Marc Webber
Final Score

Not even the most successful marriage guidance counsellors would take on Norwich City as a client right now.

Despite knocking on the play-off doors, the relationship between fans, management and owners is toxic.

Boos rung around Carrow Road midweek when they were 2-1 up. The fans shouting “you don’t know what you’re doing” at manager David Wagner when he subbed Josh Sargeant in the 4-2 win.

Bizarre that a side that could be in the play-offs is so torn that the manager is urging unhappy fans to stay away for this crucial run-in.

Cardiff are shipping goals on the road, all bar one of the away games recently have been multi-goal defeats and they’ve only won two in the past eight league games.

Naz Premji
Final Score at the John Smith's Stadium

New Huddersfield Town manager Andre Breitenreiter is here and officially starts his new job next week.

His new team have picked up and steered themselves a little away from the drop zone.

Hull City fans are still talking about THAT Jaden Philogene goal at Rotherham. Liam Rosenior will be confident his side can continue their play-off charge against a Terriers side who generally have a good record against the Tigers.

It's an intriguing encounter is this one.

Richard Wolfenden
Final Score at Deepdale

It's a calm place at the moment is Deepdale, as we await two sets of passionate Lancastrian fans for this Lancashire derby.

The flags are being put in place and the stewards are being given their safety instructions. Preston are the favourites, but you can never tell what will happen on derby day…

Eighth-placed Hull got back to winning ways but had to come from behind to claim all three points against bottom-of-the-Championship Rotherham in midweek.

It was a much-needed boost for the Tigers who prior to the match had lost three of their previous five. Points today could launch them into the play-off places.

Their opponents and hosts Huddersfield might be languishing down in 20th place but they have turned their season around so far in 2024 and will be looking to extend their cushion away from the bottom three.

Norwich, in seventh, have lost just one of their past seven matches and look strong candidates to nab a play-off spot if their good run of form continues. Their opponents, 14th placed Cardiff, are slipping and have earned points from only one of their past five matches and struggled to find the back of the net too, scoring two goals in the process.

Preston are the third team on the cusp of the top six. Ninth-placed North End have three league wins in a row and show no signs of slowing down after bouncing back from two losses in January.

The visitors Blackburn have lost three of their past five and whilst the league table looks to be moving in their favour to avoid relegation, they are just seven points off the bottom three. The last time these two sides met Preston needed a 90th-minute winner to claim three points.

Coventry are the final team from this chasing pack who could enter the play-off places with points today. For the second time in as many weeks, the Sky Blues needed a last-minute equaliser to force a draw with Plymouth Argyle in midweek.

They'll need to be better if they want to enter and have a chance of staying in the top six. They travel to face a Stoke side who after a gritty midweek win over QPR will be looking for back-to-back league wins for the first time since October.

Image source, Rex Features

QPR travel to Bristol City looking for an opportunity to keep their relatively good recent run of form alive.

Despite being in 22nd in the Championship, they have been playing well of late with two wins, a pair of draws and one loss from their past five league outings.

Marti Cifuentes' men are four points from safety, with their midweek defeat by fellow strugglers Stoke a rare blip to their recent form.

Bristol City pulled off an incredible 3-1 win over second-placed Southampton in midweek, with Liam Manning's side hungry to kick-on as they sit only four points outside the play-off places.

Meanwhile, it's a slightly different story for bottom side Rotherham, who are rapidly running out of time to avoid relegation.

The Millers looked like they might strong-arm a result and earn some points midweek but conceded two goals in the last 20 minutes to be denied against Hull. Leam Richardson's men look like they need a miracle at this point. But could they find one in their travelling opponents today?

Watford are seven points from the play-off places but they are on a three-game losing run. They started 2024 strongly but Valerien Ismael's side have taken a nose dive recently and could be ripe for the picking.

Image source, Getty Images

Ipswich striker Ali Al-Hamadi is planning to make history as he targets promotion to the Premier League with his new club.

Al-Hamadi moved from AFC Wimbledon during the January transfer window and has quickly settled at Portman Road.

He scored his first goal in Wednesday's 4-0 win at Millwall and now aims to be the first Iraq international in the top flight.

"I don't think there's ever been an Iraqi that played in the Premier League, so that's a dream," he said.

"I'd love to be in the Premier League with Ipswich, it's always been an ambition of mine as a player.

"I don't want to think too much about these things. What's got me here so far is being determined and focussed, and working hard, and that's what I'll keep doing."

