Burnley's Johann Berg Gudmundsson has been shown a very early yellow card for a foul. No doubts about that one.

The Icelander has a long time to be careful!

We've already had a goal in the big game in League Two with third-placed Northampton taking the lead at leaders Stevenage courtesy of Louis Appere's first minute penalty.

Elsewhere Crawley have made a fast start, taking the lead at home to Mansfield thanks to Ashley Nadesan.

Theo Archibald has given second-placed Leyton Orient the early lead at Carlisle.

West Brom have made six changes at The Den today after a shocking performance against Bristol City in midweek - but the changes have not had the desired effect if the start to this game is anything to go by.

Billy Mitchell almost fires Millwall ahead inside the opening minute but his effort is deflected inches wide.

An early chance for Reading as Tom Ince makes a break into the box inside the first three minutes

His cross comes in but Zak Vyner does enough to get his body in the way of a potential header from Lucas Joao, to put the ball behind for a goal kick.

It's that time again - Saturday, 3pm. What we all live for, eh?

Well it's a nice distraction from what's going on generally in the country anyway.

We're off and running at grounds up and down England in the Championship, League One and League Two.

No doubting where game of the day is in League Two as it is top against third as leaders Stevenage welcome Northampton.

If Stevenage slip up, second placed Leyton Orient could take advantage, but that will not be a given as they are away at in-form Carlisle.

While there is a local derby and a first ever EFL meeting between Salford and Stockport. The Ammies are going nicely in seventh, but County's 17th place does not match the expectations that were heaped upon them following promotion from the National League.

Image source, Rex Features

With Ipswich narrowing the gap at the top to one point with a win over Derby last night, leaders Plymouth Argyle have the chance to restore their four-point cushion if they win, having made the (relatively) short journey to Bristol Rovers.

The other sides in the play-off mix are all on the road, too. Peterborough are at Oxford while Portsmouth go to Forest Green, keen to recover from their 3-0 loss at Charlton on Monday.

Barnsley go to Morecambe and the team just outside the top six, Bolton are away at Accrington.

At the bottom, the big game sees Burton in 23rd take on the side in 20th, Cheltenham at the Pirelli Stadium.

If QPR fail to win against Wigan, then Blackburn are the team in pole position to usurp them at the top of the table - second-placed Rovers face a tough game, though, at home to a Birmingham side that have been impressive on their travels this term.

Blues have won at West Brom, Preston and Hull, as well as picking up draws at Luton and Sheffield United - although Blackburn have four straight at Ewood Park and will start as favourites to make that five.

Rotherham are bidding to record three successive Championship wins for the first time since 2016 as they welcome a Hull side who have lost seven of their past nine to slip right on to the fringe of the relegation places.

And second-bottom Coventry - three 1-0 wins in their past five games - will be looking to continue their recent upturn in a Midlands derby at Stoke. Don't expect too many goals in the Potteries, though - the Sky Blues' past six games have only yielded four in total.

West Bromwich Albion received the frequent bounce enjoyed by many clubs post-manager-sacking when they won 2-0 at Reading last weekend, just days after Steve Bruce departed The Hawthorns.

But they then proceeded to give credence to the notion their problems lie much deeper than the manager with a tame 2-0 midweek home defeat to Bristol City in which the Baggies failed to register a single shot on target.

That win at Reading is their only victory in 10 matches and they remain marooned in the relegation zone - not great preparation for a visit to The Den, where Millwall are always traditionally strong.

The eighth-placed Lions have won six home games out of eight this season and are also on a three-match winning streak - another victory today would almost certainly propel Gary Rowett's side into the play-off places.

Image source, Getty Images

After their very successful and perhaps surprising start to the season, Reading’s current dip in form has seen them fall to three defeats in a row and drop out of the play-off places.

Perhaps more frustrating for Paul Ince is that his side threw away a two goal lead against Swansea midweek, to lose 3-2. They now sit in 10th, one point and two places above today’s opponents Bristol City.

The Robins, meanwhile, come into the match off the back of a win but still proving inconsistent with their performances.

Wins over West Brom and Preston were sandwiched with a defeat to Millwall, with Bristol City last posting back-to-back victories on 21August

Image source, Getty Images

There is no doubt that Vincent Kompany has made a very positive impression in his early months as Burnley boss.

The ex-Manchester City captain has overseen a huge overhaul of the club's squad and a radical change in their way of playing.

No team has suffered fewer defeats but they have been hampered by seven draws. In six of those, they have thrown away a lead, including in Wednesday's 1-1 draw at Birmingham.

Hang on to even a couple of those extra 12 points and Burnley would have a handy lead at the top of the Championship rather than sit one point behind as they head to the Stadium of Light to face Sunderland.

