Follow live coverage as Blackburn Rovers face Sunderland 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 Luton, Burnley and Sheffield United 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 Norwich City, an improving Coventry and beaten play-off finalists Leeds United. At the other end of the table, Wayne Rooney is aiming to revive Plymouth’s fortunes after they narrowly avoided relegation last year, with Portsmouth and Derby the teams promoted from League One along with play-off final winners Oxford.
Follow live updates from today’s game in the live blog below.
Blackburn Rovers FC 2 - 2 Sunderland AFC
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:58Match ends, Blackburn Rovers 2, Sunderland 2.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:53Second Half ends, Blackburn Rovers 2, Sunderland 2.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:53Attempt saved. Adil Aouchiche (Sunderland) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Jobe Bellingham.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:53Attempt saved. Patrick Roberts (Sunderland) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Dan Neil.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:52Patrick Roberts (Sunderland) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:52Todd Cantwell (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:51Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Luke O'Nien.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:51John Buckley (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:49Fourth official has announced 5 minutes of added time.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:48Goal! Blackburn Rovers 2, Sunderland 2. Harry Leonard (Blackburn Rovers) left footed shot from very close range to the top left corner.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:58Attempt blocked. Danny Batth (Blackburn Rovers) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Callum Brittain with a cross.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:45Substitution, Blackburn Rovers. Harry Leonard replaces Sondre Tronstad.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:45Substitution, Sunderland. Adil Aouchiche replaces Chris Rigg because of an injury.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:45Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:45Delay in match because of an injury Chris Rigg (Sunderland).
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:45Luke O'Nien (Sunderland) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:45Makhtar Gueye (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:45Attempt blocked. Patrick Roberts (Sunderland) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Eliezer Mayenda.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:45Foul by John Buckley (Blackburn Rovers).
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:45Attempt blocked. Makhtar Gueye (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:45Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Dennis Cirkin.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:43Attempt blocked. Sondre Tronstad (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:43Makhtar Gueye (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:38Attempt missed. Jobe Bellingham (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Wilson Isidor.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:38Substitution, Blackburn Rovers. Andreas Weimann replaces Tyrhys Dolan.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:37Substitution, Blackburn Rovers. John Buckley replaces Lewis Baker.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:37Offside, Blackburn Rovers. Makhtar Gueye is caught offside.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:34Attempt missed. Chris Mepham (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right following a set piece situation.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:34Attempt missed. Eliezer Mayenda (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Trai Hume with a cross following a set piece situation.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:33Foul by Owen Beck (Blackburn Rovers).
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:31Attempt blocked. Makhtar Gueye (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is blocked. Assisted by Tyrhys Dolan.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:29Attempt missed. Dennis Cirkin (Sunderland) right footed shot from the left side of the box.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:29Owen Beck (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:26Offside, Blackburn Rovers. Makhtar Gueye is caught offside.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:26Attempt blocked. Makhtar Gueye (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Todd Cantwell with a cross.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:24Todd Cantwell (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:22Attempt missed. Wilson Isidor (Sunderland) left footed shot from the left side of the box.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:21Foul by Makhtar Gueye (Blackburn Rovers).
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:20Attempt missed. Chris Rigg (Sunderland) header from the centre of the box.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:20Substitution, Blackburn Rovers. Amario Cozier-Duberry replaces Ryan Hedges.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:19Substitution, Blackburn Rovers. Makhtar Gueye replaces Yuki Ohashi.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:19Attempt missed. Chris Mepham (Sunderland) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Patrick Roberts with a cross following a set piece situation.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:16Foul by Yuki Ohashi (Blackburn Rovers).
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:16Dominic Hyam (Blackburn Rovers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:16Foul by Dominic Hyam (Blackburn Rovers).
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:15Goal! Blackburn Rovers 1, Sunderland 2. Wilson Isidor (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Patrick Roberts.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:11Sondre Tronstad (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:09Goal! Blackburn Rovers 1, Sunderland 1. Chris Rigg (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:09Attempt saved. Wilson Isidor (Sunderland) right footed shot from very close range is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Trai Hume with a cross.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:07Todd Cantwell (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
16:03Second Half begins Blackburn Rovers 1, Sunderland 0.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
15:47First Half ends, Blackburn Rovers 1, Sunderland 0.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
15:47Fourth official has announced 1 minutes of added time.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
15:44Aynsley Pears (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
15:44Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Danny Batth.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
15:42Offside, Blackburn Rovers. Tyrhys Dolan is caught offside.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
15:42Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Chris Mepham.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
15:42Danny Batth (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
15:38Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Dominic Hyam.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
15:37Foul by Yuki Ohashi (Blackburn Rovers).
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
15:35Dennis Cirkin (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
15:36Foul by Lewis Baker (Blackburn Rovers).
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
15:35Foul by Danny Batth (Blackburn Rovers).
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
15:35Trai Hume (Sunderland) is shown the yellow card.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
15:35Ryan Hedges (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
15:35Lewis Baker (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
15:35Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Callum Brittain.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
15:35Yuki Ohashi (Blackburn Rovers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
15:33Foul by Yuki Ohashi (Blackburn Rovers).
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
15:27Owen Beck (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
15:27Dangerous play by Wilson Isidor (Sunderland).
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
15:24Dennis Cirkin (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
15:24Foul by Ryan Hedges (Blackburn Rovers).
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
15:24Attempt missed. Tyrhys Dolan (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
15:21Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
15:21Delay in match because of an injury Yuki Ohashi (Blackburn Rovers).
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
15:20Offside, Sunderland. Trai Hume is caught offside.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
15:17Attempt missed. Chris Rigg (Sunderland) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
15:17Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Ryan Hedges.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
15:17Attempt saved. Ryan Hedges (Blackburn Rovers) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Yuki Ohashi.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
15:14Goal! Blackburn Rovers 1, Sunderland 0. Yuki Ohashi (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from very close range.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
15:12Attempt missed. Tyrhys Dolan (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Ryan Hedges.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
15:12Foul by Owen Beck (Blackburn Rovers).
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
15:10Attempt missed. Danny Batth (Blackburn Rovers) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Todd Cantwell with a cross following a corner.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
15:08Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Trai Hume.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
15:06Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Chris Rigg.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
15:08Attempt blocked. Lewis Baker (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Todd Cantwell.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
15:05Foul by Dan Neil (Sunderland).
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
15:01First Half begins.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
14:30Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Blackburn Rovers vs Sunderland
13:01Follow live football coverage with The Independent today.
Whether it's Premier League, Champions League, a European Championship or the World Cup we will keep you up to date with everything you need to know.
We will have all the latest scores, goals and updates plus analysis and reaction throughout the game here.
