Nesta McGregor
BBC Sport at Ewood Park

Image source, BBC Sport

A Premier League throwback…of sorts.

Regular foes during the 90s and early 2000s but it’s been 19 years since Southampton faced Blackburn at Ewood Park.

Ironically the Saints have Adam Armstrong and Joe Rothwell in their starting XI today – both are former Rovers players.

Which may have come in handy if the coach driver had trouble finding the stadium.

And off we go!

A majority of matches are now under way across the EFL.

There is a mind-boggling amount to play for across the divisions in the coming hours.

Paul Scott
BBC Sport at The Jobserve Community Stadium

Image source, BBC Sport

The away dugout at The Jobserve Community Stadium.

Phil Parkinson’s home for the afternoon.

The Wrexham boss returns to Colchester - the club where he began his managerial career 21 years ago.

Both sides need the points at opposite ends of the table.

Gillingham, Wimbledon, and Walsall could also all move into the play-offs today if Crawley slip up. The Gills visit a Bradford side bottom of the form table, while the Dons host Salford, who will aim to avoid a third straight defeat under new Boss Karl Robinson. A win away at Tranmere could also vault Mat Sadler’s Walsall into seventh.

Grimsby started the year 10 points clear of safety, but go into today’s game at home to Newport just two places and two points clear of the trap door.

Notts County meanwhile – who were part of the race for automatic promotion for much of the first half of the campaign – are yet to win at home since the turn of the year and have slipped into mid-table. Play-off chasing Harrogate are the visitors.

Nigel Clough’s Mansfield are second in the division but have lost three of their last six. Visitors Crawley on the other hand have lost just once in that time frame, and hold the coveted final play-off position

Two sides trying to hang on to the coattails of the top four are Barrow and Crewe. The former host Swindon today, who bring the worst away record in the league to Holker Street.

The Railwaymen have gone off the rails slightly in recent weeks with just one win in six. They make the short trip to Accrington.

Several teams will still fancy their chances of sneaking that final play-off position, and it’s Morecambe who lead that chase right now. Ged Brannan’s side have won their last two, but face a Doncaster side today who have won their last five and top the current form table.

It’s a battle of top v bottom in the fourth tier this afternoon, with the bottom three taking on three of the top four.

Sutton, who have hauled themselves out of the relegation zone with four straight wins, host table-toppers Stockport. County themselves are on a run of four successive victories, and won the reverse fixture 8-0 in December.

Bottom-of-the-table Forest Green take on another team pushing for League One football in MK Dons. Mike Williamson’s side have never lost to today’s opponents.

Third-place Wrexham travel to second-bottom Colchester hoping to bounce back from defeat in midweek. Danny Cowley’s Us have become the draw specialists of late, but it’s wins they will need if they are to climb out of trouble.

• Accrington Stanley v Crewe Alexandra
• AFC Wimbledon v Salford City
• Barrow v Swindon Town
• Bradford City v Gillingham
• Colchester United v Wrexham
• Forest Green Rovers v Milton Keynes Dons
• Grimsby Town v Newport County
• Mansfield Town v Crawley Town
• Morecambe v Doncaster Rovers
• Notts County v Harrogate Town
• Sutton United v Stockport County
• Tranmere Rovers v Walsall

Marc Webber
Final Score at Sixfields Stadium

Image source, BBC Sport

In the brewing town of Northampton, Carlisle United are drinking in the last chance saloon.

The Cumbrians need a win and need another beer town, Burton, not to win if they are to stay in League One for another week.

A draw keeps them technically in the league, but when Cheltenham play their games in hand that will disappear.

Both sides came up to this division together last season, but their fortunes are poles apart.

The delay in a takeover at Brunton Park could be cited as the reason the Citadel city couldn’t get a grip of this division.

Technically, mid-table Northampton could still be relegated, but past yo-yo-ing between the bottom two divisions has sharply focused minds to not go through that again this season and they should be secure by the end of today.

Having won just six games all season, Carlisle United could become the second EFL side to be relegated this season after Rotherham dropped out of the Championship on Friday.

The Cumbrians, who play away at Northampton, need at least a draw and to hope results go their way, although it will seem like delaying the inevitable, given the 13-point gap to 20th-placed Burton Albion with five games to go.

Burton have a tricky game at home to Oxford, who are only outside the play-offs on goal difference.

That gives Port Vale or Cheltenham a chance to climb out of the relegation zone, with Darren Moore's side - who are one point inside the bottom four - at Wigan and Cheltenham playing away to Leyton Orient.

A slip up from Oxford could allow sixth-placed Lincoln to build a buffer zone inside the play-offs in their game at Reading, with Stevenage having the chance to draw level with the Imps and U's if they can win at Exeter.

Portsmouth can extend their lead at the top of League One to eight points if they beat Shrewsbury, who have scored just twelve goals away from home this season, the lowest in the division.

Second-placed Derby don't play until Wednesday, which gives Bolton the chance to move within one point of the automatic promotion spots if they can win at Bristol Rovers.

