Natalie Pike
Squad Goals

Image source, Getty Images

Blackburn are looking to make it five wins in a row and take themselves to within touching distance of the all-important top two spots.

Last weekend Blackburn got a surprising away win against promotion challengers Bournemouth, or perhaps not that surprising with Ben Brereton-Diaz in the form that he’s in.

Diaz has now scored 17 goals in the Championship this season, since adding ‘Diaz’ to his name. This is more than the total he scored for Blackburn before tweaking his name. So perhaps I should change mine to Pike-Diaz and I may become a brilliant presenter!

It’s four wins in a row, no goals conceded either in those four and 22 points from a possible 27 - Rovers are on fire.

Birmingham City, on the other hand, have won just one of their past six. The Blues were seconds away from beating Cardiff in their last game, but the Bluebirds managed to grab a last-minute equaliser, keeping Birmingham in 15th.

Right now Rovers will likely be favourites to win any game in the Championship, particularly at Ewood Park. However, we do know in this league that surprises happen all the time. Will we see one today? I’m looking forward to finding out!

Don't forget, coming up from 14:55 GMT right here on the BBC Sport website and app, on BBC Sounds and your smart speaker, you can join Sanny Rudravajhala and the team on BBC Squad Goals.

More details of their "Games of the Day" on the way....

Alternatively, you can also follow all the goals across the EFL and in Scotland this afternoon on Final Score.

You can tap or click the icon at the top of this page to watch or push the red button on your television remote or find it on BBC iPlayer.

Spoilt for choice!

Just four games have made it in League Two today.

Fourth-placed Newport travel to Rochdale knowing a win would see them move into the automatic promotion places.

Stuttering Salford travel to lowly Stevenage and out-of-sorts Harrogate visit sixth-placed Sutton.

It's eighth v ninth on the Wirral as Tranmere host Leyton Orient.

• Rochdale v Newport County
• Salford City v Stevenage
• Sutton United v Harrogate Town
• Tranmere Rovers v Leyton Orient
• Carlisle United P-P Bradford City
• Colchester United P-P Hartlepool United
• Crawley Town P-P Oldham Athletic
• Forest Green Rovers P-P Mansfield Town
• Northampton Town P-P Barrow
• Port Vale P-P Exeter City
• Scunthorpe United P-P Bristol Rovers

Six games for you today in League One but plenty of opportunity for drama.

League leaders Rotherham United travel to Cambridge United looking to extend their unbeaten run to 21 in all competitions.

A bumper crowd is expected at Portman Road for Ipswich against Sunderland. New Blues boss Kieran McKenna is planning to just take a watching brief today.

Struggling Lancashire duo Morecambe and Fleetwood meet with both teams in need of points more than bragging right.

Fifth plays second as Oxford host Wigan and Johnnie Jackson starts life as Charlton's permanent manager with a trip to out-of-form Plymouth.

Struggling Shrewsbury will be targeting a win against Cheltenham to climb away from the bottom four.

• Cambridge United v Rotherham United
• Ipswich Town v Sunderland
• Morecambe v Fleetwood Town
• Oxford United v Wigan Athletic
• Plymouth Argyle v Charlton Athletic
• Shrewsbury Town v Cheltenham Town
• AFC Wimbledon P-P Portsmouth
• Bolton Wanderers P-P Wycombe Wanderers
• Burton Albion P-P MK Dons
• Gillingham P-P Crewe Alexandra
• Lincoln City P-P Doncaster Rovers
• Sheffield Wednesday P-P Accrington Stanley

Image source, Rex Features

These pair came up out of League One together in May.

The Tangerines made a great start to life back in the second tier but have trailed off recently and go into today's match on the back of three straight losses.

Peterborough have struggled but will be buoyed by their 2-1 win over Millwall last time out.

Victory today will see them spend Christmas out of the relegation places.

The wheel's have come off Huddersfield's unlikely promotion bid over the past few weeks.

Carlos Corberan's men are without a win in their past four and have just one victory since the end of October.

