Follow live coverage as Birmingham City face Portsmouth 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.
Birmingham City FC 4 - 0 Portsmouth FC
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:57Match ends, Birmingham City 4, Portsmouth 0.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:57Second Half ends, Birmingham City 4, Portsmouth 0.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:57Attempt missed. Andre Dozzell (Portsmouth) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:57Josh Murphy (Portsmouth) is shown the yellow card.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:57Foul by Josh Murphy (Portsmouth).
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:56Fourth official has announced 4 minutes of added time.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:55Corner, Portsmouth. Conceded by Paik Seung-Ho.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:55Attempt blocked. Márk Kosznovszky (Portsmouth) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Conor Chaplin.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:51Substitution, Birmingham City. Bright Osayi-Samuel replaces Tomoki Iwata.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:48Goal! Birmingham City 4, Portsmouth 0. Keshi Anderson (Birmingham City) right footed shot from outside the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Tomoki Iwata.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:48Foul by Jordan Williams (Portsmouth).
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:46Corner, Portsmouth. Conceded by Lyndon Dykes.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:46Corner, Portsmouth. Conceded by Tomoki Iwata.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:46Andre Dozzell (Portsmouth) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:45Attempt missed. Josh Knight (Portsmouth) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Conor Chaplin with a cross following a corner.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:45Corner, Portsmouth. Conceded by Alex Cochrane.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:45Substitution, Portsmouth. Josh Knight replaces Hayden Matthews.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:45Foul by Colby Bishop (Portsmouth).
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:44Hayden Matthews (Portsmouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:39Foul by Andre Dozzell (Portsmouth).
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:37Substitution, Birmingham City. Lewis Koumas replaces Demarai Gray.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:36Substitution, Birmingham City. Lyndon Dykes replaces Jay Stansfield.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:35Josh Murphy (Portsmouth) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:33Offside, Birmingham City. Kyogo Furuhashi is caught offside.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:32Handball by Jay Stansfield (Birmingham City).
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:32Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by Márk Kosznovszky.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:29Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by Jordan Williams.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:30Josh Murphy (Portsmouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:29Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by Marlon Pack.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:28Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by Marlon Pack.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:28Substitution, Portsmouth. Conor Chaplin replaces John Swift.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:27Attempt missed. Kyogo Furuhashi (Birmingham City) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Keshi Anderson following a fast break.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:21Goal! Birmingham City 3, Portsmouth 0. Christoph Klarer (Birmingham City) header from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Alex Cochrane with a cross following a set piece situation.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:21Jordan Williams (Portsmouth) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:19Foul by Jordan Williams (Portsmouth).
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:19Substitution, Birmingham City. Kyogo Furuhashi replaces Marvin Ducksch.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:17Goal! Birmingham City 2, Portsmouth 0. Tomoki Iwata (Birmingham City) header from the left side of the six yard box to the top right corner. Assisted by Tommy Doyle with a cross following a corner.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:17Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by Regan Poole.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:17Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:16Delay in match because of an injury Josef Bursik (Portsmouth).
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:15Attempt saved. Tomoki Iwata (Birmingham City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner by Josef Bursik (Portsmouth). Assisted by Demarai Gray.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:13Substitution, Portsmouth. Zak Swanson replaces Ibane Bowat.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:13Substitution, Portsmouth. Colby Bishop replaces Makenzie Kirk.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:13Substitution, Portsmouth. Josh Murphy replaces Yang Min-Hyeok.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:13Attempt blocked. Jay Stansfield (Birmingham City) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Keshi Anderson.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:09Attempt missed. Demarai Gray (Birmingham City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Jay Stansfield.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:09Attempt blocked. Keshi Anderson (Birmingham City) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:06Offside, Portsmouth. Makenzie Kirk is caught offside.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:05Second Half begins Birmingham City 1, Portsmouth 0.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
16:06Substitution, Birmingham City. Keshi Anderson replaces Patrick Roberts.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
15:50First Half ends, Birmingham City 1, Portsmouth 0.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
15:48Fourth official has announced 1 minutes of added time.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
15:48Attempt blocked. Tomoki Iwata (Birmingham City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Tommy Doyle.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
15:41Ibane Bowat (Portsmouth) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
15:41Foul by Makenzie Kirk (Portsmouth).
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
15:37Ibane Bowat (Portsmouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
15:35Attempt blocked. Ibane Bowat (Portsmouth) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
15:32Tommy Doyle (Birmingham City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
15:31Tommy Doyle (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
15:31Foul by Tomoki Iwata (Birmingham City).
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
15:29Attempt missed. Patrick Roberts (Birmingham City) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left following a corner.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
15:30Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by Regan Poole.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
15:30Attempt blocked. Demarai Gray (Birmingham City) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Marvin Ducksch.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
15:30Attempt missed. John Swift (Portsmouth) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left from a direct free kick.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
15:30Christoph Klarer (Birmingham City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
15:30Foul by Christoph Klarer (Birmingham City).
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
15:29Tommy Doyle (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
15:29Corner, Portsmouth. Conceded by Marvin Ducksch.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
15:29Foul by Tommy Doyle (Birmingham City).
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
15:22Attempt blocked. Tomoki Iwata (Birmingham City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Patrick Roberts.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
15:19Attempt missed. Paik Seung-Ho (Birmingham City) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Tommy Doyle following a corner.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
15:19Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by Yang Min-Hyeok.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
15:19Attempt missed. Alex Cochrane (Birmingham City) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Patrick Roberts.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
15:15Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by Andre Dozzell.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
15:11Goal! Birmingham City 1, Portsmouth 0. Paik Seung-Ho (Birmingham City) header from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Alex Cochrane with a cross following a corner.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
15:11Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by Makenzie Kirk.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
15:11Attempt blocked. Paik Seung-Ho (Birmingham City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Patrick Roberts with a headed pass.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
15:10Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by Jordan Williams.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
15:10Foul by Jay Stansfield (Birmingham City).
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
15:10Attempt missed. Jay Stansfield (Birmingham City) right footed shot from very close range misses to the left. Assisted by Patrick Roberts following a set piece situation.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
15:09Penalty saved. Jay Stansfield (Birmingham City) right footed shot saved in the bottom right corner by Josef Bursik (Portsmouth).
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
15:09Penalty Birmingham City. Marvin Ducksch draws a foul in the penalty area.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
15:05Foul by Alex Cochrane (Birmingham City).
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
15:03Attempt saved. Marvin Ducksch (Birmingham City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner by Josef Bursik (Portsmouth). Assisted by Patrick Roberts.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
15:02First Half begins.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
14:30Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Birmingham City vs Portsmouth
13:01Follow 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.
