Joe Thompson
Former Rochdale and Tranmere midfielder on Squad Goals

We’re off to the south coast and it’s Gary Caldwell’s first home game in charge. He’s had a bit of mixed bag results-wise but got a first win in the FA Cup, beating Port Vale 3-2. The Grecians are 20th, nine points off the visitors, who are right up there in the promotion mix.

Posh come into this off the back of three league wins on the spin and are one of only four teams to have scored more than Exeter’s 28 goals this season.

Jonson Clarke-Harris is of course the main threat for Grant McCann’s side, he has 12 goals so far.

So, with two teams who know where the back of the next is, I’m hoping for goals!

• Accrington Stanley v Sheffield Wednesday
• Bristol Rovers v Fleetwood Town
• Burton Albion v Charlton Athletic
• Cambridge United v Bolton
• Exeter City v Peterborough United
• Forest Green Rovers v Wycombe Wanderers
• Ipswich Town v Cheltenham
• Lincoln City v Plymouth Argyle
• MK Dons v Derby
• Morecambe v Portsmouth
• Oxford United v Port Vale
• Shrewsbury Town v Barnsley

Image source, Getty Images

Only victory today will give West Brom a chance of being outside of the relegation zone when the Championship resumes in December, so their status as the side Stoke have beaten 14 times more than any other - accumulating 63 wins in this fixture - is probably unhelpful to mention right now.

The imperilled Baggies, however, have the chance to win three consecutive league games for the first time since August 2021, which would give new manager Carlos Corberan a third triumph in four matches in charge.

Their fine run continued with a 1-0 win at QPR last Saturday, and USA international Daryl Dike could play for the first time since the opening day of the season, starting on the bench today after playing for West Brom's under-21 side earlier this week.

Stoke's win at home to Luton means they would be equidistant between the play-off spots and the relegation zone had they earned a point more so far this season.

The Potters make the short journey to The Hawthorns having won the last three league editions of this fixture in the league, and they also have a new technical director after Ricky Martin left his role as West Ham United academy boss to join Alex Neil's team.

"It allows me to focus mainly on the footballing side of things," said Neil, who has rested defender Harry Souttar for the game. "I'll have control and help shape what we do next but he'll be a welcome help."

Sanny Rudravajhala
Presenter, Squad Goals

Carrow Road hasn’t been a happy home for Dean Smith’s Norwich of late. With only one win in five, there have been some calls for Smith to get the boot. But with the Canaries still up there in fourth in the table, there’s nothing to say this side won’t be promoted by the end of the season.

Josh Sargent and Teemu Pukki, have 14 goals between them and their Brazilian starlet Gabriel Sara wowed the crowds, at times, in their 2-1 win over Rotherham. I say "at times", because he also gave the ball away for Rotherham to equalise, which is perhaps a sign of their defensive frailties. Then again, they scored straight from the restart through Aaron Ramsey, so resilience clearly isn’t a problem.

Michael Carrick’s reign at Boro is taking shape, they’re unbeaten in their last three and Chuba Akpom has sprung into life with four goals in his last four games. They bulldozed Blackpool 3-0 on Tuesday and with Akpom on eight overall, he's in the form that can help Middlesbrough climb up from 16th in the table.

It’s the final round in the Championship before the World Cup break, so both sides have a chance to go into it on a high.

Image source, PA

No Championship side has suffered more home defeats than the six sustained by Hull this season, so new boss Liam Rosenior will feel that his first match in charge at the MKM Stadium is the ideal time to change that dire sequence of defeats from the club's last seven fixtures in the city.

Rosenior guided Hull to a comeback 3-2 win at Cardiff on Tuesday after the side who start the day 19th in the table fell 2-1 behind with 16 minutes remaining, and striker Oscar Estupinan is out after the club failed in their appeal against his three-match ban following his dismissal in the 0-0 draw at Millwall in Rosenior's first game in charge.

There is added emotional significance for Rosenior this afternoon because his grandmother, who died almost exactly a year ago, was a Hull fan. "She was a season ticket holder here before I even played," Rosenior reflected.