Image source, Getty Images

It has been quite a week for QPR manager Michael Beale.

On Wednesday afternoon, he emerged as the No.1 target to land the vacant Wolves job. That evening, he wached his Hoops side thump Cardiff 3-0 to go top of the Championship.

The next day, he affirmed his commitment to QPR and turned down the chance to take over at Molineux.

Then yesterday his name was linked as an outsider for the Aston Villa job following the departure of Steven Gerrard, a club where he was working as an assistant before he left to lead QPR.

And remember this is for a man with just 16 games as a manager.

After a whirlwind few days, the focus has to switch to the matter in hand - beating Wigan, a team down in 17th but far better on the road than at home.

Image source, PA Media

It's been a strange old season so far for managerless Middlesbrough but those on the Teesside terraces today will be hoping Wednesday's 4-1 walloping of Wigan is the spark that lights the touch paper.

That was Boro's first away victory of the season and while the 'will he, won't he?' saga linking Michael Carrick to their managerial vacancy rumbles on, they will be bidding to record back-to-back wins for the first time this campaign.

Starting the day 20th, they will be hoping to climb clear of danger - while rock-bottom visitors Huddersfield's aim is to climb off the foot of the table, and they'll need a win at the Riverside to have a chance.

However, they have just three of those to their name all season and have picked up only one point from a possible 18 on their travels - although that solitary point did come since Mark Fotheringham took the reins, a 3-3 draw at Luton.

Dan Ogunshakin
BBC Squad Goals

Image source, Getty Images

If Sheffield United’s match against visiting Norwich is half as entertaining as their previous home fixture then we’re in for a real treat. Six goals, including a 98th-minute equaliser, four red cards, melees galore and a missed penalty made for a riotous encounter at Bramall Lane against Blackpool last Saturday.

The Blades come into this fixture in a slump. Having made a strong start to the season under Paul Heckingbottom, they are without a win in their past five fixtures and have picked up just two points in that period.

United will likely be without the influential Rhys Norrington-Davies for the visit of the Canaries after the Welsh international suffered a hamstring injury in the 1-0 loss to Coventry midweek. Injuries and suspensions are mounting for Heckingbottom, who could be without up to 10 first-team players.

There are also doubts about the fitness of striker Ollie McBurnie to start given he is carrying a hernia problem which could see Rhian Brewster or Billy Sharp given the nod.

Norwich arrive at Bramall Lane in a downturn of their own. Dean Smith’s side are without a win in four and have lost three straight matches.

The Canaries have been handed a significant boost ahead of their trip to south Yorkshire as leading scorer Josh Sargent will be available after being withdrawn as a precaution in the 1-0 loss at home to Luton.

The American will be looking to build on his league-leading eight goals this season against a depleted Blades defence that has conceded three goals twice in their past three matches and hasn’t kept a clean sheet in five.

The last time these two sides met resulted in a 1-0 win for the Blades in the Premier League. Both sides will be hoping that a win today might just be the catalyst for a return to the big time.

Image source, BBC Sport

Talk of leadership contests is everywhere at the moment, but here's one that will be settled by 5pm this afternoon.

The jostling at the top of the Championship with a third of the season gone is tighter than ever with seven sides separated by only three points.

This afternoon, FIVE teams involved in four matches could be first by the end of play. And you could not say with any certainty who that might be.

• BLACKBURN (2nd, 27pts, GD 3) v Birmingham
• QPR (1st, 27pts, GD 7) v Wigan
• SHEFFIELD UNITED (4th, 25pts, GD 10) v NORWICH (6th, 24pts, GD 5)
• Sunderland v BURNLEY (3rd, 26pts, GD 12)

There are nine Championship games kicking off at 15:00 BST this afternoon - with the current top four and bottom four among the teams in action.

• Blackburn v Birmingham
• Middlesbrough v Huddersfield
• Millwall v West Bromwich Albion
• QPR v Wigan
• Reading v Bristol City
• Rotherham v Hull
• Sheffield United v Norwich
• Stoke v Coventry
• Sunderland v Burnley

Over in League One Lincoln have equalised against Sheffield Wednesday. There are about 20 minutes to go at Sincil Bank.

But now we've got a whole host of games at 15:00 BST to look forward to.

Here's what's coming up...

Now that's what we call a derby.

Blackpool score four to come away with the win against their west Lancashire rivals.

Two headers from Jerry Yates, a super strike from Charlie Patino and a last-minute goal into an open net by CJ Hamilton wrap up the win.

A Ben Whiteman penalty had drawn Preston level before a Callum Connolly own goal set up a nervous few minutes for the home fans but it's the Seasiders who emphatically prevail this time.