Article body analysed

Around the grounds BBC Radio 5 Live This video can not be played Full programme of Championship games Click 'watch and listen' tab to listen to 5 Live Around the Grounds from 14: 30 Early Alli goal gives Luton win over Derby in lunchtime game Nine games at 15: 00 BST, including Bristol City v Sunderland, Coventry v West Brom and Middlesbrough v Plymouth Sheffield United v Cardiff - 17: 30 BST Oxford United v Leeds United - 20: 00 BST Get Involved: #bbcefl, via Whats App on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply) Alex Hoad and Joe Boon #bbcefl We're a quarter of the way through our 10-hour marathon Good Friday feast of Championship football. .. Time to find out what twists and turns await us in the 3pm kick-offs. We are off and running. .. #bbcefl Elsewhere in the EFL, Shrewsbury have become the first side to be relegated this season after Burton drew at Exeter to condemn the Shropshire side to the drop. They could be followed by Cambridge United and Morecambe later. You can follow all the League One and League Two action here. Watford v Burnley (15: 00 BST) A point or more on the road will be enough for Burnley to head back to the top of the Championship - for a few hours at least. Scott Parker's side have conceded a barely believable 13 goals all season and are unbeaten in the league since November. Gulp. Any chance for Watford? Well they start the day seven points behind the play-offs so have a slim chance of extending their season with a shock win today. .. Bristol City v Sunderland (15: 00 BST) Sunderland have looked nailed-on for fourth since before the

Christmas decorations went up, but face a fascinating trip to Bristol City. City are 12 points adrift in fifth and seeking to tighten their own grip

on a play-off place in what might be a dress rehearsal for a potential

semi-final showdown. The Robins have won five of their past six at Ashton Gate

and lost just one of their past 11 overall to hold a four-point advantage over

the play-off chasing pack. In fact only title-chasing Burnley have picked up more points in the past 10 league games than City's 19. "We've given ourselves something to play for, and

credit to the lads because they've done that, " boss Liam Manning told BBC

Radio Bristol. "It's the end of the season, there's going to be lots

of twists and turns - it's about controlling what we can, turning up and taking

confidence from remaining unbeaten. " Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris has taken to rotating his squad with an eye on the play-offs, though their form has left some fans frustrated. "The play-offs are secured and it's another stage of

the season. I can understand the reaction because the fans and supporters

always want to win and it's fair. No problem with that, " Le Bris told BBC Radio Newcastle. "At the same time now, our main objective is clearly

the two games in the play-offs and we have to be ready for these

fixtures. " Coventry v West Bromwich Albion (15: 00 BST) On a day packed with important games, they don't come much more important than 6th v 7th in a local derby in the race for the play-offs. The Sky Blues occupy the final top-six spot at present but would fall out on goal difference if they lose at home to the Baggies, who returned to winning ways last week following a

five-match skid after a lot of work on finishing on the training field. West Brom's two goals against Watford was the first time they had scored more than once in eight games and their 51 goals this season is the lowest of the top eight. "We've done a lot of work on trying to get finishes.

It's pleasing that we scored two goals from cut-backs at the weekend and I'm

hoping in the last four games we will find a way to score goals and win

matches, " boss Tony Mowbray told BBC Radio WM. "Coventry are a very talented team with good

individuals and they are on a confident mode at the moment, " said Mowbray.

"They will know the urgency of this game and we can jump above them with a

win. "It is a great game and two decent football teams and

it will be really interesting to see who comes out on top. " Albion have won four straight against City but the good news for Coventry fans is their rivals have a shocking record on Good Friday - they have won just six of 39 games on this day. Of all sides to play at least 20 EFL games on Good Friday, only Torquay and Stoke have a worse return. Middlesbrough v Plymouth (15: 00 BST) Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick claims today's encounter with Plymouth Argyle is not a "must-win match" - but after successive defeats some supporters are wondering if the damage has already been done. "It's not must-win because things might happen and we might not win and still get to where we want to be, " Carrick told BBC Radio Tees. "But it's that stage where we'll be doing everything we can to get three points. " Boro are only two points shy of the play-offs and by no means out of the running if they lose today, but would the fans be able to stomach a loss to the bottom side? Coincidentally, Plymouth will not find themselves on the lowest rung of the table should they win this afternoon. They will push Cardiff City into the basement, with the Bluebirds to play later on against Sheffield United. It'll also draw them level on points with Derby County and Luton Town, close enough to safety that they can almost touch it. So who will want it more - the ones chasing dreams of the top tier or the side fighting to stay in the Championship? Swansea v Hull (15: 00 BST) Dafydd Pritchard BBC Sport Wales at the Swansea. com Stadium Swansea could do their arch rivals Cardiff a big favour

today by beating Hull. The in-form Swans have already aided the Bluebirds’ bid for survival

by winning against their relegation rivals Derby and Plymouth in recent weeks. Swansea were looking nervously down the table when the gap

between them and the drop zone was just six points as recently as last month. But now they’re closer to the play-off places than the

bottom three, and they could plunge Hull – who are 20th and two

points clear of the relegation zone – deeper into trouble with a fourth

successive victory today. Cardiff, who are second from bottom, visit third-place Sheffield

