A chance for Birmingham is just off the mark.

Koji Miyoshi from the edge of the box, looks up, shoots, but his shot is dragged wide.

It remains goalless but Blues on top.

Rotherham are deep in the relegation mire and facing a certain return to League One but what of Huddersfield.

Crowded as it is at the bottom of the table, victory against the Millers could lift them to 20th and give them some much-needed confidence headed into the final stages of the season.

Jack Rudoni comes close to giving them an early lead but his shot from Delano Burgzorg's delivery is well saved by Rotherham keeper Viktor Johansson.

Image source, PA Media

An even back-and-forth so far between Stoke and Norwich at the bet365 Stadium as the rain continues to drizzle down on to the pitch.

The Potters have won two of their last three at home.

Whilst Norwich look nailed on to gain a play-off place, their away form has been a little shaky in 2024.

Upset alert?

Ipswich are having to do without top scorer Connor Chaplin today who picked up an injury in training.

Nathan Broadhead and Omari Hutchinson have come into the attacking line for the hosts, with Jeremy Sarmiento on the bench today.

Image source, Getty Images

The Blues are up and at it early and looking frisky in these opening few minutes at St Andrew's.

The home side can jump up to 17th with a win over a streaky Watford side this afternoon.

The visiting Hornets looking a little stressed at the moment.

Plymouth racing out of the blocks early doors against Preston.

They win a free-kick shortly after this one gets going and work it into the Preston box, but they can't quite pick out the onrushing Ryan Hardie.

Ben Croucher
BBC Final Score

When these two met earlier in the season Middlesbrough were bottom, but it's Blackburn now looking over their shoulders.

Just one win in 16 for Rovers, while Boro have won three on the bounce - but there are oddly contrasting moods among those I've chatted to.

"Every game is a cup final," says former Rovers striker Kevin Gallacher. "Records are there to be broken," said another chap in the press box who covers Blackburn. His opposite number on the Boro beat predicts this is the 'kind of game' Michael Carrick's side will lose.

Is there another sport where the lines between pessimism and optimism are so foolhardily blurred?

Naz Premji
Final Score

Rotherham are pretty much down and planning has probably already started for a League One campaign next season.

But between now and the end of the season they can have a real affect on some of the teams in the race to avoid the drop.

They play Huddersfield today and have further games against Stoke, Plymouth and Millwall - which could have a huge impact.

Huddersfield's new manager Andre Breitenreiter has had a mixed start to his reign but surely has this game down for three points, against a team that hasn't won since Boxing Day.

The clock has just struck 15:00 GMT, whistles are ringing and we are up and running in this afternoon's matches.

Andy Sixsmith
Final Score reporter

The business end of the season all about numbers and only one matters for QPR; finishing 21st or higher and avoiding relegation.

They need three points today against a Sunderland side with six straight defeats and six defenders injured.

One of them ISN’T Dan Ballard who starts today, although with his partner due to give birth to their first child, we’ll know what’s happening if he has to leave the pitch in a hurry..!

Image source, Getty Images

With an unbeaten run in the Championship that now stretches to five games, West Brom can further solidify their grip on fifth place with a win against Bristol City today.

The Baggies have a five point buffer over Norwich and Hull immediately below them and - unfortunately for Bristol City – have a formidable six wins in their last seven games at the Hawthorns, also keeping four clean sheets during that period.

Mikey Johnston was on target again and scored twice in their last outing against Huddersfield, to take his tally to six goals in nine games since signing in January.

Bristol City, meanwhile, did see their four-game losing streak end last weekend against Swansea but they seem on course to again watch the rest of the season fizzle out to a nothing-to-fight for spot in the middle of the table.

Sunderland boss Mike Dodds called for positivity midweek, but it's hard to put a smile on the face of your fans when your team is taking on water like the Black Cats have been.

Sat in 12th they are actually closer to the relegation places than the play-off places and they've lost six on the bounce.

QPR on the other hand, despite losing to Middlesbrough last weekend, have strung together a decent run of results with three wins and a draw from their last five.

The Hoops are teetering on the edge of relegation but boss Marti Cifuentes has his side trending in the right direction.

Image source, PA Media

This match-up is better than it looks on paper.

Stoke are just three points outside the relegation places but they have been scrapping hard to stay afloat and have three wins from their last six Championship games.

