The results are in, and after five of the most dramatic days in the Championship history, where Leeds finally achieved promotion without kicking a ball and Wigan somehow won 8-0, there’s still plenty to play for as matchday 46 approaches.
As West Brom caved in against Huddersfield, handing Leeds promotion and putting Brentford’s chances of joining them in their hands, the Bees, on the back of an eight game winning run, somehow slumped to a 1-0 loss against Stoke, giving control back to West Brom.
The Baggies will be promoted with a final day win against QPR, while Brentford need them to do anything other than take the three points, as a win would take the Bees up should West Brom fail to the same, while their superior goal difference means they could go up with a draw if QPR cause an upset.
The issue for both sides though, should they fail to recover from their losses, is Fulham waiting a point behind Brentford, with five wins in six, Scott Parker’s side the only other team gunning for a top two finish.
Nottingham Forest’s loss to Barnsley today means they haven’t mathematically qualified for the play-offs, but a five goal superior goal difference to Swansea, the only side that could dislodge them, means they’re as good as set for the knockout round.
Cardiff, level on points with Forest, and capping off the top six, have a slightly bigger threat from Swansea the only side that can enter, as goal difference only superior by +1 means a win for the Swans and loss for Cardiff would see the Welsh clubs swap places.
In the relegation battle there’s still three slots remaining with six teams in the mix. Huddersfield are as good as safe, three points from the bottom three with far superior goal difference over Luton, the only current bottom three side they could replace, while Wigan make things very complicated.
Applying Wigan’s impending 12 point deduction, that is currently under appeal, the Latics sit third bottom, and with Luton and Barnsley both picking up gigantic 1-0 wins this weekend the last day could be anyone's guess with Hull, Charlton, Birmingham and Middlesbrough still in the mix.
Barnsley, Hull and Wigan look to have the toughest tasks when it comes to taking three points, facing promotion pushers Brentford, Cardiff and Fulham respectively, while Middlesbrough (vs Sheff. Wednesday) and Birmingham (vs Derby) likely needing as little as a draw due to goal difference.
And there could be plenty of drama at Elland Road’s final game before the Premier League, with Charlton clapping out their opponents, before desperately fighting for their Championship survival.