United in today’s 17: 30 kick-off. #bbcefl With Leeds set to play later this evening, Burnley will have the opportunity to call themselves top dogs with as little as a point against Watford. Fourth to seventh place all play each other in what will be titanic tussles for the play-off places. Sunderland have already guaranteed theirs but will be looking to take a chunk out of Bristol City's hopes, while West Bromwich Albion will look to displace Coventry City. Boro will be eyeing an opportunity of their own as they host bottom dwellers Plymouth Argyle. While Millwall will also look to close in on the top six but need to upset a Blackburn Rovers side bouncing from ending an eight-game winless run against Luton last time out, with the Lancashire side holding onto ambitions of a re-emergence as play-off contenders. That win for Luton has closed things up nicely down at the bottom. Last-placed Plymouth travel to MIddlesbrough in dire, dire need of a win to keep their hopes alive. Unlikely? Maybe, but the Pilgrims did beat Sheffield United last time out. .. Cardiff are at the out-of-sorts Blades in the tea-time kick-off and need to find some magic from somewhere. The Bluebirds have just six points from their past eight games. Hull City, meanwhile, are at Luka Modric's Swansea and Portsmouth travel to Norwich. How will the table look in just a few hours? FT: Derby 0-1 Luton Luton Town Luton match-winner Millenic Alli told Sky Sports: "We knew we would have to fight for the full 90 minutes and we did that - it turned out very well. "A game like this, with Derby so close to us in the table, it was very important for us. " FT: Derby 0-1 Luton Luton Town Luton defender Mark Mc Guinness told Sky Sports: “We all realised the magnitude

of the game. It shows the character of the boys. It's not over for us. ” Mc Guinness made 19 clearances, including two goal-line

interventions, and admitted: “I made a few clearances, I'm a bit dizzy, but

that's my job. "It's not over yet. " FT: Derby 0-1 Luton Here's the confirmation of what this result has done at the bottom of the table. Only goal difference now separates Luton from safety, while Hull and Portsmouth join Derby in anxiously looking over their shoulders. Stoke and Oxford just above them won't be feeling safe yet either. If will also give Cardiff and Plymouth a bit of hope too. FT: Derby 0-1 Luton Malcolm Christie Former Derby striker on BBC Radio Derby We fell short, and if I'm honest, I didn't expect to be sitting here looking at the Luton fans celebrating. They have played us at our own game, they defended magnificently. The three centre halves for Luton were outstanding. They scored a very Derby-like goal, and we just weren't at the races in the first half; it heaps massive pressure on the next two games now. FT: Derby 0-1 Luton Luke Ashmead BBC Three Counties Radio sport Luton were poor in the second half if we're honest, but it makes absolutely no difference; they've got the job done, and it is huge for the Hatters. They've given themselves a chance. Derby 0-1 Luton If they're going, they're not going without a fight. .. A precious three points for Luton Town. The Hatters remain in the relegation zone, but only on goal difference. This victory has just piled a load of pressure on a number of teams, not least Derby, who had chances enough to win the game. Millenic Alli's angled finish on 10 minutes proves the difference, but Mark Mc Guiness produced two goal saving interventions on his own line while Thomas Kaminski stood firm in goal against a wall of pressure in the final 35 minutes. Derby 0-1 Luton Marcus Harness' corner from the right drops to the feet of newly-arrived sub Tahith Chong who bundles past his man on the edge of the Hatters box before breaking away and earning a free-kick from Kayden Jackson, who picks up a caution. Chong celebrates like he's just won the cup. Two minutes remain. Derby 0-1 Luton Tom Barkhuizen is on for Harrison Armstrong for the hosts while Tahith Chong replaces Milennic Alli, who is the matchwinner for Luton as things stand. .. . Derby 0-1 Luton Thelo Aasgaard, one of the most technically gifted players on the pitch, has absolutely larruped a clearance straight into touch, which sums up how frantic things are feeling in the Hatters box. Derby 0-1 Luton Mark Mc Guiness produces a towering header to boom away Craig Forsyth's latest high cross from the left and yells at his defence to push up. They are dropping deeper and deeper in these closing stages. Derby 0-1 Luton There will be a minimum of SEVEN additional minutes. Pride Park has new life. .. Last Updated 18th April 2025 at 15: 00 Please Note: All times UK. Tables are subject to change. The BBC is not responsible for any changes that may be made. Manager: John Eustace Formation: 3 - 4 - 3 Manager: Matt Bloomfield Formation: 3 - 5 - 2 Manager: John Eustace Formation: 3 - 4 - 3 Manager: Matt Bloomfield Formation: 3 - 5 - 2 Championship All competitions All competitions All competitions Derby County are unbeaten in their last 10 home league games against Luton (W5 D5) since a 3-2 defeat at the Baseball Ground in May 1990. Luton Town are looking for their first league double over Derby since the 1989-90 top-flight campaign. Derby County have won each of their last four league games on Good Friday and are the only team to win on that day in every season between 2020-21 and 2023-24. Luton have won two of their last 14 league games on Good Friday (D7 L5) but are unbeaten in their last two (W1 D1). Derby’s Jerry Yates has scored nine Championship goals this season, only in 2022-23 has he ever reached double figures in the competition (14 with Blackpool). Copyright © 2025 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.