Image source, Getty Images

Leicester City are 11 points clear at the top of the Championship, Ipswich have taken a costly blow in the race for automatic promotion and Sheffield Wednesday boss Danny Rohl finds himself apologising for their capitulation against relegation rivals Huddersfield.

Saturday's Championship action certainly has been packed with a few plot twists.

Unfortunately, there have also been disgusting scenes at The Hawthorns, where Birmingham City's Juninho Bacuna has reported that an individual in the crowd had racially abused him.

That is one story that will continue to develop in the coming hours and days as police and football officials investigate.

As far as the football is concerned, there is still more to come from England's second division as Middlesbrough host Sunderland on Sunday.

Image source, Rex Features

Bottom side Rotherham United are now 12 points from safety after being beaten at home by promotion-chasing Southampton.

Millers manager Leam Richardson told BBC Radio Sheffield his side's first-half display cost them any chance of a result.

“In the second half we were more competitive, more like us, but the start was disappointing.

“We conceded at a set play three or four minutes in which obviously then gives them a lift on front of their fans, and it took us 20-odd minutes to gather our thoughts and be competitive.

“They are probably one of the best teams in the league, if not the best, so you expect a healthy challenge.

“You know Southampton are coming with fantastic international players but you have to compete, like we did in the second half, for the full game.

“In the first half our transition was poor. We could have caused them problems if we had looked after the ball more. In the Championship if you keep giving the ball away you will get questions asked against you.”

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Norwich boss David Wagner spoke to BBC Radio Norwich following his side's comeback to defeat play-off rivals Coventry 2-1 at Carrow Road:

“The result was great and the performance in the first half I think was top class – brave and on the front foot. The players closed every inch of the pitch down and played some good football as well.

“Then unfortunately we conceded a very avoidable goal. Then the way they came back and to win it in this manner is just fantastic. Overall it was a top afternoon for us.

“I was very pleased with all the players. We were energetic and front-footed like we wanted to be, because if you give Coventry the ball you have to avoid them enjoying themselves.

“We always said that when we get players back we will have competitiveness in our squad. We always have belief.”

Image source, PA Media

Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl has been speaking to BBC Radio Sheffield and admitted their defeat is undoubtedly a heavy blow in their fight to avoid relegation.

“It’s a big setback in our fight. Three days ago [against Watford] we played very well, and today it's hard to find the right words.

“I have to take the responsibility for the defeat, for the situation. I know it will be a challenge. Today we are disappointed but on Monday I hope I can find the right words, and we go again.

“In the second half it was very easy for [them to] have transition actions against us. Our defence wasn't good enough, they were very easy goals.

“Until the goals it was a fight for both sides but I had a feeling at half-time we were not sharp enough, not fresh enough in every position.

“I apologise to the fans for our performance but we have to take the right things from this game.”

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Stoke City head coach Steven Schumacher spoke to BBC Radio Stoke after his side's 5-0 thrashing by Leicester and bemoaned just how easily the Championship leaders dispatched the Potters.

"We expected it to be a tough game because we're playing a team that's shown why they're top of the league.

"What we wanted though was to make it more difficult for them, but in all honesty it was too easy.

"The two goals that we conceded in the first half were really poor goals from our point of view. We were in comfortable possession of the ball and we lose it twice that results in goals.

"Then we had a mountain to climb. Even the third goal, when their defender runs through half the team, it's just not good enough and too easy to play against, so a difficult day."

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Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna has been speaking with BBC Suffolk about his side's poor first half performance that, despite a second-half comeback attempt, has left them in a three game win drought.

"It was a difficult first half. It's difficult to come here but when you concede two important goals in the first nine minutes, it is just the worst situation.

"We lacked a little in the final third. We lacked the profile and the presence. That exaggerated the scoreline and impacted the tone of the game.

"At half time, my feeling was that we were still in the game. We needed to improve in the final third and we did in the second.

"We weren't ourselves.

"It's a day where, in the first half, everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. It's disappointing not to get the win. We've not won as many games as we'd like."

