Image source, Getty Images

To say Middlesbrough and Leicester are having polar opposite seasons might be an understatement.

Despite a recent blip with the defeat at Coventry and a goalless draw at home to relegation-battling Oxford, Boro are flying high and on track to return to the Premier League for the first time since 2017.

The Foxes, by contrast, are heading in the opposite direction with back-to-back relegations a genuine possibility unless new boss Gary Rowett can get a tune out of a team you feel is capable of better than just the two wins from 12 games (D2 L8) they have mustered since late-December.

Kim Hellberg's side start the night with a six-point gap to Millwall in third and the chance to move level on points with the Sky Blues at the top and apply a bit of pressure before Coventry face a tough trip to Sheffield United tomorrow.

Leicester battled for their first point in five matches in Rowett's first game in charge in the 2-2 draw at Stoke on Saturday and are one point adrift of safety from West Brom in 21st.

Image source, Shutterstock

The end of five away trips in their past six outings is nearly here for Ipswich and they have not enjoyed their time on the coach either.

League and Cup defeats at Wrexham and a reverse at Sheffield United have hardly been offset by a win at Derby on 7 February which probably feels an awfully long time ago now.

Scoring three goals at Wrexham on Saturday and still losing will be the sorest one to take - no-one in the top six has lost as many as Ipswich's six away games so far this season and they begin tonight eight points short of the automatic promotion places with the chasing pack closing in.

Watford are one of those sides chasing - victory at Vicarage Road would move them to within three points of Ipswich and they are buoyed by beating another play-off hopeful, Derby, for their first win under Ed Still at the weekend.

Is this game the Championship season in microcosm, where every match seems to have something riding on it?

Thank you, Marshall, for clearing that up...

Keep 'em coming...

Image source, Getty Images

Play-off chasing Southampton and QPR head into tonight’s fixture separated only by goal difference but it’s Saints who are in the better form.

Tonda Eckert’s side are undefeated in their past six league games (W4, D2) and have not tasted defeat since a 2-1 loss at home to Hull on 17 January.

That run has helped them rise to within four points of the play-off spots and the Saints have won each of their past five league games against QPR, since a 2-1 home defeat in March 2013 in the Premier League.

Results for Julien Stephan’s team have been mixed of late, with two wins, two draws and two defeats across their past six league games, but they are still within touching distance of the top six.

They will hope to build on the confidence-building 3-1 away win at Hull on Saturday which was a good response to the disappointing home defeat to Blackburn a week earlier.

Image source, Shutterstock

This is a big one at the MKM Stadium tonight as Hull City welcome Derby County for an encounter between two sides very much in the hunt for a play-off place.

The Tigers have let their grip on a top-six spot loosen every so slightly in recent weeks after going three games without a win (D1 L2) for the first time since September and come into this off the back of two straight home defeats.

Sergej Jakirovic's side still have a five-point gap to Birmingham in seventh and a game in hand on the chasing pack, but Hull need to get back to winning ways to make sure an excellent season so far does not start to fade.

The Rams have also lost two of their past three but if you'd offered the Derby faithful the option of being within three points of the play-offs with 13 games to play, they would have snapped your hand off.

John Eustace's team have fared better on the road this season with eight wins from their 16 away games, though they are yet to win away at a side in the top nine.

Ian Mitchelmore
BBC Sport Wales at Stok Cae Ras

Image source, Shutterstock

An intriguing night lies ahead here in north Wales as both Wrexham and Portsmouth look to build on their impressive results at the weekend.

Wrexham secured a spectacular 5-3 win against Ipswich Town while Pompey won 3-1 at Millwall, just four days after winning at Charlton Athletic by the same scoreline.

John Mousinho's side haven't won three successive away league matches since midway through their 2023-24 League One title-winning campaign.

As for the hosts, they are looking to for a victory that would guarantee they remain in the top six.

So it's fair to say there's plenty at stake at Stok Cae Ras.

Image source, Shutterstock

We've also got five games across League One and League Two, as well as the EFL Trophy quarter-final, which kicked off at 19:00 GMT as is currently Luton 1-0 Plymouth.

League One

• Bradford v Rotherham
• Burton v Stockport
• Northampton v Port Vale

League Two

• Accrington v Barnet
• Salford v Shrewsbury

EFL Trophy quarter-final

• Luton 1-0 Plymouth (19:00)

Think we are all keen to know whether Dr. Dre and Frank Sinclair are genuinely pals. Can anyone assist?

Image source, Getty Images

Wrexham are aiming to strengthen their grip on a Championship play-off spot after beating fellow promotion hopefuls Ipswich in a 5-3 goalfest on Saturday.

The Red Dragons have earned 11 points from their past six games to climb into sixth but there is little margin for error with the seven teams below Phil Parkinson’s side separated by just four points.

