An incredible final day of the Championship awaits this lunchtime, with all 24 sides simultaneously in action at 12:30. Leeds United & Burnley are up, Sheffield United and Sunderland will finish third and fourth, and Cardiff City have been relegated, but everything else is on the line.
Second Tier Title
Leeds United are the favourites to claim top spot, as they just need to match Burnley’s result. While the Whites are at Plymouth Argyle, Burnley need a helping hand from the Pilgrims. Scott Parker’s men need to better the current leaders’ result when they play Millwall, if they are to nick the title on the final day.
Play-Off Places
Bristol City know that victory over Preston North End will assure them of a Play-Off place. A point against the Lilywhites would put them out of reach of Middlesbrough, but they would then require dropped points for two of Blackburn Rovers, Millwall and Coventry City. If the Robins are defeated, then they need Millwall and Blackburn to both lose.
If Coventry win, they will be in the end-of-season competition, unless either Millwall better their margin of victory by five or more goals, or Bristol City win. A point against Middlesbrough would only be okay if two of the following three scenarios occur: Bristol City lose, and either Millwall or Blackburn don’t win.
Millwall have to win and hope that either of the two sides above them drop points. A draw at Turf Moor is only good enough if the following happens: Bristol City & Coventry lose by five, and Blackburn aren’t victorious.
Blackburn have to beat Sheffield United to finish sixth, and hope that two of the three sides above them drop points. Likewise, Middlesbrough are in must-win territory at the CBS Arena, needing to defeat the Sky Blues and hope that two of these things happen: Bristol City are defeated, Rovers don’t win or Millwall drop points.
Relegation
Plymouth Argyle are all but relegated, requiring a miracle to keep them in the division. They have to beat Leeds United, hope that Hull City and Luton Town lose, and overturn fourteen goals in the process. Any other scenario will send the Pilgrims down.
Hull are relegated if they lose at Portsmouth, but a point keeps them up if either Luton, Preston or Derby are defeated, though the Rams would have to lose by three. Regardless of results elsewhere, a win keeps the Tigers up because Derby play Stoke.
Luton travel to West Brom, knowing that a loss or draw keeps them up if Hull are defeated. Alternatively, a point, coupled with either Preston or Derby losing, keeps Matt Bloomfield’s men up. Even a Stoke defeat, by a margin of more than five, will see the Potters finish below Luton. Three points at The Hawthorns, like any side outside the bottom three, secures survival.
Preston, also on 49 points, stay up with a win. A draw for the Lilywhites at Bristol City would also be enough if Hull or Luton drop points, or if Derby vs Stoke has a winner. But a defeat requires either side below them to lose, or a four-goal Rams loss.
Derby complete the trio of sides with the same points tally, knowing victory keeps them in the Championship. A point at Pride Park is good enough, unless the three sides directly below them all win. But a loss will send John Eustace’s outfit down if two of the following three occur: Hull win, Luton or Preston avoid defeat.
The only way that Stoke can be relegated is if Derby beat them, and all three sides below the Rams are also victorious.