Reading arrive on a run of one win in their last nine games and have not beaten Hull in their last eight attempts in the league, losing on their three most recent visits to their opponents this afternoon.

Goalkeeper Joe Lumley and defender Tom McIntyre are out for a month, adding to an injury list including defenders Naby Sarr, Liam Moore and Scott Dann.

"Let’s get this game out of the way – try to get three points for our fans and for the club," said Royals manager Paul Ince, whose side lost 2-0 at Watford on Tuesday. "Then we’ll all have a bit of a break."

Image source, Getty Images

Nathan Jones had overseen six home matches without defeat at Luton before leaving for Southampton this week, and club legend Mick Harford is unable to call upon Dan Potts and Reece Burke as he takes temporary charge for the visit of Rotherham to a sold-out Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

Potts has had a back problem and Burke has missed nine matches with a hamstring injury, including the 2-0 defeat at Stoke on Tuesday before Jones' second departure as Hatters head honcho was confirmed.

“We’re in a great position," said Harford, who is usually responsible for recruitment. "Three points will be immense to just get us cemented in the top seven or eight of the table."

Rotherham ended a five-game winless run in sensational style with their first win in 42 years at neighbours Sheffield United on Tuesday, when Ben Wiles' first-half goal secured victory and blunted the high-flying Blades.

Striker Conor Washington has been named on the bench on his return from injury as the Millers, who start in 15th and have named an unchanged starting line-up, bid to improve on their failure to score in both of their games against Luton during the 2020-21 season.

“Luton getting to the play-offs shows what is achievable," Rotherham boss Matt Taylor said of Town's achievement last season. "They have had a consistency, structure, way of playing and certain style - hence why it's such a difficult place to go to."

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Cardiff City had a bit of stability confirmed this week, with Mark Hudson accepting the offer to stay on as manager until the end of the season.

He's already talking about reinforcements he hopes to bring in this January, which will please Bluebirds fans with the team without a win in two matches at home and struggling for any consistency.

They can at least count on the return of Cedric Kipre and midfielder Ryan Wintle for the tie with the Blades, the team with the most wins on the road this season in the league.

Sheffield United travel to the Cardiff City Stadium, however, off the back of a midweek defeat to South Yorkshire rivals Rotherham that denied them the chance to go top of the table.

They also have an ever growing injury list, with Oli McBurnie and John Fleck both missing today after limping off during Tuesday's match.

Considering how the season started for Coventry, they've turned things around enough to go into the break as one of the league's in-form teams.

After winning just one of their first 10 games, the Sky Blues have now won six of their last eight fixtures, including their last three in a row to move up to 13th.

Contrast their fortunes with QPR, who are still sitting in the top six - just - but haven't won in their last four matches.

In fact, their two most recent losses have come against West Brom and Huddersfield, two teams in the bottom three.

• Bristol City v Watford
• Cardiff City v Sheffield United
• Coventry City v Queens Park Rangers
• Huddersfield v Swansea
• Hull City v Reading
• Luton Town v Rotherham
• Norwich v Middlesbrough
• Preston North End v Millwall
• West Bromwich Albion v Stoke
• Wigan Athletic v Blackpool

Image source, Rex Features

Just before we take a look at what we've got in store today, let's briefly rewind the clock to last night when Sunderland beat Birmingham 2-1 thanks to a wonder goal by Amad Diallo.

The on-loan Manchester United winger set up the Black Cats' first goal, scored by fellow loanee Ellis Simms, on loan from Everton, before unleashing his own left-footed curling strike just after half-time to double their lead.

The defeat meant Birmingham were denied the chance to move into the top six and was also their first loss at St Andrew's since August.

Tony Mowbray's Sunderland, meanwhile, move up a place to 12th.

Image source, Rex Features

Hello and welcome along to the finale of what I like to think of as 'part one' of the Championship season, or, basically, the last weekend of fixtures before we all take a short three-week break for a little thing called the World Cup. You might have heard about it.

We've got 20 of the league's teams in action today as well as a bumper schedule of League One and League Two fixtures to bring you.

Let's get going.