Just before kick-off, new Watford signing Michail Antonio was welcomed onto the pitch.

The 36-year-old joined the club on a free transfer following that horror car crash in December 2024.

He's on the bench today for Alessio Dionisi's side.

Gareth Vincent
BBC Sport Wales at the Swansea.com Stadium

Nicky Hayen once made a living not far from Swansea, as manager of Cymru Premier side Haverfordwest County.

The Belgian is back in south west Wales hoping this might be the day that he claims a first win as Burnley boss.

Hayen has named an unchanged team for the first time since taking charge at Turf Moor in the summer, with Burnley hoping to build on an encouraging draw at Wrexham in midweek.

They face a Swansea side looking to getting back on track having slipped to a first league defeat of the season at Southampton in midweek.

The Swans have been a tough nut to crack for the most part this season, and will attempt to rediscover the miserly touch this afternoon.

Charlton have made two changes to the side held 0-0 by QPR.

Amari Bell and Sonny Carey drop to the bench and in come Millenic Alli and Dan McNamara.

There is also a place among the substitutes for striker Charlie Kelman.

Portsmouth's injury curse has struck again with no Marezi so in comes Colby Bishop.

Just the one change to the Southampton side which unseated Swansea from the top of the Championship in midweek.

Kuryu Matsuki is in for the benched Tom Fellows.

Bristol City, who have had a free week since winning at Burnley bring in George Tanner, Yu Hirakawa and Dom Ballard with Cameron Pring, Gibson Yah and Jed Wallace taking a place among the replacements.

Off we go in today's seven Championship 15:00 BST games.

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Welcome to formsville, population Southampton and Bristol City.

Eleven points from a possible 15 since an opening day defeat by Watford have propelled Southampton already up to 13th place and, but for that four-point deduction for you know what, well, blah, blah, blah, etc, etc.

Michael Skubala's tenure at Bristol City has metamorphosed from a loss and a draw to three successive victories and the Robins are suddenly rocking.

They have not won four in a row since October 2020 but have lost only one of their past four at Southampton.

The Saints have scored 11 goals at home - the most of any Championship side so far, this all adds up to something a bit tasty.

Oh, and this is Tonda Eckert's last home game before an FA hearing into his involvement in 'Spygate' is set to take place, but that is probably not a lid we want to be taking off that can of worms at this time on a Saturday afternoon.

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It's been a solid if not spectacular start to the season for promotion favourites Middlesbrough.

Striker Will Lankshear has certainly hit the ground running since his summer arrival from Tottenham and is averaging a goal a game in the Championship.

As well as an in-form striker Boro also boast a terrific recent record against today's opponents, with six wins and three draws in the past nine league meetings.

Norwich are on an upwards trajectory after back-to-back wins after three defeats from their opening four Championship games.

Along with Southampton they boast the most victories this calendar year in the second tier with 17.

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It’s a mid-table clash for Watford and Stoke when they meet at Vicarage Road this afternoon.

The Hornets ended a two-game losing run when they defeated Preston on Tuesday evening and lifted themselves up to 13th.

Meanwhile, Mark Robins’ Stoke look a little better having won two of their last three matches, but their away form has been lacking (D1 L2).

For two sets of fans who think their clubs belong in the upper echelons of English football, dropped points today might come back to bite them come May.

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Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray lamented his side's inability to turn performances into points after they lost at home to Sheffield United having had the lion's share of both possession and chances.

Rovers will hope to pick up a second win of the Championship campaign today against a side who they are unbeaten against in the past 10 meetings at Ewood Park.

Millwall have made a decent start to the season with three wins and two losses from their five league games to date.

Strong starts clearly haven't been part of the club's DNA in recent years, should they win today it will be the first time they have won as many as four of their opening six league games since doing so in 1997-98.

Owain Llyr
BBC Radio Cymru commentator at the Swansea.com Stadium

Image source, BBC Sport

Vitor Matos served some delicious looking cake at his weekly press conference to celebrate winning the Championship Manager of the Month Award for August.

Swansea’s unbeaten start to the season came to an end at Southampton on Tuesday night where they lost 3-1.

Matos wasn’t too disappointed with his side’s performance, but knows they need to start better today after finding themselves 2-0 down at half-time at St Mary’s.

Who knows - some leftover banana bread could be what the players need to get themselves going.

Simon Davies
BBC Radio Wales commentator

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Burnley boss Nicky Hayen returns to South Wales today, bringing back memories of an intriguing early chapter in his managerial career - with Haverfordwest County.

The Belgian manager spent time at the helm of the Cymru Premier side back in 2021, before progressing to lead Club Brugge in the Champions League and eventually taking over at Turf Moor.

Incidentally, his former club were in action last night, beating Briton Ferry Llansawel 3-1 under the lights at Bridge Meadow - around 60 miles west of Swansea.

Hayen may have moved on to high-stakes Championship football, but he'll no doubt hold a fond spot for his time in Pembrokeshire!

Image source, PA Media

Swansea's brilliant start to the season was brought to a halt by a 3-1 defeat at Southampton in midweek.

Still, the Swans have kept clean sheets in four of their six Championship games and are yet to concede a goal at home.

In contrast, visitors Burnley are having it tough right now. Very tough.

Relegated from the Premier League last season they are without a win from their opening six league games.

They, and especially boss Nicky Hayen, will hope they can build on their midweek draw in Wales at Wrexham.

Jamie Vardy is in south Wales and poised to make his debut for the Clarets as he has been named on the bench by Hayen.

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August, remember that? It is only a fortnight ago we waved it goodbye and with it, the summer as well.

My how Charlton wish they could go back to the long evenings of sunshine, playing out late with no school the next day.

Back then they were top of the Championship with nine perfect points and thumbing their collective noses at the pundits.

Two weeks later have come two draws, a defeat and a failure to score in their past two matches - hardly cause for panic and a midweek goalless draw with the so far, impressive QPR at least shook out the memories of a 4-0 battering at Stoke on Saturday.

Portsmouth head to south London having snapped a two-game losing streak by beating Cardiff 2-0 last weekend - Pompey have had a free week to prepare for this one but do not mention that to Charlton boss Nathan Jones who this week branded the hectic schedule for his team 'a joke.'

He may not be laughing if John Mousinho's side can make it three wins in a row against the Addicks today, something they have not managed since 1983.

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Nobody truly knows which Preston side will show up against Lincoln this afternoon.

Paul Heckingbottom’s men looked as if they’d finally ended their poor start to the season when they beat Blackburn in the Lancashire derby two weeks ago. But then they slumped to a disappointing defeat away to Watford.

Lincoln, meanwhile, are somewhat enjoying their new life in the Championship, having picked up five points in the last three games, in which they are unbeaten.

However, today is a different test, especially with Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw's side perhaps still bruised from Tuesday's 4-0 hammering by Bournemouth in EFL Cup.

With the early kick-offs done and dusted, and head to our dedicated Championship page for match reports and reaction, let's concentrate on the 15:00 BST games.

Nathan Blake
Former Cardiff & Bolton striker on BBC Radio Wales

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There was only one team in that game and only one team who should have won it - but there were just too many opportunities not taken and then they're done by a sucker punch late on.

It has been a problem for the last four or five games for Cardiff and they look like a team desperately short of confidence in front of goal. They're creating chances but they do not have a cutting edge.

Richard Wilford
BBC Radio WM commentator

Blues have a second win of the season. It's taken a real dig of their heart, desire and resilience.

They've had to show utter grit and determination to show what this season's Birmingham City have got.

Three results in the bank.

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