Opta predicts Championship play-offs as West Brom and Middlesbrough hunt down Coventry and Bristol City

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There are five teams vying for two play-off spots in the Championship ahead of the final four games of the regular league season.

The financial reward of promotion is massive, which is what many are continuing to eye as we approach the final run-in. There are still a number of play-off contenders left in the race ahead of Easter Weekend, which will hopefully pose more answers than questions.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
1	LeedsLeeds	42	25	13	4	82	29	53	88
2	BurnleyBurnley	42	24	16	2	57	13	44	88
3	Sheff UtdSheffield Utd	42	26	7	9	57	33	24	83
4	SunderlandSunderland	42	21	13	8	57	38	19	76
5	Bristol CityBristol City	42	16	16	10	54	45	9	64
6	CoventryCoventry	42	18	9	15	59	54	5	63
7	West BromWest Brom	42	14	18	10	51	39	12	60
8	MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough	42	17	9	16	61	51	10	60
9	MillwallMillwall	42	16	12	14	41	41	0	60

Some teams will be playing Championship football again in 2025/26, but there are the likes of Millwall, Middlesbrough, and West Brom all hunting down Coventry City and Bristol City for a play-off berth and the head-to-head six-pointers could be where the landscape changes the most.

Coventry face West Brom this Friday in a pivotal showdown for numerous teams in the mix. But there are sure to be more twists and turns to come, especially this Championship Easter Weekend.

• READ MORE: Championship play-off dates, fixtures, and teams in Premier League promotion mix

Opta predicts the play-off picture

The promotion race has four clear leaders at the top of the division, which has been the case for some time now. However, numerous clubs will be eyeing the final two spots inside the top six, with five clubs in the race for most neutrals at present.

The race for the Championship play-offs is always a thrilling affair, as teams engage in a fierce battle until the final day for a coveted top-six spot. However, the final at Wembley is often a dull fixture but there have been some excellent play-off finals in recent memory.

These teams can all make it there, but Opta have detailed the chances of some are higher than others in a recent update following Hull City’s 1-1 draw with Coventry on Monday night. Per Opta Analyst, their predictions suggest that the likely outcome is for the top six to remain as it is now.

The excitement stems from the unpredictable nature of the race, where momentum and form can rapidly shift, but this outcome would be the most dull of all for it to stay exactly as it is. Even if Coventry have been in record form since Lampard’s appointment and Liam Manning’s ‘underdogs’ continue to impress.

That excitement has been particularly true of this season as well, with the race wide open for numerous sides and often changing hands as we head into matchday 43 and with everything to play for in a race as tight as it always is.

• READ MORE: EFL Championship’s all-time top scorers as journeyman sneaks into top ten and Sheffield United legend tops the charts

The play-offs can be incredibly unpredictable

Players will get their chance to write their name into club folklore as both heroes and villains in the run-in but also the finals as well, while it’s an occasion that, for both good and bad, fans will never forget for those that make it to Wembley.

The EFL play-offs are perhaps the greatest invention in football and ought to be protected at all costs, but they can also be incredibly frustrating for those involved in them after the relief of getting there in the first place.

The unpredictable nature means a team with 15-20 points fewer than another can knock them out or go all the way and win it themselves, after sneaking into sixth spot on the final day of the season.

Obviously, it’s hard to predict who will eventually win the play-offs at this stage. Sunderland look a decent bet right now given how they are able to rest players. But if Sheffield United finish third, then they will be incredibly tough to beat, too.