What an opportunity Middlesbrough have at Ashton Gate.

Leaders Coventry only drew at Southampton, while Preston in third drew and fourth-placed Millwall lost.

Alex Gilbert has replaced Alan Browne in the only change from their win over QPR last week.

Goalkeeper Max O'Leary is in for his first Championship game of the season for Bristol City with Radek Vitek out with a knee injury, while Neto Borges cannot play against his parent club.

Zak Vyner and Scott Twine are in with Mark Sykes also missing.

Patrick Bamford leads the line for the Blades this afternoon, and in the opening couple of minutes, buys a free-kick from Birmingham defender Phil Neumann who is booked for his troubles.

QPR have changed their goalkeeper with Ben Hamer starting in place of Paul Nardi while Karamoko Dembele replaces Paul Smyth.

Leicester are unchanged from the side which beat Ipswich last weekend.

Derby have brought in Callum Elder for the benched Craig Forsyth.

Zak Swanson and Ibane Bowat are missing for Portsmouth while John Swift and Yang Min-Hyeok are among the substitutes.

Regan Poole is back from injury while Jordan Williams, Colby Bishop and Mark Kosznovszky start.

Watford are without Edo Kayembe and Mamadou Doumbia who are both away at the African Cup of Nations and James Abankwah drops to the bench.

In come Jeremy Ngakia, Tom Ince and Giorgi Chakvetadze.

Stoke have defender Junior Tchamadeu away at Afcon with Cameroon and Eric Bocat is missing through injury with Ben Pearson and Tatsuki Seko on the bench.

Maksym Talovierov, Aaron Cresswell, Bosun Lawal and Steven Nzonzi start.

Three down, eight more ready to go.

Shall we?

BBC Local Radio

Because of broadcasting rights we are unable to bring you live coverage of today's fixtures, unless you in the local area and tune in on your radio.

However, we'll be listening in on your behalf, and will bring you a flavour of the BBC Local Radio coverage right here on this page throughout the day.

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Middlesbrough boss Kim Hellberg says his first few weeks have been "perfection" with his new club and little wonder after four wins from four.

Lots of goals scored, dynamic football, previously unused players making strong contributions, there has been a bit of a Midas touch about the Swede at the Riverside.

He will need that today to break Boro's poor run against Bristol City, with five losses and two draws in the last seven meetings.

The Robins have been up and down in recent weeks with only two wins from nine but they are more than capable of turning it on when the mood takes them as they showed before the clocks went back.

Marc Webber
BBC Final Score commentator at Portman Road

Image source, Marc Webber

Spotted at Ipswich railway station.

Santa’s arrived to deliver a festive three points at Portman Road, but will they go to Ipswich Town or Sheffield Wednesday?

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Ipswich Town may sit in fifth at the moment, but there has been something a bit unsatisfactory about their campaign so far.

After two strong results at home, including a 3-0 win over leaders Coventry, they produced a no-show in losing at Leicester.

A home game against bottom club Sheffield Wednesday really must be three points, with away trips to Millwall and the Sky Blues to come over Christmas.

As for the Owls, captain Barry Bannan admitted in an interview that the Owls need a lift. 29 points from safety with two lots of points deductions and only one win all season, a takeover of the Hillsborough club cannot be completed quickly enough.

Their paper-thin squad is also depleted further today, as Sean Fusire and Yan Valery are now away at Afcon, so taking something from Portman Road looks a tall order.

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If things had been different Marti Cifuentes could well have still been in charge of QPR.

As it is after a spell of gardening leave with the R's he pitched up at Leicester and the ride has been almost as rough as jumping into a DeLorean but things are looking up for the Spanish coach.

Seven points from their past nine has put them in with a chance of finishing the day back in the top six - surely the bare minimum Foxes fans would expect.

Not that his replacement at Loftus Road is not doing a pretty stand-up job himself.

Julien Stephan has steadied the ship after a 7-1 battering at Coventry in the August sunshine to have his side breathing down the necks of today's opponents, in fact victory today would take them above Leicester.

With five home wins already QPR are showing the kind of form which could see them bag one of those play-off spots - to show you how good that is, they won only seven games at home in the entirety of last season.

Are these two nearly-men or something a bit more like the real deal? Today could give us a clue.

Naz Premji
BBC Final Score commentator at the MKM Stadium

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There is a definite roar in the Tigers these days. Under Sergej Jakirovic, Hull have been revitalised and despite a recent loss to in-form Middlesbrough this team is very much in the play off picture.

