Promotion to the Premier League is the aim for every Football club in the championship, especially when you look at the financial rewards. However, only 3 teams can ascend to the Premier League and 1 of those places is decided in the Play-Off's with the teams between 6th and 3rd place having a chance to join the teams in the Top 2 who have achieved automatic promotion to the Premier League.
We are nearing the end of this season of Championship football and the race to reach the Play-Off's is very tight. With three games to go, let’s look at the teams in the hunt for the Play-Off's; a lottery for a place in the Premier League.
Reading and Huddersfield
Reading and Huddersfield are in 3rd and 4th place respectively and, barring a disaster, are guaranteed to be in the Play-Off's once the season is over. In fact, only one of either Reading or Huddersfield could potentially drop out of the Play-Off's as no teams below 7th have a mathematical chance.
These teams have been very consistent this season and it would be a shock to see either of them falter at this stage, even after Reading’s horrendous defeat to Norwich earlier in April. Moreover, if Newcastle lose their remaining their games, then Reading or Huddersfield could take advantage of this and snatch an unlikely automatic promotion spot. Still, the Play-Off's are more likely.
Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday have won their last 4 games, including a win against Newcastle, and do not look like having a bad run of form anytime soon. Upcoming games against Derby and Ipswich will be tough but Sheffield Wednesday are going into these games full of confidence. They could be guaranteed a Play-Off place before their final game of the season which is against….
Fulham
Yes, Fulham and Sheffield Wednesday play each other on the final day of the season and this will be a pivotal match, especially for Fulham who do not have easy games before this match. Indeed, their next match is against Huddersfield and then they play Brentford before Sheffield Wednesday and they are not pushovers.
Despite the quality of Fulham’s football, they are not there yet and their game against Sheffield Wednesday will be critical in deciding their fate, the fate of Sheffield Wednesday and the fate of….
Leeds United
A team that no one, including myself, thought had a chance of making the Play-Off's this season, Leeds United have surprised many. However, they are in real danger of wasting the work that they have put in this season after a pretty poor run of results with only 1 win in 4 games.
Yet, if they win their next 3 games, they are in the Play-Off's but it will not be easy. Their next game is against Burton Albion who are fighting for their lives, then they play Norwich and we saw what they did against Reading and their final game against Wigan, another team trying to avoid relegation, will test Leeds.
Leeds need to show a lot of character in the next 3 games to have any chance of being in the Play-Off's and potentially return to the Premier League but, whatever happens, the race for the Play-Off's is sure to have a lot of twists and turns. It is the Championship after all.
