Summary

  • Championship leaders Leicester beat 10-man QPR 2-1

  • Foxes have won 39 points out of possible 42

  • Second-placed Ipswich come from behind to beat Plymouth

  • Also wins for Cardiff, Hull, Stoke & Sunderland

  • Leeds beat Huddersfield & Southampton beat Birmingham in early kick-offs

  • League One leaders Portsmouth come from 2-0 down to beat Reading

  • League Two leaders Stockport get 10th straight league win

  1. Close battles on the cards in third tierpublished at 14:55 British Summer Time 28 October 2023

    League One preview

    Portsmouth fans hold up scarvesImage source, Rex Features

    Table toppers Portsmouth travel to Reading today with the knowledge that their hosts have lost their last four league games.

    Oxford United should face a decent test at home to Wycombe, with Liam Manning's side having lost their last three league matches against today's opposition.

    But it's especially tough to call a winner in the battle between fifth and sixth in the table - as Blackpool welcome Peterborough to Bloomfield Road - even if Posh did win 5-0 the last time these sides met in the Championship in 2022.

    Meanwhile, seventh and eighth also face off as Stevenage host Derby in the first ever league meeting between the two.

  2. get involved

    Get Involved - #bbceflpublished at 14:53 British Summer Time 28 October 2023

    Can anyone catch the Foxes?

    Leicester City have won 12 of their 13 league games this season and are the fastest side to amass 36 points in Championship history.

    At one stage, their lead at the top of the table was eight points – although second-placed Ipswich closed that to five before this weekend’s games.

    And in the automatic promotion race, the Foxes are 11 points clear of Leeds in third place which could be stretched to 14 if they beat QPR today.

    After Enzo Maresca’s side beat Sunderland on Tuesday, Black Cats boss Tony Mowbray simply said there is no stopping the Foxes from returning to the Premier League as Championship title winners.

    We are only in October, and just barely a quarter the way through the season, but does he have a point?

    Get in touch on X, formerly known as Twitter, by using #bbcefl

  3. Saints add to Rooney's bluespublished at 14:51 British Summer Time 28 October 2023

    FT: Southampton 3-1 Birmingham

    Wayne Rooney's dismal start to life as Birmingham City manager continued as his side suffered a third consecutive Championship defeat at the hands of Southampton.

    You can read the report by clicking on the link.

    Saints beat Birmingham as Rooney awaits first point

    Wayne Rooney's Birmingham are beaten for a third consecutive game at Southampton, despite a second-half fightback

    Read More
  4. Bournemouth recall keeper Travers from Stoke loanpublished at 14:50 British Summer Time 28 October 2023

    Mark Travers catches the ball while in action for StokeImage source, Getty Images

    Stoke City were dealt a pretty major blow late on Friday, as goalkeeper Mark Travers was recalled from his Potters loan by parent club Bournemouth.

    Travers, 24, had played every game in the Championship for the Potters having joined on a season-long loan in July.

    Following Neto's injury, the Cherries had an exceptional circumstances recall request approved by the Premier League.

  5. Owls under embargo because of tax debtpublished at 14:48 British Summer Time 28 October 2023

    Generic image of a corner flag at Sheffield WednesdayImage source, Getty Images

    Sheffield Wednesday's miserable season so far has just got that little bit worse.

    The Championship's bottom side were yesterday put under a registration embargo by the English Football League because of money owed to to HM Revenue and Customs.

    That news came just a month after owner Dejphon Chansiri said he would stop funding the club after "being treated unfairly" by some fans.

    Sheffield Wednesday are not in action until tomorrow, when they host South Yorkshire rivals Rotherham United.

  6. Resurgent Boro looking ominouspublished at 14:46 British Summer Time 28 October 2023

    Middlesbrough v Stoke City (15:00 BST)

    After a surprisingly slow start, Middlesbrough are now purring.

    One point from their opening six games left them rooted to the bottom of the table, but six straight victories in the Championship has left them within striking distance of the play-off spots.

    They have looked especially ominous in attack, banging in 14 goals in that run, shared right around the team.

    Impressive back-to-back home wins over Sunderland and Leeds mean Stoke head to Teesside in their best run of a stuttering campaign.

    Yet the Potters will have a daunting task to improve an away record which reads four defeats and four points from six trips.

  7. 'Should be tasty'published at 14:44 British Summer Time 28 October 2023

    Watford v Millwall (15:00 BST)

    Joshua Adu-Donkor
    BBC Final Score

    Things are starting to look better for Watford. Back-to-back to wins heading into this game including their first away win of the season. Manager Valerien Ismael said he believes his team are moving in the right direction.

    Millwall are still without a permanent coach since departing with manager Gary Rowett earlier this month. They haven't registered a win since Rowett left. Although they do have a good record on the road so far. One loss in last seven away games

    Both are on 16 points. Should be tasty.

  8. Can in-form Watford extend winning run?published at 14:43 British Summer Time 28 October 2023

    Watford v Millwall (15:00 BST)

    Watford fans arrive at Vicarage RoadImage source, Rex Features

    Only goal difference separates 15th-placed Watford from Millwall, in 16th, but the sides have been on different trajectories of late.

    The Hornets are on their best run of the season, albeit a slightly modest one, after back-to-back 1-0 wins made it seven points from their last three matches, having taken a grand total of nine from their first 10 matches of the season.

    The Lions are still without a manager since Gary Rowett’s departure so Adam Barrett takes charge of his third match as caretaker boss, having drawn with Preston and then lost to Blackburn last time out.

    Millwall have just one win to their name in six matches, but have been a tough nut to crack on the road this season, with just one defeat and three draws from six away trips.

