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Table-topping Coventry and QPR will both be seeking a spark as the Sky Blues head to West London.

Monday's defeat at Norwich made it seven games without a win on the road in all competitions for Frank Lampard's side, four of them defeats, though they remain three points ahead of second-placed Middlesbrough, with Ipswich a further five back.

But is it just a blip?

A rather prickly Sky Blues boss said yesterday he thinks their fast start to the season - which included a 7-1 home thumping of QPR in August - has set unrealistic expectations.

The R's are 12th, four points adrift of the play-off places going into the weekend programme, but have won just one of their seven games since Christmas, against rock-bottom Sheffield Wednesday, and have lost two of their past three at home after a four-match winning streak.

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Two of the in-form Championship sides will do battle at the Riverside this afternoon. There is a sentence not many Norwich fans would have envisaged two months ago.

Only four teams have won four of their past five games in the Championship - three of those are chasing automatic promotion in Middlesbrough, Ipswich and Hull. The other is Norwich City.

Second-placed Boro will hope to make it five wins on the bounce and apply yet more pressure to leaders Coventry, should they slip up at QPR, with potential to wipe out what was once a 10-point gap.

Having been second from bottom and five points adrift after Philippe Clement's first game in charge following the sacking of Liam Manning, the Canaries are now 19th and four points clear of the drop zone

Norwich have picked up 24 points in 14 games under Clement, compared to just nine in the 15 matches before he took over as boss - and after beating the Sky Blues last time out, will face another real test of just how much they've improved.

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Ipswich Town host Preston North End this afternoon hoping to bounce back from their comprehensive defeat at Sheffield United last time out.

That defeat halted a run of four wins in a row as they have finally found their form which saw them earn promotion to the Premier League two seasons ago and a win today could take them within two points of second-placed Middlesbrough.

Meanwhile, Preston - without injured number one shotstopper Daniel Iversen - have hit the skids in recent weeks.

Defeats in each of their past three matches, in which they didn't score, has seen them drop out of the play-off places and fall to tenth.

But there is hope for Paul Heckingbottom's side - they beat Ipswich in the reverse fixture back in August and are aiming to complete a league double over Ipswich for the first time since 2008-09

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On an afternoon of bumper fixtures, this is a huge game in the battle to avoid being dragged into the relegation zone.

Pompey go into the game sitting 21st, one point above the drop-zone and one place and two points behind Albion.

Their form at Fratton Park kept the Blues up last season and Sunday's 1-1 draw in the South Coast Derby means John Mousinho's men have taken eight points from their past four home games.

They also earned a 1-1 draw at The Hawthorns back in August.

Eric Ramsay picked up his first point as Baggies boss at the third time of asking last time out at Derby, which ended an abject run of 10 straight defeats on the road.

However it was Albion's only point from their past four games and a defeat today could see them slip into the relegation zone for the first time this season, should Blackburn beat Hull.

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Ewood Park is not a particularly happy place at the moment, both on or off the pitch.

Blackburn are 22nd and in a serious fight to retain their Championship status as they look to end a seven-game winless run against Hull City.

Perhaps even more alarmingly, Rovers have won just twice in 14 attempts on home soil in the league this season (D5 L7).

They face a Tigers side fuelled with the adrenaline of the hunt for automatic promotion, who will look to continue their impressive form.

Sergej Jakirovic's side have won three on the bounce and seven of their past nine (D1 L1) and start the day in fourth, just five points off the top-two.

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Watford will seek to get their play-off chase back on track as they welcome Swansea to Vicarage Road.

The Hornets go into the game eighth in the Championship, four points below the top six, but with two games in hand on those above them.

While no team has lost fewer than their two games since the start of November, Javi Gracia's side have failed to win in their past three, two of those at home.

The Swans are 16th, seven points back and seven clear of the relegation zone, but their away form is in stark contrast to their fortunes at home.

Vitor Matos' men have won just once and suffered seven defeats in their past eight on the road, whereas they have 16 points from their past six in front of their own fans.