A bright note for The Tractor Boys is that new signing Kieffer Moore is already making an impact, leaving some fans wondering why he didn't make the starting line-up.

"It showed what we had been missing since George [Hirst] has been out in terms of a physical profile. His impact was there for all to see, he was excellent," McKenna said.

"You can always take the gamble but I don't think [starting him] would have been the right thing to do. He's not just here for today, he's here for the remaining 17 games."

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Preston boss Ryan Lowe told BBC Radio Lancashire that he always sensed Ipswich would push his side to the limit, even when they went three goal up before half-time.

"I thought the lads were fantastic from start to finish in everything they did," Lowe said.

"First half was great because we scored goals and went in 3-0 but you always know a good team like Ipswich are going to come out and fight, and they did.

"Bringing on a player like Kieffer Moore can cause you problems, they were a little bit more direct, but I thought our lads dealt with large parts of it very well.

"Obviously the goals were disappointing, but it doesn't really matter because we've got three points."

Image source, Rex Features

Southampton boss Russell Martin praised his side's balanced approach after watching them win at Rotherham to regain second place in the Championship. He told BBC Radio Solent:

“I thought it was a brilliant performance, to make over 700 passes on a pitch like this, against a team that are fighting for their lives.

“It was really testament to the guys, the amount of love they showed each other with the ball today, because it was not easy on that pitch.

"Then there was the desire to do all the horrible stuff, to defend the long throws, the direct balls in when the goalie’s kicking it from the halfway line and we did both today.

“We should have scored more goals, their goalie made a couple of fantastic saves – as he did at our place – so that’s probably the only frustration.

“To fight for each other and then show real calm and composure when we have the ball is not an easy balance sometimes.”

Image source, Rex Features

Birmingham manager Tony Mowbray has been speaking to BBC Radio WM about the alleged racist abuse towards Blues midfielder Juninho Bacuna at the final whistle.

"One individual racially abused him and he got very upset with that - and rightly so.

"He brought it to the attention of the referee who brought it to the attention of the stewards - and now the police.

"I'm not sure if they have yet identified the individual, but Bacuna recognised him and pointed him out.

"But obviously it's not acceptable.

"It's not the first time these things have been said. Not just this club, and not this just Bacuna. It's a beautiful game and we just don't want it.

"The consequences for racially abusing footballers have got to be stronger."

Image source, Getty Images

Coventry City boss Mark Robins was absolutely livid with the manner in which his side lost against play-off rivals Norwich City.

Speaking to BBC CWR, Robins was unhappy with Liam Kitching's sending off, after which Norwich scored their winner in their 2-1 win against the Sky Blues.

"I'm really not happy with the way things have panned out because we didn't deserve the defeat that's for sure," he said.

"I'm really bitterly disappointed. I'm still fuming. I'm going to try and be careful but at the same time you get a sending off against any team and it can cost you.

"We were 1-0 up at that point. The referee couldn't wait to get the card out of his pocket. We went down to 10 men and then had the best two chances of the game.

"We've seen some really good football played when we were down to 10 men but also when we were at full strength. From our perspective I'm gutted for them because they put a lot of work into the game to get no points out of it."

Image source, Getty Images

While we wait for managers and head coaches to speak to local radio reporters around the grounds, let's have a look at some of the stats and facts to come out of the day as compiled by Opta.

• Preston's Will Keane, who scored a double against Ipswich, has scored seven goals in his last seven league games, as many as he had in his previous 34 combined.
• Southampton's Adam Armstrong, who was on the scoresheet in today's win at Rotherham, has been involved in more league goals than any other player in England’s top four tiers this season (26 – 15 goals, 11 assists).
• Leicester City's Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall became the second player to both score and assist 10+ goals in the top four tiers of English league football this season, after Adam Armstrong.
• Huddersfield’s 4-0 win against Sheffield Wednesday was their biggest league victory against a fellow Yorkshire side since beating Barnsley 5-0 in March 2014.

Richard Wilford
BBC Radio WM commentator

Birmingham boss Tony Mowbray has confirmed that Blues midfielder Juninho Bacuna reported that one individual in the crowd had racially abused him.

