Millwall

Image source, PA Media

Neil Harris said he is "disappointed but still extremely proud" after suffering a 1-0 defeat to Middlesbrough in his last game as Millwall boss today.

“It wasn’t the way I wanted to leave the football club, on the back of a defeat," Harris told BBC Radio London.

"We were playing a really good Boro side, whose front four is exceptional, and I can’t be any prouder of the club.

“It’s the right time to part ways, for the club to have a new direction for themselves. I’ve been here for five-and-a-half years over two periods as manager and it’s been phenomenal.

“Today’s result and results of the back of a week won’t define my second reign. We’ve had a successful 10 months and I feel we leave the club in really good hands and safe position.

“It’s been emotional because a lot of the staff and players have been with me for a long time, and it’s been a phenomenal rise from February, when we were in the bottom three, to security last year and to start so well this year.

“It’s been difficult for the lads because they’re losing their leader and it’s difficult for them to understand why, and where they’re going next. We’ve tried to bridge that gap with humility, honesty and love as I care about the players, they’re really good lads.”

Sheffield United

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder was relieved to get the win against lowly Plymouth to go three points clear at the top of the Championship.

This was the Blades' third game in six days and Wilder said he felt the situation was "ridiculous".

"We took the big moments," he told BBC Radio Sheffield.

"I think it's a ridiculous situation that we're in having to play three game sin six days, it is punishing the teams at the top of the division.

"Maybe I need to take a bit of responsibility for not making more changes because we lacked energy in the first half.

"I was delighted to get that second goal and preserve a home record that will go on past Christmas Day."

Middlesbrough

Image source, PA Media

Middlesbrough manager Michael Carrick said the 1-0 victory over Millwall was "one of his favourite wins of the season" as they rose back into the top six.

“They (Millwall) are a very good team, so hard to play against, and it proved to be the case," Carrick told BBC Radio Tees.

"In the end we had to do some really good things to win the game - a really good goal and we had to defend at times and protected the goal ever so well.

“Sol (Brynn) made two big saves in the first half early on but after that we coped with them very well and maybe should have nicked an extra goal or two, in the spaces that we created for ourselves.

“That was one of my favourite wins of the season, coming off the back of the two games we had [Burnley and Leeds] and knowing how tough it was going to be.

"To keep a clean sheet and win 1-0... there will be games like that this season and that’s what we need to find.”

Image source, Getty Images

We've got full reports on all today's Championship games available to read on the BBC Sport website.

You can dip into some or all of those here.

Image source, Rex Features

Scott Twine scored an excellent free-kick to put Bristol City ahead in their 1-1 draw with QPR at lunchtime.

That means the Robins midfielder has scored more goals from direct free-kicks than any other player in the English Football League since the start of the 2022-23 season.

Twine has netted five times from direct free-kicks in that time.

For everyone who relishes a diet of Championship football - and that is indeed everyone, surely! - we've got more to come on Sunday.

Derby vs Portsmouth was the hors d'oeuvre last night and today we've enjoyed a main course of nine more action-packed Championship matches... so tomorrow there's a double helping of dessert.

We'll be focusing on the battle for top six positions, with Watford and West Brom - now eighth and seventh in the table respectively - both looking to close the gap to the play-offs when they meet at Vicarage Road at 14:00 GMT.

Then an hour later it's the turn of Norwich City, who now find themselves eight points off the play-off positions, and fourth-placed Burnley to do battle at Carrow Road.

Image source, Getty Images

Luton Liam Walsh was shown a straight red card today after coming on as a second-half substitute.

This is the second time he has been sent off after coming on as a replacement this season.

Prior to Walsh, the last player to be sent off twice as a sub in a single league campaign was Jermaine Beckford for Preston in the Championship in 2016-17.

QPR

Image source, Rex Features

QPR boss Marti Cifuentes says his side had to battle hard to earn a point in their 1-1 draw away at Bristol City earlier today.

"I learned a new English expression this week, which was to ‘grind it out’ and that’s what my team did today," Cifuentes said.

“The first-half display was not good enough against one of the best sides in the league when it comes to energy and counter-attack.

“Paul Smyth works so hard for the team on and off the ball so it was great to see him get his goal.

"I thought he might have gone down under the goalkeeper’s challenge, which would have brought a red card, but he was honest in keeping his feet and it was not an easy finish."