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Millwall are six points off the automatic promotion spots and are, at worse, firmly in the mix for a play-off finish with a four-point buffer to seventh as they seek a return to the top flight for the first time since 1990.

That is in large part due to the Lions' ability to pick up points at home with nine victories at The Den so far this season.

Charlton were the latest victims last weekend as Millwall thrashed their south-east London neighbours 4-0 for their 21st home win since the start of last season - only Coventry (25) have won more Championship home games in that time.

Sheffield United arrive in the capital off the back of an impressive 3-1 win over promotion-chasing Ipswich last time out, but that result just epitomised the frustrating inconsistency of the Blades.

Chris Wilder's side have won four, drawn one and lost four of their past nine and United sit 10 points off the top-six. If there are to be any remote hopes of challenging for the play-offs, it is games like today where statements need to be made.

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Oxford United have started life under new head coach Matt Bloomfield solidly.

Two goalless draws at home to start Bloomfield's tenure provided the foundations for a terrific and deserved 2-1 victory at Leicester last weekend which led to the end of Marti Cifuentes' reign at the Foxes.

The U's still sit second bottom, three points from safety, but have given themselves a fighting chance of getting out of trouble as they host Birmingham City who have struggled on their travels this season.

Blues have won just three and lost nine in the league away from St Andrew's this term as they travel to Oxford in their first league meeting this century.

City won their last second-tier clash at the U's 7-1 back in December 1998, but today will have to keep creative midfielder Brian De Keersmaecker quiet, with the Belgian providing more than twice as many assists as any other Oxford player in the Championship so far this season.

Owynn Palmer-Atkin
BBC Radio Leicester commentator

It is safe to say the Andy King era hasn't got off to the best of starts.

The Foxes really struggled to adapt to this game, even when they had 11 men, but the sending off really through the game into chaos.

The second half they really just missed a flurry of chances and then to top it off Jordan Ayew missed his penalty.

The confidence has drained out of these Leicester City players and they have now lost two games at home they were really expected to win.

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After that sprightly opening to the afternoon there are eight more games on the agenda...

• Blackburn v Hull City
• Ipswich v Preston
• Middlesbrough v Norwich
• Millwall v Sheff Utd
• Oxford United v Birmingham
• Portsmouth v West Brom
• QPR v Coventry
• Watford v Swansea

Jo Tessem
Ex-Southampton midfielder on BBC Radio Solent

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It was a deserved win and good attacking football and quick-playing football.

Jack Stephens set the tone at the back early on with a great tackle in the opening stages. But the wing play, and how we moved the ball was great.

It was controlled game and we took the sting out the game and made the Stoke players, especially the young ones run round headless.

The Finn Azaz gaol was a tap in but after great attacking play.

Well deserved 2-0 win.

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Wrexham's win at Sheffield Wednesday returns the Red Dragons to the play-off places at the expense of the rampant Rams, 5-0 winners at Bristol City on Friday night.

Southampton edge into the top-half and are seven points behind the top six with 16 games remaining and are only two points adrift of the side they beat, Stoke, who are going in the opposite direction.

Charlton's win at Leicester has hauled them away from trouble and put huge pressure on the likes of Blackburn, Portsmouth and West Brom this afternoon, and taken the Addicks within three points of the managerless Foxes who are only nine points above the drop-zone.

Chants of "we are staying up" go around the away end. Are Leicester getting dragged into a relegation battle? Hit the thumbs...

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A fantastic three points for Charlton in the battle to avoid relegation as they end their nine-game winless run away from home.

Things go from bad to worse for Leicester as Andy King endures a very rough first game in interim charge.

Sonny Carey and Lyndon Dykes doing the business for the Addicks after Caleb Okoli was sent off within 15 minutes.

This last 10 minutes has been the epitome of fizzling out. Well managed by Charlton.

Charlton are almost there. This will be a big win for the Addicks. A couple of minutes to go.

Another six minutes for Leicester to endure. Half the home supporters have already left long ago.

Macaulay Gillesphey is on for the last few minutes as Lyndon Dykes makes way. And now the "ole's" are ringing out from the away end to greet every Charlton pass.

Another very dreary afternoon for Leicester.