How Championship final day must go for Blackburn Rovers to secure spot in play-offs, ‘everyone needs results’

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Blackburn Rovers are within contention for one of the two remaining play-off places, but the odds are stacked against them with their trip to Sheffield United making their top-six task even harder.

Championship final day is set to be a fittingly dramatic conclusion to the second tier 24/25 season.

Leeds and Burnley are already promoted to the Premier League, Sheffield United and Sunderland have guaranteed two of four play-off places, while a handful of teams towards the bottom could join Plymouth Argyle and Cardiff City in League One next season.

Specifically in the top-six race, five teams are battling for fifth and sixth place, one of which with an outside shot is Blackburn Rovers, who travel to Bramall Lane for Saturday’s round of fixtures needing three points to secure a top-six spot.

EFL Analysis has dissected all scenarios for Valerien Ismael’s side ahead of the Blades clash, with top-half permutations around them set to decide their fate this season.

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How Blackburn Rovers want Championship final day to go

Ismael was under significant pressure only last month, after taking over in the wake of John Eustace’s departure to Derby County.

However, with a top-six finish in the crosshairs, Rovers have enjoyed an impressive purple patch in recent weeks, beating third-place Sunderland 1-0 and most recently coming from a goal behind to beat Watford 2-1.

Four wins on the spin, scoring eight and conceding just twice in that time, have seen Ismael’s side occupy eighth-place ahead of the Championship’s final day.

Rovers sit just one point shy of current sixth-placed Coventry City and two points away from fifth-placed Bristol City.

As such, Rovers must win at Bramall Lane on Saturday against Wilder’s side – who beat Stoke City 2-0 in comfortable fashion last time out – to have any hopes of a top-six finish.

Ismael’s side will also be checking the Championship scores throughout the clash, needing Coventry to drop points against Middlesbrough and Millwall to do so against Scott Parker’s side.

Victory at Bramall Lane and draws for two of Bristol City, Coventry and Millwall will see Rovers into the Championship play-offs.

OPTA analysts have detailed bare the play-off projections for the final day clash which does not bode well for Blackburn’s chances.

Ahead of the pivotal clash against the Blades, Ismael has said via the Lancashire Telegraph: “Everyone needs results. This is the good thing,

“Coventry-Middlesbrough, the two teams need to win. Millwall needs to win. We need to win.

“It makes it great and it’s why we love football, to be in that situation. The difference now, it’s a real chance.

“We will focus on ourselves. After the final whistle, we will see.”

Rovers will be checking the scores at full-time on Saturday, as will a handful of rivals around them in the Championship table.

• READ MORE: Blackburn Rovers ace admits change has been ‘best thing’ in play-offs fight

Championship final day play-off team fixtures that will impact Blackburn Rovers

Rovers’ resurgence to top-six contention has offered Ismael’s side a shot at Premier League promotion. The Ewood Park outfit have endured a 13-year absence from the top flight, following their relegation at the end of the 2012/13 campaign, which ended their 11-year top flight stint.

Ismael’s side have drawn a short straw with their final day fixture, against high-flying Sheffield United who are aiming to redirect their worrying play-offs record next month.

Bristol City host relegation-threatened Preston North End, Coventry host Boro in a top-six hopefuls meeting and Alex Neil’s seventh-placed Lions travel to the Clarets amid their fight for the Championship title.