It's been a thrilling start with ebb and flow at the John Smith's, as both sides attack and defend in waves.

Surely this breakneck pace cannot continue?

Big goal at Boundary Park where Oldham have taken the lead in the basement battle against Scunthorpe through Benny Couto.

Elsewhere, Tranmere are ahead at home to Barrow while it remains goalless between Mansfield and Hartlepool.

None of the goalscoring excitement at the Riverside that they've had down in West Yorkshire, but it's been a lively start for both teams.

Middlesbrough set the tone early on, but Forest have shown a bit of attacking threat, with Phillip Zinckernagel and Brennan Johnson showing their qualities.

Boro had a chance when Onel Hernandez picked up possession in the box, but he couldn't get the ball out of his feet and was eventually forced to put it behind.

Joe Thompson
Former Rochdale and Tranmere midfielder on Squad Goals

Did the MK Dons defence have a bit too much Christmas pud yesterday?

MK Dons have got themselves into the festive spirit, gifting Lincoln an early two goal-lead through an own goal from Warren O'Hora and a Chris Maguire penalty!

Henry Liston
Squad Goals

That's one of the fastest goals of the season in the Championship from Jerry Yates to give Blackpool the lead at Huddersfield.

Bright start from Middlesbrough as Isaiah Jones powered forward into the Forest half, but after the ball was delivered in from the right it's an easy claim for Brice Samba.

Forest are trying to get the ball into the feet of the lively Brennan Johnson, and their pace is a threat on the break.

Here we go then. A drastically reduced afternoon's EFL programme across the three divisions.

We'll keep you up to date on Boro-Forest and Huddersfield-Blackpool, and the best of Leagues One and Two.

We've a multi-media bonanza of options for you to follow the EFL this afternoon.

Old-fashioned written word courtesy of myself and Claire Gould, whether you're home chomping on chocolate or looking to find out the news from elsewhere at a ground somewhere.

The folks at Squad Goals have an audio take on the day's football events outside the Premier League, while Final Score will be across games throughout this afternoon with a visual element too.

Practically spoilt for choice. All those options are available on the carousel above.

Image source, Getty Images

There is a sense of symmetry to the fortunes of Huddersfield and Blackpool of late, or at least a little similarity.

Both ended winless runs last time out, both have lost their last three Boxing Day matches, and both are just outside the play-off places in terms of points accrued.

Carlos Corberan's Terriers have been something of a surprise package in terms of a play-off bid this season, but what they could do with is a regular scorer, as Danny Ward's six goals make him their leading marksman.

Across the Pennines and by the seaside, Neil Critchley's Blackpool made an excellent start to life back in the second tier but a loss of form saw them drift down the table. However, their comeback win over Peterborough last time out was a performance of character and energy.

Today's game should be a classy affair, as both teams like to get the ball down and play. Here's hoping.

Image source, Getty Images

Forest's destiny in 2021-22 owes a fair bit to Middlesbrough, in a strange way. After all, it was an insipid performance in losing 2-0 to the Boro at the City Ground in mid-September which prompted the Reds to make a key change and part with Chris Hughton.

The subsequent upturn in form is evidence that a club who are no strangers to swinging the managerial axe, have finally got their call right. Steve Cooper succeeded Hughton and the former Swansea boss has turned fortunes around in dramatic fashion.

One defeat in 16 is remarkable statistic, a result of channelling the talent of players such as Brennan Johnson and loanee Phillip Zinckernagel, being brave enough to switch things tactically mid-game and energising the squad.

Today's opponents Middlesbrough have a shrewd tactician of their own in Chris Wilder, having replaced veteran Neil Warnock for another former Blade mid-way through the campaign.

That decision too has brought rewards, as their front-foot performance and victory against high-fliers Bournemouth last time out showed they are certainly a challenger among those clubs eyeing a promotion bid in 2021-22.

In Boro's Isaiah Jones and Johnson there are two dynamic young players respectively. It wouldn't surprise me if one of those two were the gamebreaker in this one.

Image source, PA Media

Even the Premier League, with players under strict protocols and with the resources to maintain high levels of testing and virus management, has seen its fixture schedule affected by Covid.

So, it's fair play to the EFL clubs that have kept their squads clear of any issues. Those club with cases are not being blamed, of course.

For the moment, today's games will have fans in but with restrictions imposed by Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland's governments around limited capacities and attendances all together, it could well be that further changes will be made in England too.

Of course, it's all yet to be decided. Watch this space.

There are three games in League Two which have survived and will go ahead fingers crossed as planned.

Tranmere could move into the automatic promotion places if they come out with a home win against Barrow at Prenton Park.

Mansfield have an eye on the play-offs despite sitting in mid-table - such is the congestion in that patch of the league - as they entertain Hartlepool.

The EFL's two lowest-placed teams meet at Oldham, as the Latics host bottom-side Scunthorpe. The mood around Boundary Park has not been great of late, but the club have at least allowed the three 'banned fans' to return this afternoon.

Four matches will take place in the third tier today.

Leaders Rotherham can edge themselves further clear at the top if they get a good result at Accrington, while fellow promotion hopefuls Plymouth travel up the M5 to Cheltenham.

Fleetwood and Shrewsbury meet in a 'six-pointer' with possible repercussions at the opposite end of the table, while fellow strugglers Lincoln welcome a MK Dons side on the cusp of the play-offs to Sincil Bank.

Just the two matches to focus on then in the Championship, after Hull-Blackburn went earlier this afternoon, and Luton-Bristol City was added to the list of suspended games on Christmas Day.

Got to feel for the Rovers fans. What a wasted journey.

Two promotion challengers in Middlesbrough and Nottingham Forest are pitted together at the Riverside.

And two sides also looking to mount potential charges of their own within a congested table in Huddersfield and Blackpool meet for a White Rose v Red Rose tussle.

Image source, Getty Images

You might be nursing the obligatory hangover or stuffed full of all those treats that have been clogging up the fridge over the past week or so, but I'm sure you've left a little room to fit in some festive football.

The menu is a little sparser than usual, but there are still some impressive match-ups to whet the appetite.

Image source, Rex Features

Amid all the uncertainty and upheaval of Covid-19 and the rising cases of the Omicron variant, football just about limps on for the annual program of festive, post-Christmas fun.

At last count, 24 games in the English Football League had been lost to postponements, to be rescheduled at a later date, as clubs struggle to contain the spread of the virus.

For those who have managed the impact, it's all systems go on this Sunday afternoon. Merry Christmas to you all. Let's have some football.