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So, there we are,

The gap at the top of the Championship between Coventry and Middlesbrough is down to three points.

Wrexham are into the top six, Blackburn are out of the drop zone and there are signs of life at Oxford United.

They are just some of the headlines from today.

You can catch up with all the Championship news on our dedicated pages and we are back tomorrow for the small matter of Portsmouth v Southampton.

Thanks for joining us and have a good evening.

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Do not forget to join us tomorrow for the second installment of the South Coast derby between Portsmouth and Southampton.

There is plenty of build-up you can read on our dedicated Portsmouth and Southampton pages right now.

A point at Fratton Park would be enough to lift Pompey back out of the Championship's relegation zone while the Saints are looking to record back-to-back victories after beating Sheffield United in midweek.

It is a midday kick-off so be with us bright and early for all the pre-match news.

Leicester City

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Leicester City suffered perhaps their worst defeat of the season so far as they were beaten 2-1 by relegation-threatened Oxford at the King Power to increase the pressure on Foxes boss Marti Cifuentes.

Cifuentes told BBC Radio Leicester:

"It’s a tough score. Conceding two goals from set plays is far from what we want. We wanted to start the game on the front foot. After that, we were chasing the game. We only showed the urgency needed in the last few minutes of the game.

"The expectation from ourselves is that we want to win every game. I understand it’s a frustrating night. It’s always about us, and the level of performance we’re showing. We struggled after we were 1-0 down. We did not move the ball quick enough.

"When you play well, no one speaks about the fight and character. It’s a combination. We need to look at ourselves, and what kind of club we want to be. There is many things we need to do much better. We need to create more.

"We’re trying our best and address certain issues that we need to get better. It’s as simple as that. One of the most important things for me as a manager is for us to connect with the fans of the team and want to deliver something.

"It doesn’t matter what the score is, I want them (the fans) to go home proud. I know they probably didn’t feel that way. We need to make sure we’re together. The Championship is a tough league. We need to re-group and understand the picture, and move in the right direction."

Sheffield Wednesday

Henrik Pedersen has confirmed to BBC Radio Sheffield that Barry Bannan will indeed be leaving Sheffield Wednesday this month.

“What I can say is that Barry he wants to leave the club after the whole situation and that Barry and his representative are speaking to the club to find a solution," Pedersen said.

“Barry has made this decision and he wants to leave and I have very big respect for Barry and also for the solution he has done but of course I am not happy that he is leaving."

Bannan was taken off in 91st minute and given standing ovation by whole stadium and then went back onto the pitch at full-time to speak to Sheffield Wednesday fans who had made the trip to Bristol.

Ipswich Town

Ipswich lost ground in the race for automatic promotion after their four-game winning run was ended by Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.

Tractor Boys boss Kieran McKenna told BBC Radio Suffolk:

"I think we had some big moments up until the first goal. They had one or two but we had two or three really where we should go 1-0 up.

"We know that completely changes the complexion of the day and then we've gifted them the first goal really. It's a really, really bad one from us.

"It comes from our set-piece after we've just had a big chance to go one up.

"That was a big blow and then we didn't find enough to get to half-time.

"Second half we had a go, we get a goal back and I really fancy us from there. Really frustrated of course, from a long ball we don't deal with, we go to 3-1.

"And from there it was just too much to come back into. A disappointing day."

Birmingham City

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Birmingham City extended their unbeaten run to four games in the Championship despite being held to a draw by injury-hit Stoke City.

Blues manager Chris Davies told BBC Radio WM:

“It was a hard-fought match. We didn’t start the game as sharply as we normally do but Stoke came into it quite well and we were losing a lot of balls in midfield.

“We grew a bit into the game, scored a good goal from a set-piece, and from that moment on we needed that second goal. We had some jaded legs, possibly after three games in a week and needed that second goal to be in a strong position to get three points.

“We didn’t, the game was still alive and [they scored] a really soft goal which we’re frustrated about. If anyone was going to win it, it was going to be us, but it wasn’t to be.

On the goal, he added: “It was pleasing because we don’t have a lot of time to work [on set-pieces] but the timing, the movement, it was a really good goal and a worked routine off a set-piece can open a game up for you in a tight game like that.

“They were trying their best but we weren’t quite as fluent. The subs improved us and nearly got our winning goal.”

QPR

QPR dominated the opening 60 minutes and thought they had won the game with Steve Cook's 80th-minute header.

But the Rs then had defender Amadou Mbengue sent-off before Josh Windass and Ollie Rathbone scored stoppage-time goals to steal the points for Wrexham.

QPR head coach Julien Stephan has told BBC Radio London:

"The result is a big disappointment especially the style of the game.

"The quality of the game is not a disappointment because I think we played very well in the first half.

"We should have been 2-0 up and then I think the second half would have been different.

"To finish with 10 players had a huge impact at the end of the game and to concede two goals is very tough for everyone mentally, but in sport sometimes you have some tough experiences and you have to learn from it and react to it."

Blackburn Rovers

Blackburn's point lifts them out of the Championship relegation zone, at least until Portsmouth face Southampton on Sunday.

Lewis Miller grabbed an equaliser for Rovers.

Head coach Valerien Ismael has told BBC Radio Lancashire:

"It was a great game, the main message is we got five players back in the squad and more options on the bench.

"It has given us more possibilities, flexibility and energy - we are pleased with the performance but not the result.

"It's a step in the right direction to show you have to compete with your best players and with at least half of the injured players back it will help us to compete.

"We were on the front foot and close to winning the game - we feel another energy on the pitch and when we are able to keep our players together and build our momentum we will be much better."

