Image source, Rex Features

Middlesbrough fans may perhaps be sick to the back teeth of hearing that the only consistent thing about their side this season has been their inconsistency.

Michael Carrick’s side have won six and lost six matches both home and away this campaign, and their current league run of four wins and five defeats in nine games leaves them a point outside the play-off places.

However, Boro did follow up their brilliant win over Chelsea in the first leg of their EFL Cup semi with a solid three points at Millwall last time out, in the bread and butter of the league. Can they extend their winning run?

The away form of their opponents would suggest there's a decent chance of that.

Rotherham will rock up at the Riverside with no wins on the road in their last 29 games in all competitions - since what is becoming a landmark win at Sheffield Wednesday on 8 November, 2022.

The Millers are three points adrift at the bottom and the gap to safety is already a sizeable eight points.

They have won just once in their last 15 league games BUT that victory did come against Boro on Boxing Day. Omen?

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It’s not been an ideal start to 2024 for QPR, who have lost all three games (two in the Championship, one in the FA Cup) so far this year.

The R’s remain in a battle to save their league status and are firmly stuck in the bottom three, five points from safety, and without a win in their past seven Championship matches.

Millwall make the short trip across London to Loftus Road this afternoon. While they have also lost their last two games – one in the league, one in the cup – they have largely seen an uptick in their form since Joe Edwards took over.

They start the afternoon in 16th – 10 points clear of the drop zone but also 10 points away from the top six.

Stoke have made a solid start to life under head coach Steven Schumacher, and are five league games unbeaten under the former Plymouth boss.

One thing he is yet to do, however, is lead the Potters to victory at home. The side in 17th have gone six games without a league win at the Bet365 Stadium.

Today's visitors Birmingham will be looking for their first Championship win under boss Tony Mowbray.

The experienced manager oversaw a draw against Swansea in his first game at the helm, and claimed his first win in the FA Cup during the week as they got past Championship rivals Hull.

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Norwich City's claim for a play-off spot has been gathering momentum in recent weeks.

After earning a share of the spoils with high-flying Southampton they overcame another promotion hopeful in Hull City.

A win against fifth-placed West Brom would certainly boost hopes of gatecrashing the top six.

The Baggies travel to Carrow Road today having not won on the road in their past two games away from The Hawthorns.

Those defeats at Swansea and Middlesbrough have fallen around four wins in all competitions, which has Carlos Corberan's side solidly placed in the play-off race.

A midweek win against Premier League opponents West Ham in the FA Cup has given everyone around Bristol City a massive confidence boost.

The challenge now is what they can learn from that performance and apply to the league, where the form has been stuttering all campaign, at best.

A 4-1 thrashing of Watford just before Christmas in the reverse fixture seemed to be a turning point for the Robins under Liam Manning, but they have since not won in their past three Championship games.

Watford are three points and six places ahead in eighth, and have a win and two draws in their most recent games.

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Relegation battlers Sheffield Wednesday are looking for a third straight home win in all competitions to boost their hopes of avoiding the drop.

The Owls have been a side transformed under Danny Rohl, but it would demand something extra special today to deal with in-form Coventry City.

The Sky Blues upstaged runaway league leaders Leicester a week ago and are on an eight-game unbeaten run in the Championship.

Another win today would edge them back into the play-off places.

Image source, Rex Features

Desperate may be too strong a word at this time of the season, but both Jon Dahl Tomasson and Darren Moore will be, at the very least, keen to grab a win today.

Blackburn and Huddersfield are bang out of form in the Championship - both will kick-off with just one win from their last nine.

Rovers are 18th, but eight points off the play-off spots and are closer to those positions of promise than the anxiety of their relegation places.

But they have picked up just one point from their past six and have the leakiest defence in the second tier, conceding 52 times in 27 games.

Huddersfield sit just one place and four points above the drop zone and have won just twice on the road this season.

But there is encouragement for Terriers fans - their solitary win in that nine-match run came against Rovers in the reverse fixture on Boxing Day.

Well, the bar has been set high for entertainment after Southampton overcame Swansea in the early kick-off.

Our attention will turn to the remaining eight games shortly.

Below is a reminder of what we still have to look forward to...

• Blackburn v Huddersfield
• Bristol City v Watford
• Middlesbrough v Rotherham
• Norwich v West Brom
• Plymouth v Cardiff
• QPR v Millwall
• Sheffield Wednesday v Coventry
• Stoke v Birmingham

Adam Blackmore
Southampton commentator for BBC Radio Solent

20 league games unbeaten for Southampton, a new club record (21 in all competitions).

The second half didn't really live up to the brilliance of the first.

But they are up into the top two of the Championship.

Image source, Getty Images

Southampton make club history taking their unbeaten run in the league to 20 matches.

Che Adams, Will Smallbone and Flynn Downes scored for Southampton with a Jamie Paterson goal in between for Swansea during a completely dominant opening half for the visitors.

It was much improved for Swansea in that second half in restricting Saints' attack and creating chances themselves - they hit the post twice - it was just too little too late after that first 45 minutes.

Nasty collision there for Harry Darling who goes down holding his head after colliding with a Saints player in a challenge in the air.

The medics swiftly come on and we've got a pause right at the end of the game.

Charlie Patino's resulting strike is decent but doesn't trouble Gavin Bazunu and he gathers it and that might well be that for Swansea today.

Shea Charles gives away a free-kick in a dangerous area on the edge of the box as he chases back and shoves into Charlie Patino and also goes into the referee's book.

You can't say Swansea haven't had the chance to score.

Yannick Bolasie cuts inside and lets rip from the edge of the box but he doesn't quite connect with the ball properly and slices it wide of the goal.

Swansea have not given up the ghost yet and are still pushing for another goal but Yannick Bolasie's cross is picked up by Gavin Bazunu as he tries to fire something into the box.

Jo Tessem
Ex-Southampton midfielder on BBC Radio Solent

The only reason Swansea haven't scored in this second half is because they simply haven't been good enough in front of goal.

The fourth official has put up the board and we have seven minutes of added time as we tick into the 90th minute.

Another substitution for Russell Martin, perhaps to take the sting out of Swansea's attack there, as Will Smallbone - scorer of their second goal - makes way for Shea Charles.

Swansea will feel hard done by to have not got another goal on the board this last 10 minutes.

They have been the team on top.

Adam Blackmore
Southampton commentator for BBC Radio Solent

What is going on!

Another great save by Southampton's Gavin Bazunu.