Sam Byram puts the ball out for a Blackburn corner as the hosts continue a decent spell against Leeds.

That's their third corner of the first quarter of an hour at Ewood Park.

Alex Mowatt has Anthony Patterson scrambling in the Sunderland goal, as he curls a peach from the edge of the box for West Brom.

Patterson's positioning was good, watching it wide but it was a superb hit.

Best chance of the game so far, as West Brom strike with pace and cause Sunderland some problems.

Grady Diangana motors through the middle before he slips the ball to Josh Maja in the right of the box, but his shot is blocked by Dan Ballard.

The corner comes to nothing.

Ballard did enough to shepherd the striker.

Luke O'Nien wraps his foot spectacularly with a volley from the edge of the box after a West Brom clearance drops his way, but it sizzles just over.

It came after the Black Cats camped on the Baggies penalty area in numbers but couldn't quite pick the lock.

First chance at Ewood Park goes to the hosts.

Leeds dominate the possession early on but Blackburn break on the counter, with Harry Pickering whipping in a cross from the left flank which just evades the free-scoring Sammie Szmodics.

Szmodics is captaining Rovers this afternoon and leads the scoring charts in the second tier with 14 for the season.

Hilarious scuff by Sunderland midfielder Dan Neil, who goes to crack one from the edge of the box.

Nearly hit the corner flag.

John Swift's touch lets him down and Sunderland get a throw.

Niall Huggins releases Adil Aouchiche down the right and he zips after it like a clockwork mouse.

However, the cutback is poor.

West Brom seek a counter, but Pierre Ekwah flexes his muscles in the manner of a VIP area doorman and denies the Baggies.

Image source, Rex Features

Two quite different approaches early on.

Sunderland, without a natural centre-forward, neatly working the ball through the lines.

West Brom, more direct, quick to try to release Josh Maja through the middle.

Maja getting the customary boos with every touch given his history with the Wearsiders, and Jeremy Sarmiento jeered for a wild and wayward spectacular 'sighter'.

Here we go then. Bit later than advertised, particularly on Wearside.

A northern flavour to the early kick-offs, as the early action takes place either side of the Pennines up at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland and Ewood Park, over the hill in Blackburn.

BBC local radio

Unfortunately we cannot bring you live commentary of today's early Championship fixtues on this page.

But the fine folks in BBC local radio are in position - hopefully donning some sort of raincoat - to take you through the action live.

Just grab a radio and tune into your local station.

Or carry on reading our, probably drier, updates.

Image source, Rex Features

Blackburn are unchanged for the visit of Leeds following last weekend's defeat by struggling Sheffield Wednesday.

Lewis Travis misses out through illness while Championship top scorer Sammie Szmodics captains the side - hoping to add to his tally of 14 goals for the season.

Leeds boss Daniel Farke also names an unchanged side for the trip to Ewood Park today.

Forward Patrick Bamford is not in the squad for the visitors, however.

Blackburn: Wahlstedt, Hill, Carter, S Wharton, Pickering, Tronstad, A Wharton, Brittain, Szmodics, Moran, Leonard.

Subs: Hilton, Gamble, Atcheson, Garrett, Sigurdsson, Markanday, Bloxham, Ennis, Telalovic.

Leeds: Meslier, Gray, Byram, Struijk, Rodon, Ampadu, Kamara, James, Summerville, Georginio, Piroe.

Subs: Darlow, Spence, Shackleton, Cooper, Gruev, Anthony, Gelhardt, Gnonto, Joseph.

Image source, Getty Images

Sunderland bring Patrick Roberts back into the XI, with Mason Burstow making way and dropping to the bench, while Jobe Bellingham comes in for Abdoullah Ba.

Luis Semedo drops out from the subs, while Nazariy Rusyn is included on the bench.

West Brom bring in Kyle Bartley, Jayson Molumby, John Swift and ex-Mackems hit-man Josh Maja.

Semi Ajayi and Brandon Thomas-Asante drop to the bench while Matt Phillips and Okay Yokuslu are unavailable.

