Follow live coverage as Blackburn Rovers face Stoke City 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.
Blackburn Rovers FC 1 - 1 Stoke City FC
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
14:29Match ends, Blackburn Rovers 1, Stoke City 1.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
14:26Second Half ends, Blackburn Rovers 1, Stoke City 1.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
14:36Attempt blocked. Sean McLoughlin (Blackburn Rovers) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Todd Cantwell with a cross.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
14:26Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Tatsuki Seko.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
14:26Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Tatsuki Seko.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
14:26Attempt blocked. Todd Cantwell (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
14:24Handball by Róbert Bozeník (Stoke City).
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
14:23Corner, Stoke City. Conceded by Sean McLoughlin.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
14:22Corner, Stoke City. Conceded by Lewis Miller.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
14:21Substitution, Blackburn Rovers. Makhtar Gueye replaces Taylor Gardner-Hickman.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
14:38Attempt saved. Jamie Donley (Stoke City) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is saved in the bottom right corner by Balázs Tóth (Blackburn Rovers). Assisted by Million Manhoef.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
14:21Substitution, Stoke City. Lamine Cissé replaces Sorba Thomas.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
14:21Fourth official has announced 4 minutes of added time.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
14:20Aaron Cresswell (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
14:20Attempt blocked. Ryan Hedges (Blackburn Rovers) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Augustus Kargbo with a cross.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
14:18Offside, Stoke City. Róbert Bozeník is caught offside.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
14:17Attempt missed. Augustus Kargbo (Blackburn Rovers) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Ryan Alebiosu.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
14:18Augustus Kargbo (Blackburn Rovers) hits the right post with a right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box. Assisted by Lewis Miller.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
14:16Foul by Róbert Bozeník (Stoke City).
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
14:15Goal! Blackburn Rovers 1, Stoke City 1. Augustus Kargbo (Blackburn Rovers) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Todd Cantwell.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
14:11Substitution, Stoke City. Jamie Donley replaces Bae Jun-Ho.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
14:09Attempt saved. Million Manhoef (Stoke City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal by Balázs Tóth (Blackburn Rovers). Assisted by Bae Jun-Ho.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
14:09Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Aaron Cresswell.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
14:08Attempt missed. Sondre Tronstad (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses the top right corner. Assisted by Taylor Gardner-Hickman.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
14:08Attempt saved. Dion De Neve (Blackburn Rovers) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is saved in the bottom right corner by Viktor Johansson (Stoke City). Assisted by Yuki Ohashi with a through ball.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
14:03Offside, Blackburn Rovers. Ryan Hedges is caught offside.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
14:01Foul by Tatsuki Seko (Stoke City).
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
14:00Attempt missed. Augustus Kargbo (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Dion De Neve with a cross.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
13:58Substitution, Blackburn Rovers. Dion De Neve replaces Yuri Ribeiro.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
13:58Substitution, Stoke City. Steven Nzonzi replaces Tomás Rigo.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
13:58Substitution, Stoke City. Róbert Bozeník replaces Divin Mubama.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
13:57Aaron Cresswell (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
13:56Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Ashley Phillips.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
13:55Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Junior Tchamadeu.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
13:52Attempt saved. Million Manhoef (Stoke City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner by Balázs Tóth (Blackburn Rovers). Assisted by Bae Jun-Ho.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
13:50Substitution, Blackburn Rovers. Augustus Kargbo replaces Ryoya Morishita.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
13:49Substitution, Blackburn Rovers. Yuki Ohashi replaces Andri Gudjohnsen.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
13:47Attempt saved. Todd Cantwell (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner by Viktor Johansson (Stoke City). Assisted by Ryan Hedges.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
13:46Sorba Thomas (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
13:45Foul by Tomás Rigo (Stoke City).
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
13:45Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Ashley Phillips.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
13:44Attempt blocked. Ryan Hedges (Blackburn Rovers) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Todd Cantwell.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
13:41Offside, Stoke City. Bae Jun-Ho is caught offside.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
13:40Foul by Tatsuki Seko (Stoke City).
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
13:39Goal! Blackburn Rovers 0, Stoke City 1. Million Manhoef (Stoke City) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Sorba Thomas following a fast break.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
13:39Tomás Rigo (Stoke City) is shown the yellow card.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
13:38Foul by Tatsuki Seko (Stoke City).
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
13:35Second Half begins Blackburn Rovers 0, Stoke City 0.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
13:18First Half ends, Blackburn Rovers 0, Stoke City 0.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
13:18Attempt saved. Million Manhoef (Stoke City) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner by Balázs Tóth (Blackburn Rovers). Assisted by Sorba Thomas.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
13:18Fourth official has announced 2 minutes of added time.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
13:13Attempt missed. Ryoya Morishita (Blackburn Rovers) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
13:09Junior Tchamadeu (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
13:08Ryan Alebiosu (Blackburn Rovers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
13:06Attempt missed. Todd Cantwell (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Ryan Hedges following a fast break.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
13:04Attempt blocked. Million Manhoef (Stoke City) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ben Wilmot with a headed pass.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
13:03Corner, Stoke City. Conceded by Yuri Ribeiro.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
13:02Attempt missed. Todd Cantwell (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Yuri Ribeiro.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
12:59Attempt missed. Million Manhoef (Stoke City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Aaron Cresswell.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
12:55Offside, Blackburn Rovers. Yuri Ribeiro is caught offside.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
12:55Foul by Junior Tchamadeu (Stoke City).
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
12:52Corner, Stoke City. Conceded by Lewis Miller.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
12:52Attempt blocked. Sorba Thomas (Stoke City) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
12:52Foul by Divin Mubama (Stoke City).
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
12:50Foul by Sorba Thomas (Stoke City).
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
12:50Corner, Stoke City. Conceded by Sean McLoughlin.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
12:50Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
12:48Delay in match because of an injury Todd Cantwell (Blackburn Rovers).
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
12:44Offside, Blackburn Rovers. Ryan Hedges is caught offside.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
12:40Attempt saved. Todd Cantwell (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal by Viktor Johansson (Stoke City). Assisted by Sondre Tronstad.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
12:39Attempt missed. Ryan Hedges (Blackburn Rovers) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Todd Cantwell.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
12:39Attempt missed. Tomás Rigo (Stoke City) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Sorba Thomas with a cross following a corner.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
12:41Corner, Stoke City. Conceded by Lewis Miller.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
12:40Attempt blocked. Million Manhoef (Stoke City) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ashley Phillips.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
12:36Aaron Cresswell (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
12:36Attempt saved. Sondre Tronstad (Blackburn Rovers) header from very close range is saved in the top right corner by Viktor Johansson (Stoke City). Assisted by Todd Cantwell with a cross.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
12:34Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Ashley Phillips.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
12:32Offside, Stoke City. Junior Tchamadeu is caught offside.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
12:32Attempt saved. Sorba Thomas (Stoke City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner by Balázs Tóth (Blackburn Rovers).
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
12:31First Half begins.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
12:00Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City
10:30Follow 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.