But Ian Evatt's side haven't taken victory in any of their last six away games, keeping one clean sheet in that time.

Barnsley's slim hopes of a top-two spot rely on them making the most of two games in hand on Derby, including this one.

Tykes manager Neill Collins will be wary of the challenge of playing at Charlton, who have taken points off Portsmouth, Bolton and Derby in recent games.

• Blackpool v Cambridge United
• Bristol Rovers v Bolton Wanderers
• Burton Albion v Oxford United
• Charlton Athletic v Barnsley
• Exeter City v Stevenage
• Leyton Orient v Cheltenham Town
• Northampton Town v Carlisle United
• Portsmouth v Shrewsbury Town
• Reading v Lincoln City
• Wigan Athletic v Port Vale

It is a big day at the bottom of the Championship table as far as the relegation battle is concerned. Not helped by Plymouth Argyle’s win at Rotherham United on Friday night, which sent the Millers down, four of the sides facing the drop are up against each other.Queens Park Rangers, in 16th and six points clear of the drop, host 23rd place Sheffield Wednesday, with the Owls starting the day three points off safety. A win for the Owls could see them end the day only in the bottom three on goal difference. There is a classic relegation six-pointer in west Yorkshire between 22nd place Huddersfield Town and Millwall in 20th. A win for the Terriers, who have not won in their last six matches, could take them out of the bottom three, if Birmingham City lose away at promotion-chasing Leicester City. Millwall start the day out of the bottom three by four points. Elsewhere, Stoke City (18th) face West Bromwich Albion (5th) at the bet365 Stadium. Stoke start the afternoon five points clear of the relegation zone, but have won just once in their last four home matches.

Play-off chasing sides are just about tripping over themselves to get into the top six right now.

Just two points separate seventh-placed Coventry – who are seven points outside the play-offs – and Hull in 10th.

And with Cardiff just two points and one place behind Hull, the meeting of those two in the Welsh capital has all the feeling of a must win game.

But it is no different for Preston on their trip to mid-table Watford, or Middlesbrough who host 15th-placed Swansea.

The pace at the top of the Championship table in pursuit of automatic promotion to the Premier League has been, and remains, relentless.

Ipswich’s loss at Norwich means both second-placed Leeds and third-placed Leicester can now move above them at the summit this afternoon.

Leeds are unbeaten in 15 league games, a run that includes 13 wins, and today travel to face play-off chasing Coventry.

Leicester City, the side that looked like cantering to promotion not long ago, start the day outside the automatic promotion spots but could end it back in the top two if they beat a Birmingham City side that are fighting for their Championship lives.

Today’s home game is the third time the Foxes have met Blues this term, and Gary Rowett is the third different boss in the dugout – Wayne Rooney was at the helm in December’s 3-2 loss, then Tony Mowbray was there for their FA Cup exit.

In another huge game with ramifications at both ends, Southampton will be looking to stay in touch with the top two when they travel to Blackburn.

Saints are 12 points adrift of second-placed Leeds, but with two games in hand on the Whites they will still very much be in the race to go straight back up if they win today and results elsewhere go their way.

If Blackburn can avoid a first league double of defeats by Southampton for more than 70 years, then they will take another valuable step towards safety.

• Blackburn Rovers v Southampton
• Cardiff City v Hull City
• Coventry City v Leeds United
• Huddersfield Town v Millwall
• Leicester City v Birmingham City
• Middlesbrough v Swansea City
• Queens Park Rangers v Sheffield Wednesday
• Stoke City v West Bromwich Albion
• Sunderland v Bristol City
• Watford v Preston North End

Well, that's a heck of way to start a massively significant day in the English Football League for just about every side in action.

Stick with us, as we start to build up to the 15:00 BST kick-offs.

Chris Goreham
BBC Radio Norfolk sport

There were so many nervous faces walking into the ground today but Norwich have done it. It never felt like it was going to be straight forward.

I don't think you can enjoy a derby until the final whistle, but now there's jumping, shouting, and screaming.

There's great scenes and we're seeing the real togetherness of the Norwich squad.

Image source, Rex Features

HUGE result in the Championship promotion race. The leaders beaten.

The home fans roar the final whistle as they take the points to boost their play-off hopes and the bragging rights to boot.

Marcelino Nunez's long range free-kick proves to be the difference in a tight East Anglian derby that simmered but never really boiled.

Ipswich improved after the break but never really called Angus Gunn in the City goal into a meaningful save.

They still haven't won at Norwich since 2006 and, come the end of the day, could have dropped down to third.

Leeds and Leicester, it's over to you.

Norwich win a free-kick in their own area.

That's probably going to be it.

Chris Goreham
BBC Radio Norfolk sport

Even throw-ins are being applauded by the home fans now. Carrow Road is in fine voice, and Shane Duffy is swinging his hands to keep the noise high.

Norwich just need to hang on.

If it stays the same...could we see the two sides meeting in the play-offs?