Watford

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Watford missed the chance to move into the Championship's play-off places as they were held to a 1-1 draw at Ewood Park.

Edo Kayembe had given Watford the lead.

Boss Javi Gracia has told BBC Three Counties Radio:

"We came looking for the three points but after competing well we only take one and we start thinking about the next game.

"After scoring and dominating it was a shame to concede so early and from a corner.

"It is something we have to learn because if they don't score in that moment we can manage the game better.

"In the second half we competed well, the game was more open and we had the better chances."

Swansea City

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Swansea head coach Vitor Matos told BBC Wales:

"Hull started the first half really well, aggressive. Second half was much better. I think we reacted well to a tough result [at half-time].

"We scored the goal, we [also] had chances on the first half to score. Then we were pushing to score the equaliser.

"For us it's another one where we need to find our consistency in terms of performance and efficiency."

Hull City

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Hull City held on for an important win over Swansea for their third victory in a week to open up a seven-point buffer from Bristol City in seventh.

Tigers boss Sergej Jakirovic told BBC Radio Humberside:

"It was a very difficult game for us, especially the third game in seven days.

"We are very happy because I think that was a battle from the first minute and we used our chances. Swansea especially first half didn't use theirs, through [Zan] Vipotnik.

"Second half we dropped down, we didn't control anything. They deserved to score but we didn't lose our head after this goal.

"In the end we are very happy with these three points."

Wrexham

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Quite a finish at Loftus Road as two stoppage-time goals sent Wrexham into the Championship's top six while QPR fall four points off the pace.

Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson has told BBC Wales:

"That's football for you - Tuesday we concede late and everyone's so flat and today we score two late goals and it's a brilliant day for us.

"Elements were against us, it was windy and bobbly and they mastered it better than as but as the first half went on we got more quality in our play.

"Second-half I thought we were brilliant, disappointed to concede from a corner but the response was outstanding and nothing more than we deserved.

"If you look at the goals we scored today, on a difficult surface, they were really high quality."

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• Millwall's 4-0 win against Charlton was their biggest league win in a London derby since March 2010, which was also a 4-0 victory at home to Charlton.
• Middlesbrough’s Tommy Conway scored his first double in the EFL since November 2024 against Hull. He’s scored three goals in his past two league games, as many as in his previous 30 appearances combined.
• Sheffield United’s Gustavo Hamer provided two assists against Ipswich Town, his sixth game with multiple assists in the Championship – no other player has more since Hamer’s debut in September 2020 (Harry Wilson and Ryan Giles also six).
• Bristol City ended a run of three league games without scoring with a 2-0 victory against Sheffield Wednesday, winning three of their past four home games in the Championship (L1), without conceding.
• On his 369th league appearance in English football, Patrick Bamford received a red card for the first time, while he also scored his fourth goal in just six home league games for Sheffield United.
• Hull have won eight of their past 11 League One games (D1 L2), since the first win in this run on 29th November no team in the top four tiers have won more league matches.

Samantha Fletcher
Final Score

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Has a new attacking partnership been born for Birmingham City during their game against Stoke?

Despite a draw which might feel like a loss for Blues fans, there were positives to take, particularly from new signing Ibrahim Osman whose powerful and pressing style stood out.

He was linking up well with Jay Stansfield and as well some nearly moments from set pieces, it felt like this partnership was the most likely to have success.

If this is what they can do their first time playing together, I think Birmingham can be hopeful about developing this route of service. In terms of window signings, everyone is talking about August Priste but I think Osman could be first on the scoresheet.

Stoke City

It is now three games without a league win for Stoke City although they did come from behind to draw at Birmingham.

Potters manager Mark Robins told BBC Radio Stoke:

“It was an important performance because we are [down to the] bare bones and everyone knows it and sees it, but the packed-out away end was phenomenal and backed us all the way.

“The players really appreciate that. I thought we were the better team in the first half and created some decent openings that we usually don’t take anyway.

“We’ve got 12 players out and the majority of those are first-team starters, or have been, so to put in a performance like that was really pleasing.

“[Birmingham] have been good at home this year and we gave as good as we got, could have taken some chances, and had chances to create shooting opportunities which we turned down - that’s the only criticism, I want them to shoot, have a go.

“We conceded a really poor goal, but the response was emphatic, a brilliant delivery from Cressy.”

Oxford United

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Matt Bloomfield picked up his first win as Oxford boss with an impressive victory at Leicester to put the U's within two points of safety.

Bloomfield told BBC Radio Oxford:

"The boys were to a man - starters, finishers - absolutely excellent. I'm so proud of them today because they carried out the information we gave them and did it to a tee.

"They showed heart, guts, determination and no shortage of quality because let's not forget we had a goal disallowed that shouldn't have been disallowed.

"We've had another couple of chances second half and there could have been a couple more on our tally.

"But to come away from here with the three points, extremely pleased."

There are plenty of disgruntled Leicester fans getting in touch...

Bristol City

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Bristol City moved within a point of the play-off places with a comfortable 2-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday at Ashton Gate.

Robins boss Gerhard Struber told BBC Radio Bristol:

"It's always a little bit special when you play against a team when you have to win. With all the problems they have in the club, but I could not see the problems on the football field.

"Really well organised team. They try everything to bring points home today but in the end I would say my boys were really professional.

"And we have the right timing to bring them down today. We worked really, really hard, it was not always easy but in the end I would say we deserved the win and we should maybe score a goal more."

Reaction is starting to drip in from the 15:00 GMT games now.

Let's start with the boss of one of about a dozen sides in the play-off race...