Tony 'Bomber' Brown
West Brom's all-time leading goalscorer on BBC Radio WM

It's how your players react in local derbies and how they play as a unit. They can't go do things willy-nilly. They still have to keep their shape and you can't afford to lose your head and get sent off. James Morrison will instil that into the players.

They were disappointing against Wolves and they need to improve today.

Hopefully it'll be a cracking game.

John Bennett
BBC Final Score reporter at The Hawthorns

Image source, Getty Images

In the match programme, West Brom captain George Campbell says that after the international break, "there’s no better way to get re-started than with a local rivalry", but the derby element to this game isn’t the only thing that gives it an extra edge.

West Brom know that a win would take them above West Ham into second place, to cement what’s been a really satisfying start to the campaign after the stresses and strains of the relegation battle last season.

Meanwhile, if they win, Birmingham would go level on points with their opponents.

From the West Brom perspective all eyes will be on right-back Brayann Pereira, who’s making only his second appearance for the club, after being sent off on his debut last month at Derby County.

The DR Congo international will be hoping for a less dramatic first game at The Hawthorns this afternoon.

Image source, BBC Sport

Stephen Eustaquio misses out for leaders Swansea today after injuring a shoulder playing for Canada, while Marko Stamenic and Elijah Just who are back from international duty with New Zealand are among the substitutes.

Into the side come Jay Fulton, Goncalo Franco and Joseph Opoku.

Norwich are without the injured duo of skipper Kenny McLean and top scorer Mohamed Toure while Ben Chrisene and Anthony Musaba drop to the bench.

Defender Darlin Yongwa makes just his second league appearance for the Canaries with Jacob Wright, Paris Maghoma and Mathias Kvistgaarden also starting.

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, Opta

West Bromwich Albion boss James Morrison makes five changes from the side that started the 1-0 defeat by bitter rivals Wolves three weeks ago.

Brayann Periera, Chris Mepham, Rabby Nzingoula, Felix Myhre and Toby Collyer all come in to the team. USA defender George Campbell only got back into the country on Thursday so starts this one on the bench.

Birmingham's team news is a lot more straightforward. August Priske is in up top for Luis Vazquez. Midfielder Max Bird, who has not featured since 15 August, is back on the bench.

Image source, Opta

Image source, Opta

Micah Mbick earns his first start for Charlton as one of their three changes.

He's joined by Billy Koumetio and Josh Edwards, who makes his return to the XI for the first time since picking up an ankle injury that saw him miss out on much of last season.

Kayne Ramsay is also on the mend from an ankle problem and might get his first minutes of this campaign as a birthday treat after making the squad.

No easing back in for Bristol City's Luke McNally, who is thrown into the starting line-up for the first time since February 2025 having suffered a series of setbacks around an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Brian De Keersmaecker has recovered from his shoulder injury sustained last season for parent club Oxford United and makes his debut for the Robins.

The return of playmaker Scott Twine completes the triple change to the XI.

Image source, Opta

Chris Wathan
BBC Sport Wales at the Swansea.Com Stadium

Image source, Getty Images

Not a bad way to get back into the old routine after the international break here in south Wales.

It is a lovey day for it too, with the sun shining and the rain staying away - although the crispness of the air reminds we are in October now.

Swansea certainly seem intent of making the most of the return to action. Legendary manager John Toshack is the guest of honour to mark the 45th anniversary of his side topping the old First Division, the making a trip to south Wales from his home in Spain.

It is a rare return for the former Real Madrid boss who had been seriously ill after contracting Covid in 2022.

And there are also celebrations to mark the 50th birthday of cult hero Lee Trundle, still playing after all these years (even if his Cwmbran Town side were on the end of a 6-0 beating in the third-tier of Welsh football last night).

It is all set up for Norwich to try to spoil the party, mind.

Norwich City appointed Philippe Clement as their head coach on 17 November 2025.

Seven days later Swansea City handed their hot seat to Vitor Matos.

Both managers had an immediate impact by leading their respective teams away from trouble to plan for another season of Championship football.

While the Canaries were expected to continue their rise, there were not many who had the Swans on their radar as far as challenging for promotion goes but, here they are with just one defeat and the division's best defensive record.

Nine seasons after relegation from the Premier League and two failed play-off campaigns the Welshmen might be rediscovering their mojo and defend an unbeaten home record this lunchtime.

Norwich's season can best be described as stuttering - one moment they are dispatching Burnley and Sheffield United in impressive style while the next they score three goals against Middlesbrough and Bolton respectively but somehow contrive to lose both.

Only West Ham and Southampton have scored more than the Canaries' 16 goals but no-one has conceded more than the 17 they have shipped at the other end - therein lies the conundrum Clement must solve.

Image source, Getty Images

What better way to get over a derby disappointment than win one in your next match?

West Brom will be hoping to do just that today as they aim to put the 1-0 defeat at bitter rivals Wolves before the long international break behind them.

Oddly, this is a game which both teams have fairly poor recent form in. West Brom have won just one of their past seven games against Birmingham, but Blues have only won two of their past 13 visits to the Hawthorns.

Chris Davies' men are in danger of becoming the division's draw specialists with five from their opening eight games.

They have a joint-division low of one defeat so far but their two wins is the same as 20th-placed Watford.

Image source, Shutterstock

The bubble appears to have, at least somewhat, burst at Charlton Athletic.

The Addicks were on top of the world at the start of the season but are now on a dry run, failing to win any of their five games in September after winning all three in August.

But still, The Valley is a place of comfort for Nathan Jones' side.

They have kept a clean sheet in their past three successive home games and even if their past two games have been goalless encounters, Charlton are yet to lose on home soil this season.

Visitors Bristol City, though, are eyeing up promotion this season under new boss Michael Skubala and only league leaders Swansea City have won more than their four, two of which have been on the road.

Image source, Preston North End/Shutterstock

With the Championship returning after a two-week hiatus there is a lot to look out for in the EFL today.

We have picked five things you may want to keep an eye on alongside the fortunes of your own team.

Image source, Getty Images/BBC

Swansea City have the chance to not just keep their place at the top of the Championship but potentially even extend their advantage if they can lay down an early marker against Norwich.

West Ham's disappointment at the London Stadium against QPR means West Brom and then Middlesbrough or Wolves can overtake them into the second automatic promotion slot.

Down at the bottom, it is very tight with Burnley still searching for a first win of the season and the three teams above them having only taken three points once so far.

Image source, Getty Images

The Championship resumed last night with West Ham and QPR playing out an exciting 1-1 draw.

QPR took the lead with a controversial Nicolas Madsen penalty before Jarrod Bowen equalised with 20 minutes remaining.

Bowen turned from hero to villain as he saw his stoppage-time penalty saved by Pierce Charles.

It was a miss which cost the Hammers the chance to go top of the table.

We have three games to get us up and running on this Saturday lunchtime.

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, Shutterstock

It has been a long old three weeks but the Championship is back.

It all kicks-off with a West Midlands derby between West Bromwich Albion and Birmingham City, with the Baggies trying to save themselves the blushes they had away at Wolves last time out.

Super Swansea host a struggling and strangely inconsistent Norwich City side, while Charlton look to keep their unbeaten home start going against Bristol City.

Then a little later on Middlesbrough celebrate their 150th anniversary by welcoming Wolves, Bolton boss Steven Schumacher faces former club Stoke City, and Graham Alexander takes on Millwall for his first game in charge of a spiralling Preston North End.

All that and more... we know you missed it. Build-up coming your way.