Sky Bet Championship: Who will be promoted to the Premier League on final day?
With one game remaining of the Sky Bet Championship season, three teams are still in with a chance of automatic promotion.
Brentford, Fulham and West Brom are all battling to join Leeds in the Premier League next season. Even with the play-offs to come, at least one of those three will definitely remain in England's second tier next season.
The conclusion to this campaign is a highly-exciting one. Leeds are the only side to know their fate; nobody has yet had their relegation confirmed while those in the play-off positions could well end up not playing a part in it.
All fixtures will kick-off at 19:30 on Wednesday with Brentford and West Brom's games televised by Sky Sports. It's clear that given the current standings, they are the two who are most likely to do it.
You can read about the full permutations in the Sky Bet Championship, with automatic promotion, the play-offs and relegation all still to play for, by clicking here.
Tom Carnduff looks at the final day and the chances of promotion for the three remaining teams.
Leeds
- Position: CHAMPIONS
- Fixture: Charlton (H)
Leeds fans can sit back and enjoy the final day of the season safe in the knowledge that the job is done.
It was the dream weekend for Leeds after their promotion was secured when Huddersfield beat West Brom on Friday night. Brentford's defeat to Stoke the following day wrapped up top spot for Marcelo Bielsa's side.
With little to play for, and despite making seven changes to the side that won against Barnsley on Thursday, Leeds came from behind to beat Derby 3-1 at Pride Park on Sunday.
They face Charlton next, where they will receive the trophy, and the Addicks have it all to play for as they look to avoid the drop. It wouldn't be a huge surprise to see the away side gain something here.
West Brom
- Position: 2nd
- Automatic promotion odds: 1/6
- Fixture: QPR (H)
Slaven Bilic went for a high risk, high reward move after their defeat at Huddersfield by stating that his side would be ready for the play-offs.
"We have a more difficult option," he told the media. "We can use this second chance, which thank God we get."
They'd seen a commanding eleven-point gap at the top disappear and the relentless nature of Brentford below meant that the Bees could have snatched their spot in the top-two with victory over Stoke the following day.
However, Thomas Frank's side slipped up as Lee Gregory's goal gave the Potters a 1-0 win. Now, the Baggies can return to the Premier League with victory over QPR. Failing that, they will still achieve automatic promotion if they match Brentford's result.
It's the perfect fixture on paper for Bilic's men. QPR have nothing to play for given their position in mid-table and have seen five defeats in their eight games since the restart; that said they did end Millwall's promotion hopes with a 4-3 victory last time out.
West Brom will be promoted if...
- They beat QPR
- They match or better Brentford's result and, if that is a loss, Fulham drop points against Wigan
Brentford
- Position: 3rd
- Automatic promotion odds: 4/1
- Fixture: Barnsley (H)
Pressure is a huge thing in football. With little on them, Brentford stormed into automatic promotion contention with eight consecutive wins. However, when presented with their chance to move into the top-two and put their fate into their own hands, they slipped-up as they were beaten by Stoke.
Brentford would have taken a place in the play-offs at the beginning of the season but they will know they've wasted a huge opportunity to go above West Brom heading into the final day.
Their flowing attack and solid defence has led to them boasting a +43 goal difference, the best in the Championship, and that could well be crucial on Wednesday.
They need West Brom to drop points against QPR while they then beat Barnsley themselves. A West Brom loss combined with a Brentford draw would see the Bees secure automatic promotion on goal difference.
Barnsley's position in the table suggests that this should be a straightforward home win but that's not the case. The Tykes completely outplayed Leeds in the second-half of their encounter last week and beat Nottingham Forest with a last-minute goal on Sunday to keep their survival hopes alive.
Even if West Brom do the job in their game, Brentford will be eager to go into the play-offs on the back of a victory.
Brentford will be promoted if...
- West Brom drop points against QPR and they beat Barnsley
- West Brom lose to QPR and they draw with Barnsley
Fulham
- Position: 4th
- Automatic promotion odds: 66/1
- Fixture: Wigan (A)
As their 66/1 price suggests, Fulham will need something pretty special to achieve automatic promotion back to the Premier League.
Their best case scenario needs them beating Wigan, while West Brom lose to QPR and at best Brentford can only pick up a point against Barnsley.
Scott Parker's side have a significantly worse goal difference than the other two teams involved but it can be seen as a positive that they have bounced back and got themselves into the mix for the final day of the season.
The Championship is an incredibly unpredictable league but Fulham do have the toughest fixture of the three remaining teams. Wigan still await the outcome of their points deduction appeal and have been in great form in recent weeks.
Fulham's attitude for this will very much be 'let's win and see what happens'.
Fulham will be promoted if...
- Both West Brom and Brentford lose and they beat Wigan
- West Brom lose, Brentford draw and they beat Wigan
- West Brom draw, Brentford draw or lose, they beat Wigan and somehow find a 16-goal swing over West Brom
Odds correct at 1125 (20/07/20)
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