The stewards and police at The Hawthorns are investigating the incident.

Hull City boss Liam Rosenior was a happy man after his side's second successive 1-0 win lifted the Tigers into the top six, telling BBC Radio Humberside post-match:

“I felt there were passages in the first half and periods of the second half where the lads were showing me the potential that’s in this team, which I’m really excited about.

“I said to them at half time ‘when you have that much dominance and control, I want a team that keeps going to score goals, not sits back on leads’.

“But sometimes in the Championship you have to find a way and that’s two 1-0 wins. The way the back line defended, the way Ryan Allsop kept goal – in terms of dominance it was really good.

“The next bit, the cherry on the icing is to make sure when we’re on top and in control of games, as we’ve been all season, we score more goals to end the game.”

Image source, Getty Images

Leicester City boss Enzo Maresca was unsurprisingly delighted with the 5-0 win against Stoke, but he was quick to demand even more of his players during his post-match interview with BBC Radio Leicester.

"I'm happy because we won the game, we scored five goals and finally kept a clean sheet. Many times we have come close, but we have conceded goals at the end.

"I was very happy with the first half hour, where I think the team was unbelievable, they played very good in the way we want to play, creating chances.

"The second half we continued the same way that we started the first half.

"There are many things to improve, absolutely, but when you play the way we did today we are very happy.

"The reason they played so good is because they played in the way we expected, so what we prepared, solutions and space, we found it.

"Today we were just focused on the game, not about making any statements."

Ged Scott
BBC Sport at The Hawthorns

There were angry scenes at the final whistle as Blues sub Juninho Bacuna exchanged words with referee David Webb - and players from both sides confronted each other, causing Hawthorns stewards to get involved.

We'll bring you more on what caused all that if and when we get it...

Marc Webber
Final Score

A mood-lifting win for Norwich and the home fans in the Barclay are bouncing as the players and manager came over to applaud them.

It will not only be the scoreline but the style of the win that will be the cause of glee for the re-energised Canaries today.

And they’ll also be buoyed they beat a Coventry side who were at them for most of the game and probably lost that momentum only when they went down to 10 men.

Managerless Huddersfield were the big winners in the battle to avoid relegation, thumping rivals Sheffield Wednesday 4-0 to narrow the gap on a clutch of teams above them in 21st place.

With QPR also picking up a crucial 2-1 victory at Blackburn to pile the pressure on Jon Dahl Tomasson, Wednesday are now five points behind them and eight behind Huddersfield.

Bottom side Rotherham's survival hopes look bleak after their 2-0 defeat by Southampton left them 12 points adrift of safety.

Image source, BBC Sport

Don't you just love this time of the season? We've seen plenty of movement in the top half of the Championship this afternoon.

Starting with Southampton - their clinical display at bottom side Rotherham means they occupy second spot, leapfrogging Leeds who had taken second themselves with their win against Bristol City on Friday.

Ipswich's sketchy form continues and their slide down the table sees them drop to fourth after their 3-2 loss to Preston, who move up to 10th after closing out the win at Deepdale.

West Brom remain fifth having beaten local rivals Birmingham City, while Hull enter the top six at the expense of Coventry - who lost to Norwich - as they beat Millwall, with the race for the play-offs hotting up

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, Rex Features

There have been goals everywhere, and plenty of drama, so let's recap with a look at the day's headlines.

• Leaders Leicester thrash Stoke 5-0 to go 11 points clear
• Southampton beat bottom side Rotherham to move second
• High-flying Ipswich are beaten at Preston despite Moore second-half double
• Andreas Weimann gives West Brom victory against Midlands rivals Birmingham
• Four second-half goals help Huddersfield beat relegation rivals Sheffield Wednesday
• QPR win at Blackburn and Plymouth get their first away win at Swansea
• Also wins for Hull, Norwich and Cardiff

Right, the full-time whistles have gone but we're staying with you for a while yet.

We've got headlines, tables and post-match reaction coming your way until about 18:30 GMT.

And you can get involved by using #bbcefl on X/Twitter...