They'll be looking to get back on course with a success at Bristol City today.

Nigel Pearson's men have endured a stodgy start to the season but have lost just one of their past five and a win for them would give them a nice cushion above the bottom three.

What an impact Steve Cooper has had at Nottingham Forest.

The Reds looked set for a season of struggle when the former Swans boss took over in September but, improbably, a win today would see them go to one point off sixth.

That'll be no easy task though, as they take on a Hull side down at the wrong end of the table but in pretty decent nick themselves.

Three wins and two draws from their past five means that whatever happens today they'll be above the dotted line on Christmas Day.

It's hard to believe that it's only just over six weeks since 10-man Blackburn were thumped 7-0 on their own patch by Fulham.

The defeat sent them down to 12th in the table and took their previously healthy positive goal difference down to zero.

It would have been easy for Rovers, Championship mainstays for the majority of the past decade, to buckle but instead the defeat has galvanised them.

Tony Mowbray's men will go third if they can record their fifth straight win today.

In the opposing corner are a Birmingham side who have been consistently inconsistent all season.

• Blackburn Rovers v Birmingham City
• Blackpool v Peterborough United
• Bristol City v Huddersfield Town

• Nottingham Forest v Hull City

• Cardiff City P-P Derby County
• Coventry City P-P Stoke City
• Millwall P-P Preston North End
• Queens Park Rangers P-P Swansea City
• Reading P-P Luton Town

Thanks Matt.

Right, so we know we've got 19 games off across the leagues because of Covid-19 cases but we've still got loads of great games and drama to bring you between now and 17:00 GMT so let's get to it!

So, there we have it. Teesside delight and Bournemouth blues from our lunchtime kick-off at the Riverside.

Much more to follow, and to take us through to kick-off at 15:00 GMT for the rest of the games this afternoon, here's Ian Woodcock.

Image source, Getty Images

Teesside rocks on this Saturday lunchtime before Christmas, as Andraz Sporar's penalty gives Middlesbrough a huge 1-0 win over high-fliers Bournemouth in the Championship.

They set their stall out early, and deservedly came away with the win, denying Bournemouth the chance to go top.

Chris Wilder's side putting themselves in the promotion picture with their effort.

It's back-to-back losses for Bournemouth, who have not won in six now, and Scott Parker faces a long journey with his players to ponder after this one.

Time still ticking away as Boro press forward again, Jonny Howson takes it into the box, but Uche Ikpeazu's effort is blocked.

Then the Boro sub wins a free-kick on the edge of the Bournemouth box. Danger.

Goalscorer Andraz Sporar gets a standing ovation as he makes way for Uche Ikpeazu, for a time-chomping sub for Boro.

Stavros Makro: Well you would have expected Bournemouth to push forward after 1-0, instead it's Boro who look more threatening.

Andraz Sporar could have wrapped it up for good for Boro but he took the shot from an acute angle with teammates poised, and it's saved by Mark Travers.

Boro devastating on the counter.

Middlesbrough were doing a nice job of keeping the ball in the corner but no-one gave Onel Hernandez that directive as he rasps a shot just over.

Then the Cuban squares to Marcus Tavernier in the box, it looks a sitter, but it's wide.

Another chance goes begging in injury time.

Last minute of normal time.

Boro fans finally confident enough to launch into song, as they feel the nerves straining.

Sol Bamba about to come on for the home side to replace Isaiah Jones. Bournemouth's chief tormentor this lunchtime.

Bournemouth do everything but score.

Jamal Lowe gets in down the left and squares it, but Boro keeper Joe Lumley sticks out a boot to divert it away.

The ball breaks loose and a posse of Bournemouth attackers are haring into box, but it falls to a Boro player.

Another crack from the edge of the box rattles around in the area, but just won't go in.

Boro living a charmed life there.

Onel Hernandez whizzes away to celebrate after firing across Mark Travers for Bournemouth and tears off his Middlesbrough shirt in jubliation.

It's a short-lived joy though as the flag was up for offside.

Nice finish.

Image source, PA Media