Two Championship derbies, a managerial homecoming and a table that is still very much in flux: there is plenty to chew over as the division returns from the international break this weekend.

West Brom cannot afford another derby capitulation

Conor Townsend did not mince his words after the 1-0 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers. He called it West Brom's "worst performance of the season", and the defender has now been handed a swift opportunity to help put things right. Birmingham City visit The Hawthorns on Saturday lunchtime (12:30) in what amounts to another West Midlands examination for a Baggies side that currently sit fifth.

The concern for Albion is a pattern beginning to form. Wolves used them as a stepping stone, and Birmingham are now only three points behind their hosts in tenth. A Blues victory would see them leapfrog West Brom, which makes this considerably more than a matter of local pride. The home end will want a response; the away end will sense an opening.

Last season offered little by way of goals in these meetings. Both Championship fixtures between the clubs ended 1-1, so a tight, tense affair is the likeliest script. But tight and tense does not necessarily mean West Brom can afford to be passive. Back-to-back derby defeats to West Midlands rivals would pose serious questions about whether Albion's promotion credentials are genuine.

Birmingham hunting a scalp

Birmingham's own season has been a study in inconsistency. They have drawn matches they might reasonably have won, and that has cost them points they will want back. A victory at The Hawthorns would do more than shift them up the table; it would signal that the club's rebuild has some teeth to it. Blues supporters travelling to the Black Country on Saturday will not need extra motivation, but the table gives them plenty anyway.

Alexander's Preston need something, quickly

Graham Alexander made 410 appearances at Deepdale across his playing career, served as club captain and has spoken about Preston North End as a club that is "special" to him. Fourteen years after he retired as a player, he is back as manager, appointed on 28 September, and he finds the club in a genuinely difficult position.

Preston are kept off the foot of the Championship table by goal difference alone. One league win from their opening fixtures is not the platform any new manager would choose to inherit, and Alexander's first full weekend in charge brings a home fixture against Millwall at Deepdale on Saturday (15:00). A crowd that is firmly behind him will hope that the affection runs both ways: that Alexander's knowledge of the club, and the goodwill he carries there, can translate into urgency and organisation on the pitch.

It is worth being cautious about managerial honeymoon periods. Preston have not been short of goodwill this season and it has not been enough. What Alexander will need to demonstrate fairly quickly is that he can change something structural about how the side defends and creates; sentiment alone will not drag them clear of the relegation places.

What the table says

West Brom's position in fifth means they remain well placed for a promotion push, but their next few results will say a great deal about whether they can sustain a challenge or whether the derby defeats represent a ceiling rather than a blip. Birmingham in tenth are close enough to both the top six and the relegation zone to make every fixture count. Preston, separated from safety by goal difference, are in a fight that will likely define the rest of their season.

The Championship at this stage of October is rarely settled. But for at least two of the clubs above, the next 90 minutes carry weight that goes well beyond three points.

Frequently asked

When is West Brom vs Birmingham City this weekend?
West Brom host Birmingham City at The Hawthorns on Saturday at 12:30.
Where are Preston North End in the Championship table?
Preston are only off the bottom of the Championship table on goal difference, having managed just one win so far this season.
Who is the new Preston North End manager?
Graham Alexander was appointed Preston manager on 28 September 2026. He made over 400 appearances for the club as a player and was previously a caretaker manager there in 2012.