Follow live coverage as Blackburn Rovers face Birmingham City in the Championship today.
An increasingly competitive second tier in English football remains an intense and exciting competition, with the prize of a place in the Premier League on offer at the end of the season.
Relegation from the top flight last term means Leicester City, Ipswich Town and Southampton are all back in the second tier this term and will be expected to push for play-off spots again at least, but so too will newly-promoted Birmingham City and Wrexham, with a host of hopefuls eyeing up the £200m jackpot that comes with promotion to the top flight. At the other end of the table, Sheffield Wednesday and Hull City hope to stay up amid crises.
Follow updates from today’s game in the live blog below.
Blackburn Rovers FC 1 - 0 Birmingham City FC
Blackburn Rovers vs Birmingham City
16:10
Goal! Blackburn Rovers 1, Birmingham City 0. Todd Cantwell (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from the right side of the box to the bottom left corner following a corner.
Blackburn Rovers vs Birmingham City
16:09
Corner,Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Ethan Laird.
Blackburn Rovers vs Birmingham City
16:07
Keshi Anderson (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Blackburn Rovers vs Birmingham City
16:07
Foul by Christoph Klarer (Birmingham City).
Blackburn Rovers vs Birmingham City
16:06
Second Half begins Blackburn Rovers 0, Birmingham City 0.
Blackburn Rovers vs Birmingham City
16:05
Substitution, Birmingham City. Ethan Laird replaces Alex Cochrane.
Blackburn Rovers vs Birmingham City
15:49
First Half ends, Blackburn Rovers 0, Birmingham City 0.
Blackburn Rovers vs Birmingham City
15:49
Foul by Tomoki Iwata (Birmingham City).
Blackburn Rovers vs Birmingham City
15:47
Corner,Birmingham City. Conceded by Ryan Alebiosu.
Blackburn Rovers vs Birmingham City
15:49
Fourth official has announced 2 minutes of added time.
Blackburn Rovers vs Birmingham City
15:45
Offside, Blackburn Rovers. Yuki Ohashi is caught offside.
Blackburn Rovers vs Birmingham City
15:45
Foul by Phil Neumann (Birmingham City).
Blackburn Rovers vs Birmingham City
15:45
Demarai Gray (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Blackburn Rovers vs Birmingham City
15:45
Penalty Birmingham City. Christoph Klarer draws a foul in the penalty area.
Blackburn Rovers vs Birmingham City
15:39
Phil Neumann (Birmingham City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Blackburn Rovers vs Birmingham City
15:45
Foul by Yuki Ohashi (Blackburn Rovers).
Blackburn Rovers vs Birmingham City
15:37
Foul by Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham City).
Blackburn Rovers vs Birmingham City
15:34
Offside, Blackburn Rovers. Todd Cantwell is caught offside.
Blackburn Rovers vs Birmingham City
15:31
Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham City) is shown the yellow card.
Blackburn Rovers vs Birmingham City
15:31
Corner,Birmingham City. Conceded by Ryan Hedges.
Blackburn Rovers vs Birmingham City
15:31
Foul by Jay Stansfield (Birmingham City).
Blackburn Rovers vs Birmingham City
15:18
Alex Cochrane (Birmingham City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Blackburn Rovers vs Birmingham City
15:18
Foul by Yuri Ribeiro (Blackburn Rovers).
Blackburn Rovers vs Birmingham City
15:13
Phil Neumann (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Blackburn Rovers vs Birmingham City
15:10
Foul by Sidnei Tavares (Blackburn Rovers).
Blackburn Rovers vs Birmingham City
15:10
Christoph Klarer (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Blackburn Rovers vs Birmingham City
15:10
Foul by Ryan Alebiosu (Blackburn Rovers).
Blackburn Rovers vs Birmingham City
15:07
Foul by Yuki Ohashi (Blackburn Rovers).
Blackburn Rovers vs Birmingham City
15:05
Attempt saved. Alex Cochrane (Birmingham City) left footed shot from outside the box is saved.
Blackburn Rovers vs Birmingham City
15:04
Foul by Jay Stansfield (Birmingham City).
Blackburn Rovers vs Birmingham City
15:03
Dominic Hyam (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Blackburn Rovers vs Birmingham City
15:03
Attempt blocked. Paik Seung-Ho (Birmingham City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Blackburn Rovers vs Birmingham City
15:02
Corner,Birmingham City. Conceded by Yuri Ribeiro.
Blackburn Rovers vs Birmingham City
15:03
Attempt blocked. Keshi Anderson (Birmingham City) header from the centre of the box is blocked.
Blackburn Rovers vs Birmingham City
15:01
First Half begins.
Blackburn Rovers vs Birmingham City
14:30
Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Blackburn Rovers vs Birmingham City
13:00
Follow live football coverage with The Independent today.
We will have all the latest scores, goals and updates plus analysis and reaction throughout the game here. This season we're bringing you live coverage from every match in the Premier League, WSL, Championship, Carabao Cup and FA Cup from the third round onwards - as well as the best from the Champions League and beyond in Europe.
