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It's been a solid if not spectacular start to the season for promotion favourites Middlesbrough.

Striker Will Lankshear has certainly hit the ground running since his summer arrival from Tottenham and is averaging a goal a game in the Championship.

As well as an in-form striker Boro also boast a terrific recent record against today's opponents, with six wins and three draws in the past nine league meetings.

Norwich are on an upwards trajectory after back-to-back wins after three defeats from their opening four Championship games.

Along with Southampton they boast the most victories this calendar year in the second tier with 17.

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It’s a mid-table clash for Watford and Stoke when they meet at Vicarage Road this afternoon.

The Hornets ended a two-game losing run when they defeated Preston on Tuesday evening and lifted themselves up to 13th.

Meanwhile, Mark Robins’ Stoke look a little better having won two of their last three matches, but their away form has been lacking (D1 L2).

For two sets of fans who think their clubs belong in the upper echelons of English football, dropped points today might come back to bite them come May.

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Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray lamented his side's inability to turn performances into points after they lost at home to Sheffield United having had the lion's share of both possession and chances.

Rovers will hope to pick up a second win of the Championship campaign today against a side who they are unbeaten against in the past 10 meetings at Ewood Park.

Millwall have made a decent start to the season with three wins and two losses from their five league games to date.

Strong starts clearly haven't been part of the club's DNA in recent years, should they win today it will be the first time they have won as many as four of their opening six league games since doing so in 1997-98.

Owain Llyr
BBC Radio Cymru commentator at the Swansea.com Stadium

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Vitor Matos served some delicious looking cake at his weekly press conference to celebrate winning the Championship Manager of the Month Award for August.

Swansea’s unbeaten start to the season came to an end at Southampton on Tuesday night where they lost 3-1.

Matos wasn’t too disappointed with his side’s performance, but knows they need to start better today after finding themselves 2-0 down at half-time at St Mary’s.

Who knows - some leftover banana bread could be what the players need to get themselves going.

Simon Davies
BBC Radio Wales commentator

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Burnley boss Nicky Hayen returns to South Wales today, bringing back memories of an intriguing early chapter in his managerial career - with Haverfordwest County.

The Belgian manager spent time at the helm of the Cymru Premier side back in 2021, before progressing to lead Club Brugge in the Champions League and eventually taking over at Turf Moor.

Incidentally, his former club were in action last night, beating Briton Ferry Llansawel 3-1 under the lights at Bridge Meadow - around 60 miles west of Swansea.

Hayen may have moved on to high-stakes Championship football, but he'll no doubt hold a fond spot for his time in Pembrokeshire!

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Swansea's brilliant start to the season was brought to a halt by a 3-1 defeat at Southampton in midweek.

Still, the Swans have kept clean sheets in four of their six Championship games and are yet to concede a goal at home.

In contrast, visitors Burnley are having it tough right now. Very tough.

Relegated from the Premier League last season they are without a win from their opening six league games.

They, and especially boss Nicky Hayen, will hope they can build on their midweek draw in Wales at Wrexham.

Jamie Vardy is in south Wales and poised to make his debut for the Clarets as he has been named on the bench by Hayen.

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August, remember that? It is only a fortnight ago we waved it goodbye and with it, the summer as well.

My how Charlton wish they could go back to the long evenings of sunshine, playing out late with no school the next day.

Back then they were top of the Championship with nine perfect points and thumbing their collective noses at the pundits.

Two weeks later have come two draws, a defeat and a failure to score in their past two matches - hardly cause for panic and a midweek goalless draw with the so far, impressive QPR at least shook out the memories of a 4-0 battering at Stoke on Saturday.

Portsmouth head to south London having snapped a two-game losing streak by beating Cardiff 2-0 last weekend - Pompey have had a free week to prepare for this one but do not mention that to Charlton boss Nathan Jones who this week branded the hectic schedule for his team 'a joke.'

He may not be laughing if John Mousinho's side can make it three wins in a row against the Addicks today, something they have not managed since 1983.

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Nobody truly knows which Preston side will show up against Lincoln this afternoon.

Paul Heckingbottom’s men looked as if they’d finally ended their poor start to the season when they beat Blackburn in the Lancashire derby two weeks ago. But then they slumped to a disappointing defeat away to Watford.

Lincoln, meanwhile, are somewhat enjoying their new life in the Championship, having picked up five points in the last three games, in which they are unbeaten.

However, today is a different test, especially with Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw's side perhaps still bruised from Tuesday's 4-0 hammering by Bournemouth in EFL Cup.

With the early kick-offs done and dusted, and head to our dedicated Championship page for match reports and reaction, let's concentrate on the 15:00 BST games.

Nathan Blake
Former Cardiff & Bolton striker on BBC Radio Wales

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There was only one team in that game and only one team who should have won it - but there were just too many opportunities not taken and then they're done by a sucker punch late on.

It has been a problem for the last four or five games for Cardiff and they look like a team desperately short of confidence in front of goal. They're creating chances but they do not have a cutting edge.

Richard Wilford
BBC Radio WM commentator

Blues have a second win of the season. It's taken a real dig of their heart, desire and resilience.

They've had to show utter grit and determination to show what this season's Birmingham City have got.

Three results in the bank.

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Birmingham snap a three-game winless run and Derby fall to a third successive league defeat for the first time since March 2025.

Bobby Clark gave Derby the lead with their first shot on target after 40 minutes only for Carlos Vicente to head the visitors level two minutes later.

Paik Seung-Ho's header just past the hour proved decisive but we also saw Luis Vazquez with the miss of the season for Birmingham before Sam Szmodics had a late effort cleared off the line for Derby.

Problems are growing for John Eustace's side with Henrik Meister stretchered off and the Rams could be bottom come five o'clock.

Unconvincing from Blues but a win is a win.

Ed Dawes
BBC Radio Derby commentator

What a game this has been! Derby are going to be on the wrong end of it but what an advert this has been for the Championship.

Malcolm Christie
Former Derby striker on BBC Radio Derby

We haven't just knocked on the door there, we've nearly blown it off it's hinges and incredibly it's stayed on.

Sam Szmodics blasts towards goal from six yards but the Birmingham skipper Christoph Klarer blocks it on the line.

Blues are playing a really dodgy game as they try to hold out.

Derby are pushing hard for a leveller and Birmingham have everyone behind the ball as we reach 100 minutes.

Rob Phillips
BBC Wales Football Correspondent on BBC Radio Wales

It's all over and Cardiff have been done at the death by a 90th minute stooping header in a game they absolutely bossed.

But the lack of a finishing touch in front of goal has cost them dearly.

It's now seven league games without a win. They could end today in the the relegation zone.