Saturday 25 April 2015 14:54, UK
With just two full rounds of fixtures to play in the Sky Bet Football League, we look at how things stand in the promotion and relegation battles.
Watford head to Brighton in pole positon for the title after Bournemouth surrendered top spot with their 2-2 draw with Sheffield Wednesday last weekend. Middlesbrough temporarily moved top of the pile with their 1-0 win at promotion rivals Norwich and, while the Hornets climbed back above them with a 1-0 win over Birmingham, the Cherries let their lead slip late on.
* Watford will be promoted if they win, Middlesbrough lose and Norwich fail to win.
Title odds: Watford 5/4, Bournemouth 11/8, Middlesbrough 9/2, Norwich 28/1
Play-off battle
On 76 and 75 points, the final two play-off places are Derby’s and Ipswich’s to lose after all four teams battling for the two remaining spots drew. Brentford and Wolves sit three points aback of the sixth-placed Tractor Boys but need to improve their respective goal differences in the event that they finish level on points. Another win will certainly be enough for the Rams, while it should do for Mick McCarthy’s men after they avoided defeat at Molineux.
Play-off qualification odds: Derby 1/50, Ipswich 1/6, Brentford 6/1, Wolves 7/1
Relegation fight
Rotherham have been thrown right back into the mix after being handed a three-point deduction for fielding an ineligible player. The Millers have stated their intent to appeal the ban but, for now, are just one point above 22nd-placed Millwall and another clear of Wigan with a game in hand. All three face tough fixtures against top-eight sides this weekend, with Norwich visiting the New York Stadium, Derby travelling to The Den and Wolves making the trip to the DW Stadium.
* Wigan will be relegated if they fail to win on Saturday and Rotherham beat Norwich. The same virtually applies to Millwall as they are 10 goals worse off than the Millers.
Relegation odds: Wigan 1/14, Millwall 1/8, Rotherham 5/2
Brighton v Watford (Live on Sky Sports 1HD, Saturday 12.15pm)
Watford will attempt to succeed where those closely behind have failed in holding on to top spot when they travel to the Amex Stadium. The Hornets can secure promotion this weekend if two of Bournemouth, Middlesbrough and Norwich fail to win but they will simply hope to hold up their own end of the bargain by collecting three points. Form suggests they should - the Hornets have won their last four while the Seagulls have a solitary point from their last five fixtures.
Opta stat: Watford are the only side in the top four tiers in England to have two players with 20 league goals, in Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo.
Sky Bet odds: Brighton 100/30, Draw 13.5, Watford 4/5
Bournemouth v Bolton (Live on Sky Sports 1HD, Monday 7.45pm)
Bournemouth will be desperate to bounce back from last weekend’s suffering by staying on track for automatic promotion. They could well kick-off in fourth place but their superior goal difference means they simply have to win their two remaining games to secure their golden ticket to the Premier League. A 2-1 victory was enjoyed in the reverse fixture with Callum Wilson helping himself to a brace, but warnings from the past exist with the Trotters winning their last three visits to Dean Court.
Opta stat: Bolton have won on each of their last three visits to Bournemouth, scoring exactly twice in each game.
Sky Bet odds: Bournemouth 2/7, Draw 4/1, Bolton 10/1
Who'll make it to the Premier League? Use the Sky Bet Championship predictor or visit www.skybet.com/predict if you're reading on the Sky Sports iPhone/Android apps.
Bristol City were crowned champions courtesy of a goalless draw with Coventry last weekend, their first title win in 60 years. Preston and MK Dons are both left to battle it out for the other automatic promotion spot, with the Lilywhites especially eager to hold on to second spot given their play-off record reads nine attempts, zero promotions. Swindon's chances of finishing in the top two exist purely mathematically, sitting nine points adrift with three to play and a vastly inferior goal difference to Simon Grayson's men.
* Preston will be promoted if they win & MK Dons lose.
Time is running out for Notts County and Leyton Orient to pull themselves out of the bottom three after midweek defeats left them still two points from safety. Colchester are two further aback and, while they have a game in hand they’ll be up against the odds for the points as they host Swindon. This Saturday’s trip to Fleetwood looks more winnable given the Cod Army have little more than pride to play for, although the same applies for the Magpies’ visitors Doncaster.
* Colchester will be relegated if they lose, Crewe & Crawley win and Port Vale avoid defeat.
* Notts County will be relegated if they lose, Crewe win & Crawley avoid defeat. Also down if they draw, Crewe & Crawley win and Port Vale avoid defeat.
* Leyton Orient will be relegated if they lose, Crewe win & Crawley avoid defeat. Also down if they draw, Crewe & Crawley win and Port Vale avoid defeat.
Relegation odds: Colchester 1/9, Leyton Orient 4/11, Notts County 4/9, Crewe 4/5, Crawley 100/30
Burton secured promotion with a 2-1 win at Morecambe last weekend while Shrewsbury look almost certain to join them in celebration after their 1-0 win over York. Southend kept their their hopes of catching third-placed Wycombe by denting Bury's with a 1-0 win on Tuesday night. The battle for the final play-off place looks between Plymouth and Luton, with the pair tied on 65 points after the former won and the latter lost at the weekend.
* Burton will be champions if they win and Shrewsbury fail to win.
* Shrewsbury will be promoted if they win. A draw should be good enough due to their superior goal difference. Also up if they lose & either Wycombe or Southend fail to win.
Promotion odds: Wycombe 8/15, Southend 8/13, Bury 11/8, Stevenage 4/1, Plymouth 5/1, Luton 10/1
It remains as you were in the bottom three after the trio all lost last weekend. Hartlepool sit a point above Cheltenham with Tranmere one further aback. Those losses mean that Mansfield and Carlisle head into Saturday's clashes free from the fear of relegation with safety secured.
* Tranmere will be relegated if they lose & either Hartlepool or Cheltenham win. Also down if they draw & Hartlepool win.
* Cheltenham will be relegated if they lose & Hartlepool win.
Relegation odds: Tranmere 1/6, Cheltenham 2/7, Hartlepool 11/10
