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Today looks likely to be the day Ipswich finally embrace the fate which has been awaiting them for most of the season.

Bottom of the table since mid-October, the Tractor Boys start the afternoon 14 points from safety and are set top drop back into the third tier for the first time since 1957.

That means not even a win may be good enough to secure survival, should Millwall, Reading and Wigan - who are all on 41 points - each win this weekend.

Birmingham picked up a point at home to promotion-chasing Sheffield United in midweek and are six points above the relegation zone themselves.

The Blues have been thrust into danger following their nine-point deduction for breaching FFP regulations, but four of their final five matches come against teams in the bottom five - so they'll only have themselves to blame if they are dragged into more pressing danger.

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The battle for automatic promotion continues to hot up in League One, as Sunderland moved above Barnsley and into second as they extended their unbeaten run to 19 league matches in midweek.

Just four points separate the Black Cats, the Tykes, Portsmouth in fourth and fifth-placed Charlton Athletic - although Sunderland and Pompey both have a game in hand.

Charlton have the toughest task today, entertaining leaders Luton Town, who are seven points clear at the top.

At the bottom, the bonkers relegation scrap continues to astound - with Gillingham, in 13th, six points above 23rd-placed Walsall.

Two matches to look out for are the Saddlers' trip to Accrington (in 17th) and Southend (21st) hosting Wycombe (20th).

Here's the full run-down of games in the third tier, which all kick off at 15:00 BST:

• Accrington v Walsall
• Barnsley v Fleetwood
• Blackpool v Peterborough
• Bristol Rovers v Bradford
• Charlton v Luton
• Doncaster v Plymouth
• Gillingham v Shrewsbury
• Oxford v AFC Wimbledon
• Portsmouth v Rochdale
• Scunthorpe v Burton
• Southend v Wycombe
• Sunderland v Coventry

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The most significant Championship team news comes from Villa Park, where the hosts are without talisman Jack Grealish today because of illness.

Visitors Bristol City's only change sees Matty Taylor come in to the starting XI, as fifth hosts sixth in front of a sellout in the West Midlands.

Elsewhere, Bruno Martins Indi starts for Stoke after his red card at Swansea was overturned on appeal, while Bojan and Ryan Shawcross also come in for the Potters.

And relegation-threatened Ipswich make four changes for their game against Birmingham, including a recall for defender James Collins.

Whoever you support, across the EFL, you can find your side's line-up by clicking here.

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Bolton Wanderers' off-field issues continue to rumble on in the background as owner and chairman Ken Anderson attempts to sell the club.

Full-time playing, coaching and non-playing staff have still not been paid their March salaries, despite them being due on Friday, 29 March.

Boss Phil Parkinson has revealed the club's chief scout Tim Breacker cannot afford to travel to games as he has not been paid for three months.

And the financial problems are affecting players' personal lives, says defender Andrew Taylor.

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Is Derby County's play-off push running out of steam?

The Rams slipped out of the top six in mid-February and have pretty much been stuck in seventh place since then.

With just one win in five they slipped to eighth, and five points behind sixth-placed Bristol City, when they lost at Blackburn on Tuesday.

But Frank Lampard's men do at least have a game in hand on their rivals, so all is not lost.

Today they welcome struggling Bolton Wanderers, who have troubles on and off the pitch, to Pride Park.

It's now or never for the Trotters, who are nine points from safety with five games remaining.

But Phil Parkinson's side have lost four of their past five, with the other match a victory at QPR.

They need results - and fast - if they are to prolong their two-year stay in the Championship.

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One of the games of the day comes at Villa Park, as fifth host sixth.

Aston Villa have been flying under Dean Smith over the past six weeks, winning seven games in a row.

That form has seen Smith handed the Championship's manager of the month award for March, so he'll be aiming to avoid the allegedly-associated 'curse' - losing immediately after picking up the gong.

The most recent of those victories came at Rotherham on Wednesday, where the Jack Grealish-inspired Claret and Blues came back from 1-0 down to win 2-1 with 10 men.

Bristol City are a point behind Villa, and unbeaten in five games themselves.

The winners of this one will move a step closer to a place in the play-offs while the losers will be looking over their shoulders at the chasing pack headed by Middlesbrough, Derby and Hull.

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Sheffield United missed an opportunity to move back up to second in the Championship on Wednesday, when they could only draw at Birmingham City.

The Blades now have to hope Leeds United drop points before now and the end of the season to keep their dreams of automatic promotion alive.

But the two sides have been trading places for the past few weeks, and United have a chance to move ahead of the Whites - albeit for a couple of hours - with their Yorkshire rivals not in action until the late kick-off.

But Millwall have their own worries to clear up, with the Lions lying two points above the relegation zone.

Neil Harris' side have lost one of their past four games, and are scrapping for every point they can get.

Here's the fixture list in the Championship this afternoon. All games bar one kick off at 15:00 BST, with Leeds against Sheffield Wednesday at 17:30 BST.

• Aston Villa v Bristol City
• Derby County v Bolton Wanderers
• Ipswich Town v Birmingham City
• Middlesbrough v Hull City
• Nottingham Forest v Blackburn Rovers
• Queens Park Rangers v Swansea City
• Reading v Brentford
• Sheffield United v Millwall
• Stoke City v Rotherham United
• West Bromwich Albion v Preston North End
• Leeds United v Sheffield Wednesday (17:30 BST)

With the climax of the Championship season almost upon us, it's worth taking a look at the top and the bottom of the table before today's fixtures.

Leaders Norwich, who travel to Wigan tomorrow lunchtime, need a maximum of nine points to secure promotion.

Leeds and Sheffield United are both battling for automatic promotion and West Brom are almost guaranteed a play-off spot.

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At the bottom, Ipswich will be relegated if they fail to beat Birmingham.

Bolton are close to joining the Tractor Boys in the third tier, but above that it is a four-way scrap for the final place in the bottom three.

Birmingham and QPR are just out of the bottom six, both on 45 points.

Image source, .

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As we hit the middle of April, so the pressure in the English Football League ramps up.

Scrutiny remains on the top and bottom of each of the three divisions, and we could have a first promotion party of the season come 17:00 BST.

League Two leaders Lincoln City are on the brink of making it back to the third tier for the first time since 1998-99.

However, there could be opposite feelings at Portman Road, as Ipswich Town will be relegated from the Championship if they fail to win today.

Sheffield United and Leeds United are still vying for automatic promotion to the Premier League and at the other end there seems to be a four-way battle for one relegation spot.

Stick with us and we'll guide you through today's action in the EFL.