Sunderland: Patterson, Huggins, Ballard, O'Nien, Hume, Neil, Ekwah, Roberts, Aouchiche, Clarke, Bellingham

Subs: Bishop, Burstow, Rusyn, Ba, Pritchard, Seelt, Triantis, Dack, Mayenda

West Brom: Palmer, Furlong, Kipre, Bartley, Townsend, Molumby, Mowatt, Diangana, Swift, Sarmiento, Maja

Subs: Griffiths, Ajayi, Pipa, Higgins, Fellows, Chalobah, Thomas-Asante, Taylor, Pieters

Image source, Getty Images

Mike Dodds, who has experience from Southampton, Nottingham Forest and Birmingham amongst others, is the man to take the temporary reins.

He's a familiar face, so he'll at least know what he is dealing with at the Stadium of Light this afternoon.

Image source, Getty Images

West Bromwich Albion fans have been denied the chance to show their affections for Tony Mowbray by his exit this week, having enjoyed a successful time under 'Mogga'.

Their boss Carlos Corberan admitted his surprise at the decision, stating Mowbray had done "an unbelievable job".

"They are one team who play really, really good football and he was one coach who I always followed," Corberan told BBC Radio WM.

"He's someone I respected, not just for what he has done at this club.

"They have changed Tony but the team will be the same. You're not going to break the habit that they created, young players with a lot of quality who love to have the ball."

One of his players - Josh Maja - won't be expecting quite such a pleasant reception from the Sunderland crowd, given his exit to Bordeaux from the Wearsiders in January 2019.

Image source, Rex Features

One person who won't be on the touchline at Ewood Park today is Blackburn boss Jon Dahl Tomasson.

He was given a one-game touchline ban and a £2,000 fine for his trouble after his red card in their defeat by Sheffield Wednesday last weekend.

The Dane admitted acting in an improper manner and "using abusive and/or insulting words to a match official".

Blackburn are seventh in the Championship table following their 3-1 defeat by the Owls, and two points outside the play-off places as it stands.

Leeds are 10 points ahead of Rovers in third place going into today's game.

Image source, Getty Images

Callum O'Hare was Coventry's hero with a double as Wayne Rooney's Birmingham continued their disappointing run of form.

It's a fifth successive away defeat for the men from St Andrew's, and Rooney will be hoping fortunes change soon.

For a more considered report, click or tap or whatever you do, here.

Image source, Getty Images

High praise for Leeds United boss Daniel Farke coming into this game.

He has been awarded the Championship manager of the month award for November as the Whites continued their push for promotion back to the Premier League.

Farke guided Leeds to three wins from four, beating Leicester, Plymouth and Swansea as well as drawing with Rotherham.

Victory over Middlesbrough to kick off December has put them third, seven points behind the automatic promotion spots coming into today's trip to Blackburn.

Image source, Getty Images

There wasn't much festive cheer awaiting Tony Mowbray from Sunderland's board this week, as the Teessider was relieved of his duties as head coach.

In 15 months in charge he picked the Black Cats up after Alex Neil defected to Stoke, steadied the ship, delivered a play-off campaign and helped mould an exciting young team.

Jack Clarke in particular has emerged as a premium talent at Championship level under 'Mogga', forming a key part of a fluid, exciting and dynamic attack - that ironically have operated without a big-name figurehead for much of his time in charge.

No win in three isn't ideal but it's hardly the form of a failure.

"This was a difficult decision to make," sporting director Kristjaan Speakman told the club website., external

"But we remain loyal to our ambition and our strategy, and felt that now was the right moment to take this step."

Whatever the ambition is, it feels harsh from here for Mowbray to have no part of it, even if there's succession planning in the sights.

Here's how we're lining up in the Championship today with all but two games taking place at 15:00 GMT:

• Blackburn Rovers v Leeds United (12:30 GMT)
• Sunderland v West Bromwich Albion (12:30 GMT)
• Cardiff City v Millwall
• Huddersfield Town v Bristol City
• Leicester City v Plymouth Argyle
• Middlesbrough v Ipswich Town
• Norwich City v Preston North End
• Queens Park Rangers v Hull City
• Rotherham United v Swansea City
• Stoke City v Sheffield Wednesday
• Watford v Southampton

Image source, Rex Features

Good afternoon all.

Well it's certainly December, isn't it? The weather is woeful and we've got about 10 minutes of daylight.

This can mean only one thing, the Championship season is approaching the halfway stage.

Play-off chasing Blackburn Rovers take on in-form Leeds United, while managerless Sunderland welcome West Bromwich Albion in today's two early kick-offs.

A full complement of fixtures follows at 15:00 GMT.

Let's get going.