How Coventry, West Brom, Bristol City, and Middlesbrough’s final eight fixtures compare in Championship play-off race

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What a season it has been in the second tier in 2024/25, and we’ve still got twists and turns to come, especially in the Championship play-off race.

Looking at the top of the Championship table, it’s clear that one play-off spot will be filled by whoever loses out in the automatic promotion race. It seems unfair, given their quality, but one of Burnley, Sheffield United, or Leeds United will be in the play-offs.

Behind them, Sunderland’s recent poor form has seen them lose pace with the leading pack, and the Black Cats are also all-but certain to finish in fourth place and claim a play-off place.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
4	SunderlandSunderland	38	19	12	7	55	37	18	69
5	CoventryCoventry	38	17	8	13	55	48	7	59
6	West BromWest Brom	38	13	18	7	48	34	14	57
7	Bristol CityBristol City	38	14	15	9	49	41	8	57
8	MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough	38	15	9	14	57	48	9	54
9	BlackburnBlackburn	38	15	7	16	42	40	2	52
10	WatfordWatford	38	15	7	16	47	51	-4	52

So, that leaves just two places. And, as things stand, we’re looking at four teams that are definitely in the Championship play-off race: Coventry City, West Brom, Bristol City, and Middlesbrough.

It may be too soon to rule out Blackburn Rovers and Watford, but they, along with Millwall and Sheffield Wednesday, just feel too inconsistent and a little too far adrift to truly be involved in the fight right now.

• READ MORE: Championship relegation battle: How final eight fixtures compare for Derby County, Luton Town, Plymouth Argyle and more

Coventry City and West Brom are in the driving seat in the Championship play-off race

After Coventry’s win over Sunderland last weekend, the Sky Blues are the in-form team in the division and are certainly looking like the team to beat.

The momentum they’ve generated under Frank Lampard is immense, and if they keep this up, they’ll likely finish the season as the favourites to go up out of all the play-off candidates.

They currently have a two point cushion over West Brom and Bristol City, but the Baggies are standing firm in the top six on goal difference at the moment.

Tony Mowbray has built on the solid defensive record at West Brom, and has pushed his players to adopt a more attacking mindset, which is working wonders.

Looking at the run-ins of these two teams side by side, you have to say Coventry’s does look particularly challenging. The next two games against Sheffield United and Burnley will be fascinating to watch, and if Lampard can take anything from them, his side will be well-placed.

After that, Portsmouth and Hull should be wins for Coventry, before a massive clash with West Brom on April 18th. You’d think that would determine who finishes fifth overall, but you never know.

Meanwhile, games against Plymouth and Luton should be simple on paper, but with both teams fighting relegation, and both of the fixtures away from the CBS Arena, we could see a surprise there.

And, of course, we can’t rule out the significance of that final day meeting with Middlesbrough.

For West Brom, the Coventry tie will arguably be the toughest test, especially considering Sunderland’s poor form of late.

The next five games for Mowbray’s side all come against teams in and around the play-off conversation, and if they come out the other side of that run relatively unscathed, you’d have to back the Baggies to finish in the top six.

• READ MORE: QPR ace a surprise inclusion as Leeds United and Sunderland stars among top-rated Championship players

Bristol City and Middlesbrough are chasing – here’s their final eight games

There is no denying that Bristol City are the dark horses in this race. Liam Manning’s side have quietly gone about their business all season, picking up decent results, and they’re only outside the top six on goal difference at the moment.

Middlesbrough, meanwhile, looked nailed on for a play-off spot in the first half of the season, but it’s now a miracle they’re still involved in the conversation at all. Inconsistent form has plagued ‘Boro in 2025, and Michael Carrick is under pressure to save his job.

Unfortunately for Bristol City, their run-in just looks far too difficult, and we expect them to slowly slide away from the Championship play-off race.

Away days at Burnley and Leeds are going to be mountains to climb, while QPR are no slouches. Even a trip to Luton, who will be fighting for every point they can get, has potential to cause a slip-up.

Luckily, Bristol City have been brilliant at home this season, so they’ll not be fearing the visits of the likes of Watford, Sunderland, or Preston. But, when West Brom head to Ashton Gate on April 8, that’s when we’ll really see whether Bristol City have what it takes.

As for Middlesbrough, the run-in for Carrick’s side isn’t too bad. The Middlesbrough manager will surely be looking at Oxford, Blackburn, Plymouth, and Norwich as beatable opponents, while Sheffield Wednesday could be toppled at Hillsborough given their dismal home form this season.

It’s just those away games at Millwall, and in particular, the final day meeting with Coventry that look dangerous right now. Sadly, even with a good run-in, it will probably be too little, too late for the Teessiders.

In short, cannot look past Coventry and West Brom for the final two spots in the top six. From there, it will take something special for the Baggies, given West Brom’s play-off record in the past, but Tony Mowbray could be the key to ending that curse.