This one could well be feisty.

Birmingham are smarting from the weekend defeat at Villa Park.

Millwall are hovering above the relegation zone and need to start picking up points.

It's a quiet start at The Den.

A nervy start for Ipswich, who are without a Championship home win in 11 attempts.

Liam Walsh forces Bartosz Bialkowski into a save from the edge of the box and then Jamie Paterson curls over after confusion in the home defence.

In response, Freddie Sears hits a low one agonisingly wide from 25 yards.

An early break in play at the DW Stadium, as James Vaughan clatters into Jack Rodwell to leave the Blackburn man on the floor.

The stretcher is coming out and Wigan striker Vaughan is rightly booked for that slightly reckless challenge.

There's something of a feelgood factor around Villa Park at the moment following Sunday's 4-2 win over fierce rivals Birmingham.

But tonight's opponents Forest may well be the toughest test Dean Smith has faced since taking over last month.

Aitor Karanka's side have only lost twice this season. In 18 games. Decent.

Alex Richards: As a Derby County fan, I am delighted the way our season is going, with Frank Lampard. A brand new manager has been great. Come On Derby

Whistles are starting to blow in five of our six Championship games.

It's wet and windy out there... a perfect excuse to stay in and follow all the action right here!

As ever, you guys are a key part of our live text commentaries.

Furious with your side leaking goal after goal? Delighted with the clamber towards the top of the table?

Let us know your thoughts using #bbcefl on Twitter.

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Stoke City and Derby County fans don't tend to share particularly cordial relations - largely based around a relatively local proximity to each other, but the subject of Gary Rowett could well be a uniting subject.

Rowett left the Rams for the Potters at the end of last season - although whether there were many tears shed is another matter. Rams fans warned Stokies of what they called "negative football" and "boring tactics". Some Stoke fans would tend to agree if current social media chatter is anything to go by.

However, he might just be turning things round after leading the Potters on a run of one defeat in nine - which came against another former club in Birmingham.

Derby roared back from their Villa mauling before the international break with a fine victory over Sheffield Wednesday, as Frank Lampard's side continue to stake their promotion credentials.

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As those in the Red Rose county would say, Happy Lancashire Day. Although, it was actually on Tuesday.

Shame really, because Wiganers continue to celebrate this festival of north-west pride despite being banished to Greater Manchester in 1974, while Blackburn remains steadfastly Lancastrian to this day.

While fans might come together for a hotpot, bowl of lobby or proper meat pie and a pint before kick-off, once it gets underway both teams will be looking to reignite their earlier season form.

Wigan haven't picked up three points since stunning West Brom in October, five games ago; while Rovers have one win in five. Someone's unwanted run has to break surely?

By the way, what better way to illustrate Lancastrian pride, than a picture of gravy wrestling?

There were also six games last night. Here's a snapshot of what happened...

Image source, Rex Features

• Leeds move up to second and a point behind leaders Norwich with 1-0 win over Reading
• Canaries held to goalless draw at Hull
• Bolton without a victory in nine games after defeat at Sheffield Wednesday
• Sheffield United maintain promotion push with 3-2 win at Brentford
• Draws between Preston and Middlesbrough and Rotherham and QPR

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Having flirted with the play-offs in their first campaign back in the Championship last term, Millwall have suffered a bit with 'second season syndrome'.

They have shown little glimpses of potential, beating Derby, Aston Villa and Wigan; but nine defeats in their 18 games keep them hunkered down at the bottom end of the table.

A trip to the Den probably won't provide much comfort for a Birmingham City side still smarting from their 4-2 derby defeat by Aston Villa at the weekend.

Mind you, some of their best results have come in what you'd call 'hostile' atmospheres... take Stoke and Leeds for instance. If you can do it on a cold, Wednesday night in South Bermondsey, you'll do it anywhere...

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

There's nothing quite like the 'walking on air' feeling of a derby win, and Aston Villa fans will have been milking that smug sensation ever since Sunday's 4-2 thumping of rivals Birmingham City.

The players will have no such chance to bask and wallow in the bright-lit glory, as it's back to business under boss Dean Smith - who has led Villa on a three-match winning run.

Travelling along the A42 are Nottingham Forest, hoping to stall that progress and continue their own decent league form. That's five unbeaten in this competition, three wins in that spell.

Older fans of both sides will remember headier days when this was a top flight encounter and a packed out Villa Park might just rouse some of that old fervour.

The teamsheets are in - these are the key bits of team news for tonight's games:

• Frank Lampard makes five changes as Derby go to Stoke, with skipper Curtis Davies among those recalled.
• Everton loanee Yannick Bolasie makes his first Aston Villa start as they host Nottingham Forest.
• Paul Lambert names his fourth unchanged line-up as he chases first win as Ipswich boss against Bristol City.
• Danny Graham and Jack Rodwell start for Blackburn, who make four changes at Wigan.

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Having felt the full force of the Norwich promotion juggernaut at the weekend, Swansea must pick themselves up to spar with another contender.

West Bromwich Albion have recovered from a couple of heavy blows at the hands of Derby and Hull to win their past two, blasting Leeds away in convincing fashion and then beating lowly Ipswich.

Swansea can take some comfort in that when the Baggies have been bad, it's been away from home. Although the Swans have lost as many games at home as they have away.

One crumb to cling to? Swansea won this game in December of last season, albeit in the Premier League, with Wilfried Bony scoring. It was his last Swans league goal... a repeat of that would be timely, although he starts on the bench.

Let's get a bit of team news shall we...

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Perhaps unsurprisingly, the footballers of Ipswich Town were not required to switch the town's Christmas lights on this year. That honour went to the cast of the Snow White and the Seven Dwarves panto instead.

With the Tractor Boys bottom of the Championship and with just one win all season, there's not a lot of cause for festive cheer at Portman Road. New boss Paul Lambert is yet to quite get a foothold on their disappointing run.

Image source, Rex Features

Bristol City are also in the midst of a sticky patch, having lost the past four games.

Lee Johnson has built up a massive amount of credit at Ashton Gate with the progress made, but questions about dissatisfaction still surfaced in his press conference.

He handled it coolly, but how quickly the achievements of last season - a cup run and play-off push - are forgotten.

Talking of the bottom of the Championship, it's probably wise to start at Portman Road, where Ipswich are without a home league win in 11 games...

Image source, Rex Features

Yep, the Championship action continues full-steam ahead until Christmas and beyond now.

Seasons can be made or broken over the next few weeks.

Tonight, there are key games at the top and bottom of the table...