This is not a fixture that has been played very often through the years, although Wrexham have won two of their three home league games against Pompey, with the one defeat coming in the last time they hosted them in January 1983.

John Mousinho’s side are playing their third away game in a week and will hope to make it three out of three on the road.

They have picked up consecutive 3-1 wins over Charlton and Millwall to move six points clear of the relegation zone.

Image source, Shutterstock

A penny for Eric Ramsay's thoughts right now.

Leaving MLS side Minnesota United where he was well respected and relatively successful for the maelstrom of The Hawthorns is not looking the best career decision right now.

Starting his West Brom tenure by going seven league games without a win doesn't make him the worst performing Baggies boss but he's getting close to that unwanted honour*.

"There's no easy answer to our position and if there was an easy answer, someone would have arrived at it by now," he said after Saturday's defeat by Coventry left them just one point above the relegation zone.

Tonight's game with Charlton and Saturday's trip to Oxford have the look of 'must-win' about them.

The Addicks arrive seven points clear of trouble with just one defeat from their past five games and seeking only their third league double over the Baggies.

Coming away from the Midlands with three points this evening may have longer-term consequences for the home side.

* Bryan Robson failed to win any of his opening 11 games as West Brom boss.

Image source, Getty Images

The mood around Ewood Park was pretty bleak after Blackburn's 1-0 home defeat to Hull City on 31 January made it eight games without a win and left Rovers three points adrift of safety in the relegation zone.

But what a difference a few weeks can make in football. Three wins from four matches, two of those in their past two, a new manager in the dugout and a five-point buffer to Leicester in 22nd.

Michael O'Neill watched from the stands at Loftus Road as Blackburn won 3-1 at QPR before overseeing a dramatic 1-0 Lancashire derby win over Preston on Friday night, though he will know better than anyone that the job is far from done.

As for Bristol City, inconsistency has been the theme for much of the season - and it could be what costs them a play-off spot unless they can string a few results together.

Only once have the Robins won back-to-back matches in 21 games since the end of October and they have picked up just two victories in their past eight (D2 L4) to leave them 12th - but Gerhard Struber's side are still within four points of the top six.

Image source, Shutterstock

It may be stretching it a tad to say Swansea are definitely in the play-off race but boss Vitor Matos is happy with his side's progress and the backing they are receiving from supporters.

Taking over with the Welshmen only four points clear of the relegation zone in November and with just four victories, Swansea are now 12 points away from trouble and only half a dozen from the top six.

Seven wins from their past eight league games at home have proved a solid foundation from which the Swans are building.

"That connection [with the fans] is massive," said Matos.

"When you have that feeling, the players can feel it. They feel they can compete against anyone and when you create that feeling in the stadium, it is outstanding."

Preston head to south Wales tonight with only five points from their past six outings - a run which has not exactly derailed their play-off push but has left them in the sidings, three points short.

North End do have five wins on the road, already two more than they managed in the entirety of last season, but another slip this evening would leave them with a lot to do to achieve their goal.

Dafydd Pritchard
BBC Sport Wales at the Swansea.com Stadium

Image source, BBC Sport

You may have heard that Snoop Dogg is a minority investor at Swansea City.

If you hadn't, where have you been? This should answer your questions.

Anyhow, the hip-hop superstar is in south Wales tonight to attend his first game, a Championship fixture against Preston.

As you can imagine, there's a huge security and media presence at the Swansea.com Stadium, and some fans were lining up outside reception waiting for his arrival five hours before kick-off.

Image source, Getty Images

There is scope for plenty of movement tonight at both ends of the Championship.

Middlesbrough will be aiming to move level on points with leaders Coventry, while either of Ipswich or Hull could move up to third.

Any one of Wrexham, Derby, Watford or Preston could end the night in sixth as the play-off battle looks set to go the distance.

At the other end, Leicester will be trying to climb out of the relegation zone at the expense of West Brom.

Image source, Shutterstock

Here are the eight games we've got coming up in the Championship this evening:

• Blackburn v Bristol City
• Hull v Derby
• Middlesbrough v Leicester
• Swansea v Preston
• Watford v Ipswich
• West Brom v Charlton
• Wrexham v Portsmouth
• Southampton v QPR (20:00)

Image source, Getty Images

Good evening, one and all.

Never mind the glitz and glamour of the Champions League tonight, we have got a bumper schedule of EFL action for you.

Every point is becoming just that little bit more important at this stage of the season with big games at both ends of the Championship table.

Not to mention some League One, League Two and EFL Trophy clashes to throw into the mix.

So... 13 games remaining for most teams in the second tier, 13 league games for us to enjoy tonight and a cup quarter-final. Will it be lucky or unlucky for your team?

Let's get to it...