West Ham v Everton, Wolves v Southampton, and more: clockwatch – live

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Down in League Two, good ol’ Ollie is preparing for his first league game in charge of Swindon. He’s two from two in the cup competitions so far and has already shaken up the League Two press conference scene, naturally.

Here’s another good footballing read for you to enjoy with a coffee before this afternoon’s games get under way.

It’s objectionable when two teams play in reverse colours (blue and white v white and blue) like this, but that’s not the most heinous crime on the teamsheet.

Our resident Fitba correspondent Simon McMahon gets in touch with a nice preview of this afternoon’s action north of the border:

Afternoon Dominic. Dundee United, still fourth in the table despite picking up only a single point from their last three games, welcome Ross County to Tannadice today. United, with manager Jim Goodwin having signed a new deal this week, will be looking for all three points against the Dingwall side who sit ninth, but are only four points worse off. Elsewhere, struggling Hibs – bottom of the table with just one win in 11 games – are at home to St. Mirren, Motherwell play St. Johnstone and Jimmy Thelin’s Barcelona Aberdeen face Dundee in the teatime kick off.

Thanks as always Simon. Celtic and Rangers are both in action on Sunday.

Full time in the early kick-offs around the country. Here are those scores, starting with the trio of Championship fixtures:

• Cardiff 1-3 Blackburn

• Middlesbrough 5-1 Luton

• Stoke 1-1 Millwall

And now League One:

• Burton 2-0 Shrewsbury

• Wrexham 1-0 Mansfield

League Two:

• Harrogate 1-2 Morecambe

• Salford 0-1 Carlisle

Game over. Lewis Baker with a bolt from the blue for Blackburn on the break. 3-1 and that will sink the home side.

Cardiff 1-2 Blackburn: This cracking game is now getting the cracking finale it deserves, with Cardiff now piling on the pressure in search of an equaliser. John Eustace is wearing a worried look on the touchline as his team try to keep out the baying Bluebirds. Five minutes to go plus addeds.

Here’s our big preview of the weekend’s Premier League action, as usual.

Elsewhere in the Championship, Middlesbrough are running riot at home to Luton – it’s 4-1 to the hosts at the Riverside – while Ben Gibson has levelled up for Stoke at home to Millwall. One-each in the Potteries.

Now the team news is taken care of (it comes earlier these days), I can focus on Cardiff v Blackburn. It’s been a very watchable game so far with the visitors scoring two slick goals through Andi Weimann before Cardiff – full of effort and bluster but lacking a little in quality – pulled one back via a David Turnbull penalty rebound. Game on with 15 minutes remaining.

Blackburn forward Yuki Ohashi gets to grips with with Cardiff City man David Turnbull. Photograph: Ian Cook/CameraSport/Getty Images

Wolves v Southampton team news

Wolves (3-4-3): Sá; Bueno, Dawson, T.Gomes; Semedo, J.Gomes, Lemina, Aït-Nouri; Sarabia, Strand Larsen, Cunha.

Southampton (3-5-2): Ramsdale; Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Stephens; Walker-Peters, Downes, Lallana, Fernandes, Manning; Archer, Armstrong.

West Ham v Everton team news

West Ham (4-3-3): Fabianski; Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Kilman, Emerson; Soucek, Rodríguez, Paquetá; Bowen, Antonio, Summerville.

Everton (4-2-3-1): Pickford; Young, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Mangala, Gueye; Ndiaye, Doucouré, Lindstrøm; Calvert-Lewin.

Crystal Palace v Fulham team news

Crystal Palace (3-4-3): Henderson; Clyne, Lacroix, Guéhi; Muñoz, Chalobah, Devenny, Mitchell; Sarr, Kamada, Mateta.

Fulham (4-2-3-1): Leno; Tete, Andersen, Bassey, Robinson; Berge, Pereira; Nelson, Smith Rowe, Iwobi; Jiménez.

Brentford v Bournemouth team news

Brentford (4-2-3-1): Flekken; Van den Berg, Collins, Pinnock, Janelt; Nørgaard, Jensen; Mbeumo, Damsgaard, Lewis-Potter; Wissa.

Bournemouth (4-3-3): Kepa; Smith, Zabarnyi, Senesi, Kerkez; Cook, Christie, Adams; Semenyo, Evanlison, Kluivert.

Preamble

Good afternoon, and welcome to a 3pm (GMT) Saturday featuring the squeezed middle of the Premier League, though West Ham and Everton both teeter at the bottom. Brentford have a fantastic home record, while being the worst away side, but are at home to Bournemouth, recent conquerors of Manchester City AND Arsenal. Something’s gotta give there. Crystal Palace v Fulham is a case of a London club being safely in mid-table and it perhaps not being the club you expected, even if Marco Silva continues to show what a fine manager he is. Palace are improving but still not out of trouble. And as for Wolves v Southampton, this is this week’s six-pointer. Saints won last week, and Russell Martin can all but finish off his old pal Gary O’Neil if his team follow that up.

All that, plus the latest and greatest from the EFL and Europe, with second tier promotion frontrunners Sunderland and Leeds among those in action. We’ll also run through the latest from the 12.30pm kick-offs, which are nearing their denouement. Join me.