The business end of the 2024/25 Championship season has arrived and there’s still so much to fight for, especially in the race for play-off football.
Top two sides Leeds United and Burnley look in a very strong position to clinch automatic promotion as they have now stretched a five-point gap to nearest chasers Sheffield United, who have lost their last three matches.
Sunderland, effectively guaranteed to finish in fourth, will use the final fixtures to prepare for the play-offs, but it’s unclear who will join them in the three other qualification spots.
West Bromwich Albion had been in fifth and sixth for months but have now dropped down to seventh following a disappointing run. A narrow 2-1 win over Watford at the weekend has restored faith, though, with fifth-placed Bristol City and sixth-placed Coventry City now looking nervously over their shoulders.
Then there are Middlesbrough and Millwall, level on points with West Brom but behind on goal difference. All five teams will be confident they can secure the final play-off positions, but there’s only space for two. The fight could go down right to the wire.
Down the other end of the table, the relegated sides are yet to be decided. Plymouth Argyle remain at the foot of the standings but are now just three points adrift from safety following a huge 2-1 win over Sheffield United. Just like Plymouth, Luton Town are on 40 points. Cardiff City are in 22nd on 42 points, while Derby County (43), Hull City (44) and Portsmouth (46) are narrowly above the drop zone.
How could the final standings look, then? Well, with four games to go for most, there’s still time for some significant changes. The data experts at Opta Analyst have been crunching the numbers, offering their predictions for all 24 positions.
9. 17th: Oxford United
Gary Rowett will be delighted to have steered the U’s away from the bottom three and up to a respectable finish. There’s room for movement, but 17th would be a good achievement. Expected points: 52.12, chance of relegation: 2.42%. | Getty Images
10. 16th: Queens Park Rangers
The job isn’t mathematically done yet but Marti Cifuentes seems to have done enough to keep QPR up. Expected points: 54.44, chance of relegation: 0.01%. | Getty Images
11. 15th: Preston North End
Set to rise one position up to 15th but will have nothing to hold onto this season other than their progression to the FA Cup quarter-finals. Expected points: 54.58, chance of relegation: 0.04%. | Getty Images
12. 14th: Sheffield Wednesday
There was so much belief a month ago after wins over Plymouth, Norwich and Sheffield United, but Wednesday have since fallen away with five games without a victory. Expected points: 58.54. | Getty Images