Image source, Opta

Mark Robins has responded to their poor run in the Championship with six changes for the visit of Swansea.

Tatsuki Seko makes his 50th appearance in a Stoke shirt and returns to the midfield alongside Ben Pearson, while Eric Bocat and Ashley Phillips bolster the back four.

And there's a start for recalled forwards Million Manhoef and Robert Bozenik.

Academy graduate Ben Cabango makes his 250th appearance for Swansea as he captains the side.

Vitor Matos makes just two changes from the midweek win over Portsmouth as leading scorer Zan Vipotnik and Liam Cullen return and Melker Widell and Adam Idah drop to the bench.

Image source, Opta

Two changes apiece for either side as Oxford take on Preston.

Mark Harris and Luke Harris drop to the bench for Oxford with Ole Romeny and Nik Prelec starting for the hosts.

Former Preston defender Ben Davies also starts for Oxford.

Meanwhile Pol Valentin and Alfie Devine come into the XI for Preston with Liam Lindsay missing out due to his red card against Coventry in midweek while Jordan Thompson drops to the bench.

Image source, Opta

Norwich are without top scorer Josh Sargent because of concussion while Tony Springett and Jakov Medic drop to the bench.

Into the side come Harry Darling, Ben Chrisene and Amankwah Forson.

Captain Kenny McLean plays despite being classed as 'doubtful' by boss Philippe Clement because of a hip problem.

Tom Fellows is out with a groin injury for Southampton while Joshua Quarshie is among the substitutes.

Skipper Jack Stephens returns to the side with Ryan Fraser also starting.

Image source, Opta

Our Championship weekend kicked off last night as West Brom eased the pressure on boss Ryan Mason with a 2-0 win over Sheffield United.

The Blades controlled the first period but the Baggies turned the tide in the second-half with goals from Aune Heggebo and Karlan Grant.

The victory lifts West Brom to within three points of the play-off places ahead of the remaining 11 games of this round of matches.

After a promising start to the season, Stoke are riding the crest of a slump.

The Potters' 1-0 defeat at Ipswich in midweek was their fifth loss in the past six league matches, dropping them out of the top six for the first time this season.

But despite this worrying run, they remain just a point outside the play-off spots in eighth - reasons to be cheerful compared with Stoke’s recent campaigns.

A case of bad timing sees them meet a Swansea side on their best run of the season after back-to-back home wins and clean sheets under new boss Vitor Matos.

The Welshmen and their Portuguese head coach will be more than eager to maintain this momentum with derby day next on the horizon, Friday, with the visit of Wrexham.

But the Swans will have to overturn some patchy away form if they want to take anything away from the bet365 Stadium, with just no wins and two points from their last five matches on the road.

Image source, Shutterstock

Oxford welcome Preston today and fortunately for them, boss Gary Rowett has an impressive record against the Lilywhites.

In his managerial career, he has never lost against Preston - on 15 occasions no less.

Speaking of bosses, Preston's Paul Heckingbottom won't be on the sidelines for today's trip down the M6.

He was given a three-game touchline ban by the FA having been found guilty of misconduct following their draw against Watford last month.

That means as well as today's fixture, he'll miss the visit of Norwich City on 20 December and their away fixture at Stoke City on Boxing Day.

Image source, Shuttershock

Norwich fans have probably had enough of this season and being told how bad it has been but why let that stop us finding another way to illustrate it?

At the start of November the Canaries were 23rd and their opponents, Southampton were 21st, just four points better off.

Fast forward six weeks and Norwich are still 23rd but a whopping 16 points behind the now ninth-placed Saints.

Both sides have changed managers in the intervening period as well, with five days separating the respective dismissals of Liam Manning and Will Still.

Philippe Clement's appointment has brought improved performances if not the number of points for Norwich (five from a possible 15 if you are counting) and it may be a slow burn under the Belgian.

Southampton cannot complain about Tonda Eckert's impact both as interim and now permanent boss with six wins from seven games meaning they could finish today in the top six - unthinkable at the start of last month.

Funny old game isn't it?

There are seven more Championship matches to come this afternoon (15:00 GMT):

• Birmingham City v Charlton Athletic
• Coventry City v Bristol City
• Leicester City v Ipswich Town
• Middlesbrough v QPR
• Millwall v Hull City
• Portsmouth v Blackburn Rovers
• Wrexham v Watford

We have three games to get us up and running this lunchtime (12:30 GMT):

• Norwich City v Southampton
• Oxford United v Preston North End
• Stoke City v Swansea City

Christmas is around the corner, the midway stage of the season is upon us.

But who can wrestle some good fortune before the year's end in the Championship?

We've got three games to whet the appetite before the glut of fixtures kicks off at 15:00 GMT.

The action begins very soon.