  9. Tigers seek elusive home comfortspublished at 14:41 British Summer Time 28 October 2023

    Hull City v Preston (15:00 BST)

    Hull fan takes selfie with Adama TraoreImage source, Rex Features

    Hull can leapfrog their opponents with three points this afternoon, but that may not be as straightforward as it sounds.

    The Tigers have won just once at the MKM Stadium this season, after four draws, and have not tasted victory there since 12 August.

    Yet after losing their unbeaten home record last Saturday, the Tigers bounced back to beat Wayne Rooney’s Birmingham in midweek.

    Out-of-sorts Preston are another side who like a draw, with three in a winless run of six matches, a sequence which followed six straight wins in a blistering start to the season.

    The Lilywhites’ defence has been uncharacteristically leaky of late, conceding 14 goals in their last five matches, having shipped just six in their opening eight.

  10. Searching for a happy October ending…published at 14:39 British Summer Time 28 October 2023

    Sunderland v Norwich (15:00 BST)

    Sunderland and Norwich City are two sides very much in need of a win at the end of a very lean October.

    The Black Cats have collected just three points from a possible 12 so far this month, having lost three on the spin leading up to the visit of the Canaries.

    Norwich’s form has nosedived even more, having suffered three defeats in a four-game winless run in the same time.

    As two sides with promotion aspirations this season, this has crunch-game written all over it.

  11. 'Foxes fans remember'published at 14:36 British Summer Time 28 October 2023

    QPR v Leicester (15:00 BST)

    John Bennett
    BBC Final Score

    Scarves on seats at Leicester endImage source, Getty Images

    The Leicester City fans all had a scarf waiting for them on their seats in the away end this afternoon.

    It’s in honour of the club’s late chairman, Khun Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha.

    Yesterday marked five years since the helicopter accident that claimed his life, as well as staff members Kaveporn Punpare and Nusara Suknamai; and pilots Eric Swaffer and Izabela Lechowicz, as they departed the King Power Stadium after a match.

    The club paid tribute to them all at an emotional ceremony at the ground yesterday. The scarves at Loftus Road have the message “Always in Our Hearts” written on them.

  12. More QPR woes and Foxes delight?published at 14:34 British Summer Time 28 October 2023

    QPR v Leicester (15:00 BST)

    Leicester boss Enzo Maresca arrives at QPRImage source, Getty Images

    QPR, with a diabolical home record this season, host a Leicester City side that are setting all sort of records on the road this term.

    Gareth Ainsworth’s Rangers have only won one of their last 20 home league matches, picking up just two points in their last 10 at Loftus Road.

    The league-leading Foxes are already the first in the history of second-tier football in England to win six away from home on the trot to start the season.

    Only four teams in the history of the top four tiers of English football have opened a season with seven away wins: Tottenham in 1960-61 (first eight), Reading in 1985-86 (first seven), Chelsea in 2008-09 (first eight) and Manchester City in 2017-18 (first 10).

    And if you are looking for a terrifically random statistical chaser, then it’s the fact that Enzo Maresca’s side can equal a 126-year-old record if they beat Rangers for their ninth straight win in the second tier (which includes winning the last two games of their title-winning Championship campaign of 2013-14). Only Birmingham City in 1897 have won nine away games in a row at this level.

  13. Postpublished at 14:32 British Summer Time 28 October 2023

    Well, we have been treated to plenty of goals in the two early games today.

    Stay with us we build up to the day's 15:00 BST kick-offs, starting with runaway leaders Leicester...

  14. FULL-TIMEpublished at 14:29 British Summer Time 28 October 2023

    Leeds 4-1 Huddersfield

    Two first-half goals from both Dan James and Crysencio Summerville has earned Leeds United a convincing Yorkshire derby win against Huddersfield.

    Michal Helik's effort to pull one back for the Terriers in the second half amounts to little more than a consolation goal for the visitors.

  15. FULL-TIMEpublished at 14:28 British Summer Time 28 October 2023

    Southampton 3-1 Birmingham

    Southampton dominant for 85 minutes of this game.

    Birmingham looked totally lost really.

    Saints jump up one spot in the Championship to fourth.

    The Wayne Rooney era with the Blues is not going to plan. Three defeats on the spin as he goes to applaud the away fans.

    Wayne Rooney applauds fansImage source, Getty Images
  16. Postpublished at 14:26 British Summer Time 28 October 2023

    Leeds 4-1 Huddersfield

    There will be four minutes of added time at Elland Road.

    After that stunning four-goal showing from Leeds in the first half, you get a feeling this second half has been a let down for the hosts.

  17. Postpublished at 14:23 British Summer Time 28 October 2023

    Southampton 3-1 Birmingham

    Southampton are still hunting for a fourth goal.

    Ryan Fraser intercepts a lazy Birmingham pass on the edge of the centre circle and goalkeeper John Ruddy is way off his line.

    Fraser tries to chip the ball over him but he slips whilst making his shot on the wet pitch and it goes well wide.

    The right idea.

    Couple of minutes left and Blues may as well start warming-up the team bus.

  18. Postpublished at 14:22 British Summer Time 28 October 2023

    Leeds 4-1 Huddersfield

    There are less than four minutes of normal time remaining at Elland Road.

    The game has been pretty flat for a while now with the result well beyond doubt.

  19. Postpublished at 14:19 British Summer Time 28 October 2023

    Southampton 3-1 Birmingham

    Eight minutes of stoppage time at St Mary's.

    Enough time for Birmingham to score two?

    Never say never.

  20. SUBSTITUTIONpublished at 14:15 British Summer Time 28 October 2023

    Leeds 4-1 Huddersfield

    It's another double change for Leeds United.

    Patrick Bamford is going to get about 10 minutes today, as he comes off the bench with Jaidon Anthony.

    Dan James, who has bagged a double for the hosts, and Georginio Rutter are replaced.