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Sheffield United are making the early running against Forest in the glorious sunshine at Bramall Lane.

No surprises that the hosts are on top, given the respective form of the teams.

Bristol City are really piling on the pressure now.

In the space of a couple of minutes, Liam Walsh tests Reading keeper Emiliano Martinez with a fierce strike

Josh Brownhill then has an attempt cleared off the line and Jack Hunt is a fraction wide from finding the net on the follow-up.

A first sight of goal for Sheffield United and Oliver Norwood, who is well off target with a 25-yard effort after Forest are caught napping at a free-kick.

Bristol City have been forced into a change. Korey Smith is taken off on a stretcher after a collision and is replaced by Liam Walsh.

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We are up and running at Bramall Lane.

The Blades can go second with a win. Forest have little to play for and have lost three in a row. Just saying.

Famara Diedhiou has his second sight of goal for Bristol City, but once again Matt Miazga gets in the way to block the striker's attempt on goal.

Both sides will be happy enough with the way things are going you would suspect.

Lee Johnson's Bristol City are controlling things but there have been chances at both ends.

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Possession-wise the hosts are holding the upper hand, and they are so nearly ahead.

On-loan Chelsea defender Matt Miazga has to be alert to block Famara Diedhiou's header after some good approach work by another Chelsea defender Jay Dasilva.

Johnny: As a Bristol City fan, I'd honestly prefer to play Leeds or Sheffield United in the play-off semis. Aston Villa would tear us apart over two legs.

Nothing like positivity there, Johnny. Nevertheless, I can see where you're coming from given the downer either Leeds or the Blades could be on after missing out.

Reading have had their first attempt, the sizeable figure of Liam Moore heading a chance over the bar.

The Royals will be relieved to get through the first 10 minutes without conceding and are now settling nicely. Yakou Meite has just tested Max O'Leary with a fine curling strike.

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There's no Billy Sharp for Sheffield United, and the Blades' top-scorer is not even on the bench because of his hamstring injury.

Gary Madine gets the nod up front while there are also starts for George Baldock, Richard Stearman and Martin Cranie.

Nottingham Forest make three changes with Yohan Benalouane, Daryl Murphy and Claudio Yacob all starting. Reds top scorer Lewis Grabban is a substitute.

Sheffield United: Henderson, Baldock, Stevens, O'Connell, Stearman, Duffy, Fleck, Norwood, Cranie, McGoldrick, Madine.

Subs: Moore, Lundstram, Freeman, Coutts, Dowell, Washington, Hogan.

Nottingham Forest: Pantilimon, Byram, Wague, Benalouane, Yacob, Colback, Yates, Pele, Cash, Lolley, Murphy.

Subs: Steele, Grabban, Watson, Osborn, Milosevic, Ansarifard, Appiah.

We're just over 15 minutes away from Sheffield United against Nottingham Forest in what is a massive game for the Blades' automatic promotion hopes.

And there's some pretty big team news...

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It's all Bristol City at the moment. About 80% possession in the first eight or so minutes. Tomas Kalas has just gone close with a header that was well saved by Emiliano Martinez.

A bright start by the home side and they are already piling forward.

Away we go at Ashton Gate. A big game at both ends of the table.

We're only moments away from our first game of the afternoon.

You can have your say on all today's action in the EFL by using #bbcefl on Twitter.

Bristol City welcome back midfielder Korey Smith from injury however winger Callum O'Dowda (knee) remains out, as does keeper Niki Maenpaa (calf) although both are close to fitness.

Reading will be without midfielder John Swift following hip surgery. Defenders Omar Richards (knee), Paul McShane (Achilles) and John O'Shea (calf) are all sidelined. Jon Dadi Bodvarsson is back training but not match-fit.

Here are the line-ups:

Bristol City: O'Leary, Kalas, Wright, Webster, Hunt, Smith, Pack, Brownhill, Dasilva, Weimann, Diedhiou

Reading: Martinez, Gunter, Yiadom, Moore, Miazga, Blackett, Ejaria, Rinomhota, Baker, Barrow, Meite

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Bristol City are very much in the promotion mix. They get today's second-tier action under way against struggling Reading at noon.

City's early kick-off means they will have briefly played the same number of games as most of the teams around them.

A victory would put them four points clear of Middlesbrough who are in the final play-off spot and just a point behind the form-of-form teams Aston Villa.

The Royals have concerns at the other end of the table. They are just four points above the drop zone.

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We've got six early kick-offs across the EFL's three divisions, serving as an aperatif for what's to come later.

We'll be concentrating on the three Championship games, but will keep you up to date with everything that's going on in Leagues One and Two

Championship:

• Bristol City v Reading (12:00 BST)
• Sheffield United v Nottingham Forest (12:30 BST)
• Millwall v Brentford (13:00 BST)

League One

• Coventry City v Bradford City (13:00 BST)
• Oxford United v Charlton Athletic (13:00 BST)

League Two

• Exeter City v Crawley Town (13:00 BST)

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All three of the Championship's automatic promotion chasers are in action today - and the result of one of the early kick-offs could impact significantly on the final match of the day.

Third-placed Sheffield United are first into bat when they take on Nottingham Forest at Bramall Lane.

And if they lose, leaders Norwich will be promoted if they beat Sheffield Wednesday later. Any other results and the Canaries will have to wait until Monday at the earliest.