Meanwhile, Norwich - who are one of the favourites to claim a play-off spot - continue their impressive run in this second half of the season, chalking up seven wins from 12 games.

But the Canaries have struggled to take flight on the road and have just one away victory from their last five.

Potters manager Steven Schumacher said midweek the atmosphere at their last home game at the bet365 Stadium was "the best since we've been here - we are going to need that again."

Can the 12th man lift the home side to victory and extend their cushion from the bottom three?

Image source, Rex Features

Rotherham have a surely insurmountable deficit of 20 points to make up to even get out of the bottom three - and 19 to even have a chance of moving away from bottom place in the Championship.

They welcome fellow strugglers Huddersfield Town with the Terriers hoping to capitalise on their Yorkshire rivals' struggles to try and pull away from the bottom three themselves.

Huddersfield arrive at a Millers side sorely short on confidence, with their opponents winning just two of their past 20 league games against them and on a nine-game losing run.

If that becomes 10 today, then they will equal their worst-ever losing run in the English Football League.

Image source, Rex Features

Preston boss Ryan Lowe returns to Plymouth Argyle for the first time today after he left Home Park to take the reins at the Lilywhites.

Lowe arrived at Deepdale in late 2021 having led Argyle to promotion from League Two, with his former assistant Steven Schumacher leading the club to the Championship last term.

Lowe's side are in inconsistent form going into their trip to Devon, but are very much in the play-off picture in a crowded battle for the top six.

Plymouth are three points off the drop zone as things stand and have lost each of their past three home Championship games - failing to score in them all.

But, against their former boss, what better time to put that record right and surge away from the bottom three?

Image source, Rex Features

One side mounting a late season push for the play-offs, one side battling towards the bottom.

Championship top scorer Sammie Szmodics has scored for Blackburn in each of his past three appearances to bring up his tally for the season to 21 goals.

Szmodics also lines up for Blackburn having been named in Republic of Ireland interim boss John O'Shea's squad earlier this week - the first time he has received a call-up for the boys in green.

Middlesbrough arrive having won their game in hand on those around them as they defeated lowly Birmingham City at St Andrew's on Tuesday.

That win moved them up to ninth. Can they cap off another win against a struggling Championship side today to claw down the five-point deficit on the play-off places?

Ipswich’s stunning six-match winning run was brought to a storming end last weekend with defeat away to Cardiff. But with Leeds one point ahead and not playing until tomorrow, Ipswich have the chance to reclaim second place in the table and jump above their rivals if they beat Sheffield Wednesday today.

The Owls saw their own winning run also come to an abrupt end last weekend, but their fight to retain their Championship status next season is still very much alive.

They remain in the bottom three but with sides tightly packed together down there only three points separate Wednesday from Plymouth in 17th.

While Ipswich have been almost unstoppable at home this season, Sheffield Wednesday have won their last two away games without conceding. The last time they won three on the road in a row in the second tier was in 2017, and the team they beat in that third match was? Ipswich Town.

Either way, the result at Portman Road this afternoon will have ramifications at both ends of the table.

Image source, Getty Images

There is no point sugar coating it.

Both Birmingham and Watford really need the win today.

The 21st-placed Blues are just a point outside the Championship's bottom three and they haven't won a match since mid-February.

Meanwhile, the 14th-placed Hornets - who sacked Valerien Ismael last weekend and have put former midfielder Tom Cleverley in temporary charge - are closer to the relegation places than the top six.

Recent form will do little to fill confidence of a late season turnaround.

But Birmingham supporters will hold on to hope their team can continue their positive run at St Andrew's, having lost only five from 18 matches there this season.

Image source, Rex Features

Before we get going with today's game, let's quickly recap what's just happened over in South Wales.

Swansea made up for their defeat in the derby earlier this season by confidently getting the better of rivals Cardiff City with a 2-0 win that moves them up to 14th in the table.

Liam Cullen put the Swans ahead on the 34th minute and while Cullen dragged a penalty wide early in the second half, Jamal Lowe added the extras deep in added time to claim the coveted spoils.

Defeat means Cardiff stay 11th with the rest of the day's games to come.

The South Wales derby kicked off this afternoon's Championship action but here's what is still to come...

Birmingham City v Watford

Ipswich v Sheffield Wednesday

Middlesbrough v Blackburn Rovers

Plymouth v Preston North End

Rotherham v Huddersfield

Stoke v Norwich

Sunderland v QPR

West Brom v Bristol City