Image source, Getty Images

Darren Bond, our referee in a rather fetching turquoise number, gets us under way, after the knee - a gesture against racism and other forms of discrimination.

We're up and running. Here we go.

Image source, Getty Images

Joao is the Royals' main outlet with six of his goals so far in the league, ably backed by Yakou Meite on four league strikes.

Solanke's two goals are backed up by three assists too, while winger/forward Arnaut Danjuma is Bournemouth's top scorer with four.

Just noticed Reading have Holmes and Watson on the bench, it's a mystery they didn't start.

I thank you.

Teams are out, on more serious business. The surface at Dean Court looks superb. Lush and green. Bit of sunshine peeking through too.

Bournemouth will hope too many Cooks don't spoil the broth, as they welcome back both Steve and Lewis to the side. Josh King misses out after testing positive for coronavirus on international duty with Norway.

Reading have had injury concerns with Liam Moore, Ovie Ejaria and Yakou Meite all doubts but the first two start while the 'Yak' is on the bench.

Bournemouth: Begovic, Stacey, S. Cook, Kelly, Rico, L. Cook, Lerma, Stanislas, Brooks, Solanke, Brooks

Subs: Travers, Mepham, Riquelme, Simpson, Ofoborh, Kilkenny, Gosling, Anthony, Surridge

Reading: Rafael, Esteves, Richards, Moore, Morrison, Laurent, Rinomhota, Semedo, Aluko, Ejaria, Joao

Subs: Southwood, Gibson, Watson, Holmes, Tetek, Olise, Meite, Baldock

BBC Radio Solent's Kris Temple has a bit more intel around the Cherries' team news.

Image source, Getty Images

Perhaps the greatest Cherries-Royals game of all time was the 3-3 draw between the two at the Madjeski Stadium in May 2001.

The Cherries had a teenage Jermain Defoe on loan from West Ham, causing havoc to defences, and his 18 goals in 29 league games put Sean O'Driscoll's side on the cusp of a play-off place.

They needed a win to keep those hopes alive against a Reading side who were already certain of their top-six spot.

Winger Wade Elliott and Defoe put Bournemouth 3-1 up at the break, while Martin Butler replied for Reading.

However, sub Darren Caskey curled in a beautiful free-kick to pull it back and Nicky Forster's late leveller cruelly denied the visitors their chance.

Image source, Getty Images

For Bournemouth and Reading fans of a certain age, meetings between the two teams carried a little bit 'extra'.

It became a rivalry, in part because of the frequency of games and the lack of fixtures against more local sides in the vicinity.

The battles of the early 2000s when both teams battled for a play-off spot in the old Division Two, were hotly-contested.

Things might have simmered a little since, as both rose the leagues, but there will be some feeling today, regardless.

Image source, PA

The weekend's Championship fare actually got going last night, when Coventry took on landlords Birmingham in a 'home' game at St Andrew's.

There were no goals sadly, but for a considered read of an otherwise keenly-contested stalemate - tap or click here.

Image source, Getty Images

And so, to our early game.

Even at this stage of the season, just less than quarter of a way through, Reading and Bournemouth have put themselves amongst the promotion candidates with their starts to the campaign.

Veljko Paunovic's Royals are the league's pacesetters currently, their seven wins is the best tally of any club in the division and the 17 goals scored is also highest. Three defeats in a row though has soured the start a little.

Jason Tindall, a former centre-half, has made the Cherries tough to beat with just one loss from 11 games, and their five wins has been enough to install them in the play-off spots.

Of course, it's not all about the second tier.

We'll cherry-pick the best stories from Leagues One and Two as they develop.

And there's always the latest scores service available too if it's just a basic check-up you need.

Image source, Getty Images

After the international break gave the Championship a chance to draw breath after a relentless sequence of games, the domestic competition returns in earnest for the next run into deepest winter.

The table starts to take shape around this time of year, teams start to work out their natural order - although there are always a few outsiders coming up along the rails.

Still no crowds in at games, but for those of you unable to watch your team on a stream, well, we'll do our best to paint the picture.