Sheffield Wednesday and QPR might both be in the Championship relegation zone right now but their form is more worthy of play-off chasers.

After a club record worst start to the season, the Owls have won their past two home games and are back to within eight points of safety.

Visitors QPR have also improved hugely since appointing Marti Cifuentes to replace Gareth Ainsworth, and have taken 10 points from the past 12 available.

Another win for the London side today could see them move out of the bottom three for the first time since 30 September.

Image source, Getty Images

It's not looking like being a happy Christmas for either Millwall or Huddersfield this season.

The pair start today just outside the Championship relegation zone, with just one win between them in their past 10 matches.

Joe Edwards' start to life as a manager in senior football has not gone according to plan and he admitted his side were "in a rut" after the defeat by Cardiff last week.

Town boss Darren Moore has also been frank about his side's recent travails. He said his side lacked appetite in the midweek defeat at home by Preston, and then admitted their play was boring.

Given the form of QPR - just one point behind them in the bottom three - it feels like these pair are going to have to get going sooner rather than later if they're to move away from trouble.

Image source, PA Media

It's been an excellent start to the season for Liam Rosenior's men.

The Tigers start the day outside the top six on goal difference alone, after coming back from a goal down to win 2-1 at Middlesbrough in midweek.

They'll be looking to get back on it in front of their own fans too, having suffered their first home loss of the season against Watford this time last week.

Cardiff are also well-placed to make a challenge for the top six but with three defeats in four their good start to the campaign is in danger of fading away.

Laura Kenyon
BBC Final Score

Image source, BBC Sport

They’re certainly getting into the Christmas spirit here at Ashton Gate!

Is this the best festive mascot in the EFL?!

Reports suggest former Rangers boss, Michael Beale, will be in attendance at Ashton Gate today. The man tipped to be in advanced talks for the permanent head coach job at Sunderland.

I can confirm no sightings of him YET... although, confession; I did briefly leave my commentary position to sample the Christmas dinner on offer in the press room!

Image source, Rex Features

Mike Dodds has made a perfect start to his time in caretaker charge of Sunderland.

Successive home wins against high-flying West Brom and Leeds have lifted the Wearsiders back up into the top six.

The 37-year-old says he is in "no rush" to start his managerial career and there is growing speculation that former Rangers boss Michael Beale will fill the vacancy left by Tony Mowbray.

Would another win for Dodds today make the Sunderland board pause that plan?

Hosts Bristol City haven't really got going under new boss Liam Manning, and come into today's game with three defeats in their past four.

Image source, Getty Images

To fans of a certain vintage this fixture conjures memories of Matt le Tissier smashing one past Tim Flowers from about 40 yards out at Ewood Park in the Premier League.

Fans of both of these clubs won't need reminding about how long ago that was and this is in fact the first time these pair have met in 18 years.

The Saints are making a decent fist of winning promotion back to the top flight at the first attempt with four home wins on the bounce but find themselves 13 points adrift of the sensational pace set by the top two, Ipswich and Leicester.

Blackburn are one of a clutch of teams just outside the top six.

Today's game also sees the league's two top scorers face off. Rovers forward Sammie Szmodics is enjoying the season of his life with 14 goals to his name already, while ex-Blackburn man Adam Armstrong has 12.

Will either get themselves on the scoresheet today?

Image source, Rex Features

As managerial quotes go "I'm not here to win the Nobel Peace Prize - I'm here to win football games" is a pretty decent one.

Leeds boss Daniel Farke was talking about the balancing act of trying to keep churning out results with also giving players enough game time to keep them happy. At least I think he was, anyway.

His side are looking to bounce back from Tuesday's 1-0 defeat at Sunderland and can close the gap to the top two to eight points with a win today.

He's named an unchanged side as it goes.

Coventry are playing catch up after a slow start to the season, following their play-off final heartbreak in May.

It's taken them some time to process that loss to Luton but experienced boss Mark Robins has got them going again now, and if they can inflict a first home defeat of the season on the Whites that would send a real message to the rest of the division.

Now the action-packed East Anglia derby is wrapped up we'll turn our attentions to what's still to come in the second tier today.

Here are the nine matches we'll be keeping you across this afternoon.

• Bristol City v Sunderland
• Hull City v Cardiff City
• Leeds United v Coventry City
• Millwall v Huddersfield Town
• Plymouth Argyle v Rotherham United
• Preston North End v Watford
• Sheffield Wednesday v Queens Park Rangers
• Southampton v Blackburn Rovers
• Swansea City v Middlesbrough

Mick Mills
Former Ipswich and England captain on BBC Radio Suffolk

We are deflated.

Ipswich did everything they could do in the first half and didn't get an ounce of luck, where I think Norwich did.

And it's honours shared in the Old Farm derby!

Ipswich Town are denied the chance to return to the top of the table, as Norwich make it 13 games unbeaten against their fierce rivals.

The set-piece is sent dangerously into the area and falls kindly for Kenny McClean to try his luck.

His effort is a long way wide.

Surely that was the last chance of the game?

Just two minutes of injury time remains.

And Norwich have a free-kick on the right edge of the area.

Onel Hernandez is cut down by Luke Woolfenden, who is then shown a yellow for a push.

Ipswich work the ball around the box, before a searching cross is sent into the area.

It's met by a towering Norwich header and this game seems to be headed for a draw...

And now a triple change for Ipswich now.

Nathan Broadhead, Massimo Luongo and George Hirst go off for Kayden Jackson, Dane Scarlett and Jack Taylor.

Can they make a late difference?

There will be six additional minutes to come.

Plenty of time for a winner, surely...

Mick Mills
Former Ipswich and England captain on BBC Radio Suffolk

Wonderful opportunity.

I thought the ball was going to fall perfectly for Omari Hutchinson to knock into the net. It just didn't fall for him.

It's a triple change for Norwich now.

Danny Batth, Tony Springett and Przemyslaw Placheta come on for Sam McCallum, Adam Idah and Borja Sainz.

Angus Gunn thrusts a big meaty palm out to deny Nathan Broadhead!

A curled attempt from just outside the box looked destined to find the back of the net but Gunn tips it away and Omari Hutchinson can't follow up the rebound.

Super save.

Substituent Onel Hernandez has the chance to stretch those fresh legs of his.

He skips out of defence and has Ipswich back peddling a moment before they can snuff out the attack.

You get tingles that an expectant buzz is building at Portman Road as the minutes tick down to full-time.

Are we seeing another calm before the storm?

Image source, Getty Images