The race to win promotion and avoid relegation intensified in the Championship across the Easter weekend, with most teams now having just five more matches to seal their fate
Hull City and Coventry City are both fighting for promotion to the Premier League(Image: Getty Images)
Coventry City and Ipswich Town have been tipped to win automatic promotion to the Premier League, following an action-packed Easter weekend in the Championship.
Due to Southampton’s participation in the FA Cup, there was 11 second-tier fixtures on Good Friday and a further 11 on Easter Monday. Apart from Ipswich, Wrexham and Southampton, the other 21 teams were in action twice and there was some significant results in the race for promotion and fight to avoid relegation.
Frank Lampard’s Coventry strengthened their grip on top spot with the Sky Blues beating Derby County and drawing at fellow promotion-chasing Hull City. Ipswich joined Coventry in the top two with a win against Birmingham City and Kieran McKenna’s side boast two games in hand on their automatic promotion rivals.
And OPTA have predicted that Ipswich are going to finish second and seal an instant return to the top flight with Coventry running out as comfortable league winners.
They feel that Middlesbrough, Millwall, Hull and Southampton will make up the four-team play-offs with Wrexham and Derby County among those to miss out.
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Norwich City, QPR, Bristol City and Watford complete the top half. Stoke City, Swansea City, Preston North End, Birmingham City and Sheffield United all sit in the bottom half with the rest battling out to remain in the Championship.
And OPTA feel that Charlton Athletic, Blackburn Rovers and West Bromwich Albion survive in comfortable fashion, leaving Portsmouth, Leicester City and Oxford United to battle for one spot.
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With Sheffield Wednesday rock bottom on minus points, OPTA have tipped Oxford and Leicester to join them in League One next season with Portsmouth staying up by the skin of their teeth.
As this prediction tool is based on OPTA’s expected points (xPTS) total, there is still five matches to go for teams to change their destiny with promotion and relegation places still on the line.
Leicester City are facing relegation to League One for the second time in their history(Image: Getty Images)
Full OPTA’s final Championship table predicted…
Coventry City – 94 ptsIpswich Town – 83 ptsMiddlesbrough – 80 ptsMillwall – 80 ptsHull City – 75 ptsSouthampton – 74 ptsWrexham – 72 ptsDerby County – 70 ptsNorwich City – 65 ptsQPR – 63 ptsBristol City – 63 ptsWatford – 63 ptsStoke City – 61 ptsSwansea City – 60 ptsPreston North End – 60 ptsBirmingham City – 60 ptsSheffield United – 58 ptsCharlton Athletic – 56 ptsBlackburn Rovers – 53 ptsWest Bromwich Albion – 52 ptsPortsmouth – 49 ptsLeicester City – 48 ptsOxford United – 47 ptsSheffield Wednesday – -1 pts
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