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Assessing the Championship’s playoff-chasing pack and who to look out for

With just a handful of games left in the 2021/22 Championship campaign, there are still around 10 to 12 teams who could secure one of the four playoff spots and potentially win promotion to the Premier League next season. Are there any teams in the chasing pack who could have a strong late run, and are the current high-flyers likely to finish in the top six?

Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest are arguably the surest bet for at least a playoff place after an incredible run of form that has taken them from the bottom of the table after seven games to third place with seven games left. Manager Steve Cooper has had a transformative impact at the City Ground, and their recent 2-0 victory over Birmingham was their fifth in a row and put them within six points of Bournemouth in second place. 

Sheffield United

Paul Heckingbottom’s Sheffield United have also surged upward since the early season and are now on the cusp of finishing in the top six. Veteran striker Billy Sharp has weighed in with 14 goals and seven assists and spearheaded a new-look, attacking side that also features exciting young playmaker Morgan Gibbs-White, who is on a season-long loan from Wolves. With upcoming matches against some of the division’s struggling sides, the Blades are a good bet for the playoffs. 

Blackburn Rovers

EFL fans betting on the final rounds of fixtures in the Championship should take a look at online bookie reviews to find the best site to place a wager. One team that appears to be trending in the opposite direction to Forest and Sheffield United is Blackburn Rovers. Tony Mowbray’s team have been in the top six for most of the season, but a run of just one win in seven games has seen them slip to seventh. They will need to bounce back quickly to reignite their promotion aspirations.

Huddersfield Town and Luton Town

Huddersfield and Luton are currently fourth and fifth in the table and are just about doing enough to stay ahead of the chasing pack. Both teams have only won two of their last five matches, while Huddersfield recently slumped to defeats against Millwall and Bournemouth. Luton can count on goals from Elijah Adebayo, who has netted 15 this term, but they still have to face Forest and automatic-promotion-bound Fulham in their final fixtures.

Swansea City

A left-field choice for a strong late run is Swansea City, who have the best record among the playoff chasers by far after winning four of their last five. Easier clashes against Barnsley and Reading await over the Easter weekend, although their next three games might check their momentum as they face both Bournemouth and Forest. The Swans will be looking to the prolific Joel Piroe to spearhead a final push, but sitting down in 14th and eight points off sixth, they are very much an outside bet. 

Best of the rest

Several other teams are still in the running, including Middlesbrough, Millwall, Coventry, QPR, West Brom and Preston. Of those teams, Middlesbrough are best placed, but nobody besides Swansea is currently in red-hot form. The current top six may be the most likely to secure playoff spots, but it is still all to play for.

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