We're entering six-pointer stage of the season now and this is definitely one of those.

Millwall, without a win in their past six and four points above the relegation zone, host a Sheffield Wednesday side who are seven points adrift of the 21st-placed Lions.

Home fans will be keen to cling to any omens that might play in their favour and, to that end, the East London side are unbeaten in their past six games with Wednesday and have only lost two of their past 14 home league games against teams from Yorkshire.

Wednesday have only won one of their past six league games and a defeat today would leave them with a real uphill struggle.

The last thing Middlesbrough need off the back of a four-game winless run that has seen them drop off the pace of the play-off chasing pack is a trip to the league leaders.

Leicester are set fair to break Reading's record of 106 points in a Championship season and have won 13 of their 16 home league games this season.

Victory today would see Enzo Maresca's men break the 80-point barrier with 13 games of the season still to play.

Image source, Rex Features

Birmingham welcome Sunderland this afternoon with Blues boss Tony Mowbray taking charge against his former side for the first time since his sacking.

Mowbray was sacked by the Black Cats in December after 15 months in charge having won two of his final nine games.

Beale replaced him and has since guided Sunderland to the verge of the Championship play-off places while Mowbray has gone on to take over at a Birmingham side fighting at the opposite end of the table.

"I don't think Tony has anything to prove to Sunderland or the fans," Beale told BBC Radio Newcastle.

"I think our fans will show their class because he didn't get a chance to say goodbye, but after that it's about us going there and getting a result.

"It's clear he knows our players, and maybe there'll be one or two who have a point to prove to him.

"What I will say is that there is a lot of respect here for Tony, and I think that will be shown towards him before the game, and after that, it will be a right ding-dong battle."

• Birmingham City v Sunderland
• Bristol City v Queens Park Rangers
• Huddersfield Town v Hull City
• Leicester City v Middlesbrough
• Millwall v Sheffield Wednesday
• Norwich City v Cardiff City
• Preston North End v Blackburn Rovers
• Rotherham United v Watford
• Stoke City v Coventry City
• Swansea City v Ipswich Town

One down. 10 more to go.

Let's take a look at what else we've got to get stuck into in the Championship this afternoon.

Image source, .

Job's a good un for Leeds then.

Their eighth win from eight league games this year moves them back up to second, albeit having played a game more than Southampton.

Runaway league leaders Leicester will look to stretch their advantage over the Whites back to 12 points when they host Middlesbrough.

In stark contrast to that, the race for the final two play-off spots is incredibly tight.

Lots more to come on that...

Adam Pope
BBC Radio Leeds commentator

Daniel Farke just holding back, taking it all in.

He has his moment with the travelling fans who have done nearly 3,000 miles this calendar year.

Alan Richardson
BBC Radio Devon

A warm shake of the hand between the two managers who will probably be quite relieved they don't have to see each other again this season!

The pleasing thing for Argyle will be that they were not blown away as a lot of teams have been by Leeds this season.

They need to get something out of that West Brom game (at home on Tuesday night).

Image source, Getty Images

Eight wins in eight in 2024 for Leeds in the league and they're back up to second.

All credit to the Whites, who did a thoroughly professional job against a Plymouth side who dug in well.

They took the lead early on when Willy Gnonto made it five goals in five games this month with a low finish after some suspect defending from the Pilgrims.

The home side had to weather a real storm in the first 10-15 minutes but then came at Leeds at the start of the second half.

Daniel Farke's side managed their way through though and Georginio Rutter put it to bed with a firm strike from just inside the area.

A first home loss in the league since October for Plymouth but no shame in losing to this Leeds outfit.

Leeds bring on Mateo Joseph and Joe Gelhardt for the final 90 seconds.

Dan James, who was fouled by Ash Phillips for the free-kick, smashes his shot against the Plymouth crossbar.

Twice today the away side have been denied by the woodwork.

Alan Richardson
BBC Radio Devon

Three minutes seems a very paltry amount for my mind.

There have been lengthy stoppages for all the substitutions of late.

Into three minutes of time added on at the end.

Professional job from second-placed Leeds today.

The Whites have a free-kick of their own just on the edge of the area... think Ashley Phillips is lucky he's not given a penalty.

Morgan Whittaker hammers the free-kick from out wide towards goal and Illan Meslier kind of scoops it away at his near post.

Not the most convincing from the Leeds keeper but, crucially, he keeps it out.