Leeds United

More from Leeds' draw with Preston in the lunchtime games today.

Whites manager Daniel Farke saw his side briefly move to the top of the Championship after they clawed a point back against Preston with an injury time goal.

"If you can't win it then you have to make sure you don't lose it," Farke told BBC Radio Leeds.

"When you see the story of the game, we didn't start that well until the final 20 minutes or whatever as we tried to push for the equaliser. They were defending really well.

"To score the goal in added time, also in this way, after we took so much risk and made so many changes in the game feels like a valuable and priceless point, especially in an away game.

"It's a good point on the board in a tough place. I think Preston defended really well."

Preston North End

Image source, PA Media

We've got some more reaction from this afternoon's earlier games as Preston boss Paul Heckingbottom has been talking to BBC Radio Lancashire.

His side conceded an agonising 93rd minute equaliser against Leeds, after going ahead through Brad Potts in the first half.

"It's frustrating because of the timing of the goal," Heckingbottom said.

"For the way the players defended, it's sickening but Leeds threw everything at us and we had to stand strong.

"We did [stand strong], Freddie [Woodman] had to deal with things from about 25-to-30 yards and any cross in the box we dealt with.

"The goal is probably what Leeds needed today to beat us. It was a messy goal, unfortunate from our point of view, but you have to give them credit for the way they've stuck at it."

Coventry were the only team in the bottom half of the table to taste victory - although it was a case of so near, yet so far for others.

The Sky Blues came from behind to beat Hull City, who remain at the foot of the table, while Cardiff clamber out of the bottom three despite being denied all three points by Stoke's injury-time equaliser.

Portsmouth, who were thrashed at Derby on Friday night, sink to 22nd instead while there were defeats for Plymouth, Oxford and Luton.

Preston also had to settle for a point after conceding late on against Leeds, while QPR came from behind to secure a draw at Bristol City.

Here's how things stand in the top 10 in the Championship then.

Sheffield United have opened up a three-point gap at the top with their victory over Plymouth after Leeds drew at Preston earlier today.

Sunderland's dramatic comeback win against Swansea lifts them to third, while Blackburn's sixth straight victory at home to Luton strengthens their grip on a play-off spot.

Middlesbrough climbed back into the top six with a narrow 1-0 success over Millwall and Sheffield Wednesday's 3-1 win at Oxford sees them move up to ninth.

Image source, Rex Features

• Sheffield United go three points clear at the top with their ninth straight home win without conceding as they beat lowly Plymouth 2-0.
• Sunderland fight back from 2-0 down to beat Swansea 3-2 and they're now just two points behind second-placed Leeds.
• Blackburn ease to a 2-0 win over Luton and they move up to fifth with a sixth straight win.
• Sheffield Wednesday continue their good road form with a 3-1 win at struggling Oxford.
• Middlesbrough beat Millwall 1-0 in Neil Harris' last game as Lions boss and move up to sixth.
• Stoke defender Ben Gibson scores a last-ditch equaliser to stop Cardiff getting a first away win of the season.

Right, that's full time across the second tier.

Championship headlines coming right up.

Hit the thumbs up if you're happy with how your team did today and it's the down thumb if you've had better Saturdays.

Stoke rescue a point with less than a minute remaining.

The Potters took the lead through Andrew Moran before Anwar El-Ghazi levelled things up in the first half.

The Bluebirds looked on course for their first away win of the season when Ben Gibson turned into his own net, but the Stoke skipper popped up with a headed effort deep into stoppage time.

A point apiece but it's seven games without a win now for both sides.

Blackburn's winning streak now stands at six from six!

First-half goals by Amario Cozier-Duberry and Owen Beck - their first in Rovers colours for both players - are enough to see off Luton, who had Liam Walsh sent off just 10 minutes after coming off the bench.

Gary Bennett
Ex-Sunderland defender on BBC Radio Newcastle

What did we say when they were 2-0 up? The third goal was so important.

We showed great character to come back, great energy. They've dug deep and gone on to win deservedly so.

Brilliant comeback from Sunderland and they have cut the gap to second-placed Leeds to just two points.

The home side raced into an early 2-0 lead through goals from Zan Vipotnik and Liam Cullen but Dan Ballard got the Black Cats back in it before the break.

Dan Neil levelled the scores and moments later Jobe Bellingham popped up with what proved to be the winner.

Two wins in three for Regis Le Bris' men after a tough run.