Southampton Charged with Misconduct as Middlesbrough Alleges Spying Before Playoff Clash

Southampton have been charged with misconduct by the English Football League and will face an independent disciplinary commission at the earliest opportunity, the league announced yesterday.

Middlesbrough remain furious after catching a man they say belongs to manager Tonda Eckert's backroom staff allegedly spying on a vital training session ahead of today's Championship playoff semi-final first leg against Southampton at the Riverside Stadium.

The match kicks off at 12:30 p.m. BST. It follows the opening leg between Hull and Millwall, which ended 0-0 last night. The second leg takes place on Monday.

Other Championship and EFL playoff semi-finals include Middlesbrough against Southampton, Stevenage against Stockport, Bolton against Bradford, Grimsby against Salford, and Chesterfield against Notts County.

Elsewhere in the Premier League, Liverpool face Chelsea today after both lost their last matches. Chelsea fell 3-1 at home to a second-string Nottingham Forest side, while Liverpool lost 3-2 to Manchester United. Both teams seek spots in European competitions.

Brighton host Wolves, Fulham take on Bournemouth, and Sunderland face Manchester United. Brentford visit title-chasing Manchester City in the day's final game. West Ham play Arsenal tomorrow, a match with big stakes at both ends of the table.

Coverage also includes the Championship and EFL play-offs, the Scottish Premiership title race, and action across Europe's top leagues.