Joe Gelhardt and Oli McBurnie have been providing the goal threat but you look through the line up there is a real mix of Championship experience with some proven promotion specialists.

Today they welcome a West Brom side to the MKM Stadium who started the season well but have dropped down the table and are six points off the top six.

The Baggies will need a real boing boing festive period and put together a run of victories to get themselves back in the promotion race.

Ryan Mason's first proper managerial role has had its bumps in the road but on the whole he is working well with a squad that should be capable of being competitive at this level.

This could be a cracking high energy game and one thing is for sure these days at the MKM Stadium - games are not dull in Hull!

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Where do you go if you want goals in the Championship? To Hull matches, of course, with 71 in their 21 games.

With 36 for and 35 against, you can guarantee a high level of action when the Tigers are in town.

That attitude has taken them into the play-offs with notable recent wins over Stoke, Wrexham and Millwall.

West Brom are the visitors to Humberside and they kept the wolves from the door with a crucial three points at home to Sheffield United last time out.

But in this league, putting together a little run of results can make such a difference to the outlook and ex-Tigers midfielder Ryan Mason will be desperate to make sure that Blades triumph was not a fleeting one.

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It is 23 years since Portsmouth won a league game at Derby.

Portsmouth currently have the Championship's worst away record.

Turn around now Pompey fans?

Well, maybe not. John Mousinho's side did end a three-game losing streak last weekend by beating Blackburn and climbing out of the relegation zone.

They are subsequently looking for back-to-back league wins for the first time since April and Derby have proven themselves to be vulnerable at home with only one point from a possible nine.

"We're going to grow, we're going to build - this is a long project and I'm really excited to be here," said boss John Eustace

Three points were duly collected by the Rams at a forlorn Sheffield Wednesday on Monday but to get back into the play-off bunfight you have to beat those not hobbled by off-field issues.

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Birmingham City head to Sheffield United this afternoon having already lost seven Championship matches on the road this season.

Winger Demarai Gray has been excellent lately, however, having scored four times and providing three assists in his last eight games.

The Blades meanwhile are unbeaten in their last four Championship outings at Bramall Lane, keeping a clean sheet in three of those four matches, which is as many as they managed to keep in their previous 16 home league fixtures combined.

New striker Patrick Bamford has scored four goals in six Championship games starts against Blues, opening the scoring in a 3-0 win the last time he faced them (for Leeds United in January 2024).

Stoke's players have been given every reason to start a busy week with a win - boss Mark Robins is giving them Christmas Day with their families rather than dragging them into training ahead of their Boxing Day match.

"When you come to work you leave that world behind. Coming up to Christmas is important for everybody who celebrates it and it's important people spend time with family as much as they can," Robins told BBC Radio Stoke.

They can start paying back his festive cheer by winning away from home for the first time since November.

A three-game losing run dropped the Potters out of the top six but there was a return to winning ways against Swansea last weekend to arrest their slide.

Along with their scrooge-like defence which has conceded only 20 goals this season it appears Robins' side are well-prepared for a concerted promotion challenge.

Mind you, they can forget about receiving any early gifts from Watford who have lost just one of their past nine league games and, if Stoke do manage to get their noses in front they are up against a side who have taken more points (20) than any other in the Championship when going behind.

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Charlton Athletic host Oxford United this afternoon after picking up just one point from a possible 18 in their last six Championship matches.

The Addicks did however draw at Birmingham last time out thanks to Tyreece Campbell's first goal of the season and start the day five points above the relegation zone after winning promotion via the play-offs last term.

Oxford United, meanwhile, find themselves below the dreaded dotted line and lost last time out at home to Stoke City.

If they are to get a result today, the U's are likely to rely on midfielder Brian De Keersmaecker, as the Belgian leads all Oxford players for assists (4) and chances created (31) in the Championship this season.

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That was a cracking starter, with an excellent contest on the south coast, Blackburn getting business done and some late drama at Deepdale.

There's plenty more to come with eight games in the Championship...

• Bristol City v Middlesbrough
• Charlton Athletic v Oxford United
• Derby County v Portsmouth
• Hull City v West Brom
• Ipswich Town v Sheffield Wednesday
• QPR v Leicester City
• Sheffield United v Birmingham City
• Watford v Stoke City

Alan Kelly
Former Preston keeper on BBC Radio Lancashire

If you take away the emotion from it all, in the opening 10-15 minutes Preston were on top.

Then Norwich found their way back into the game and found the goal. We all thought Preston were going to lose their unbeaten record.

Then thee determination, the positivity, the belief to keep going was great to see.

The late equaliser sets up Preston for a great festive period.