison equalised for the Lions five minutes later.

Aiden O'Brien gave the visitors the lead five minutes after the break.

They're currently 10 minutes into the second half, and it's still 2-1 to Millwall at the Kassam Stadium.

Image source, Rex Features

Barnsley v Bristol City: Josh Kay is handed hisBarnsley debut as he replaces the suspended Conor Hourihane.

Aaron Wilbraham makes his first league start of the season for Bristol CIty while Tammy Abraham also returns after Tuesday's EFL Cup loss to Hull.

Brighton v Norwich: Brighton centre-back Lewis Dunk returns from suspension as Dale Stephens is recalled.

Alex Pritchard replaces Robbie Brady for Norwich.

Cardiff v Wigan: Lee Peltier and Craig Noone come into Cardiff's starting XI.

Yanic Wildschut and Jordi Gomez replace Nick Powell and Max Poer for Wigan.

Here's a run-down of this afternoon's matches in the Championship:

• Barnsley v Bristol City (15:00 BST)
• Brighton v Norwich (15:00 BST)
• Cardiff v Wigan (15:00 BST)
• Derby v Sheffield Wednesday (15:00 BST)
• Fulham v Huddersfield (15:00 BST)
• Ipswich v Rotherham (15:00 BST)
• Leeds v Burton (15:00 BST)
• Preston v Newcastle (15:00 BST)
• Reading v Nottingham Forest (15:00 BST)
• Blackburn v Wolves (17:30 BST)

Image source, Rex Features

There was one game last night in the Championship, as Brentford beat west London rivals QPR to secure their first win at Loftus Road in 52 years.

Josh Clarke opened the scoring just before the break and Romaine Sawyers scored a classy second with a quarter of an hour remaining.

Victory moved Brentford to a point off the play-offs ahead of today's matches.

You can read the report of that match here.

Good afternoon and welcome to live text coverage of today's English Football League fixtures.

With British Summer Time officially drawing to a close when the clocks go back an hour tonight, soon it will time to say goodbye to the trusty white EFL ball.

These servants of the game will go into cold storage until the spring, to be replaced by bright orange and yellow ones during the dark, cold winter months.

Maybe players up and down the country can give them a good send-off by kicking them into the net repeatedly this afternoon?

We'll preview all the action shortly.

Image source, Rex Features