TalkSPORT pundit makes damning claim about Middlesbrough, Coventry City and more amid promotion race

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The latest Championship gameweek drew to a close on Monday evening, and it wasn’t great for a number of teams.

Leeds United and Burnley won promotion back to the Premier League, securing the two automatic places.

As a result, there is only one promotion spot still up for grabs, going to the winner of the 2025/26 Championship play-offs.

Despite losing to Burnley, Sheffield United are set to compete in the play-offs next month, as are Sunderland.

However, beyond the aforementioned duo, it remains to be seen which other two sides will be competing for the most lucrative prize in football.

Currently, Bristol City and Coventry City occupy fifth and sixth place, but even West Brom can still technically mount a late push into the play-offs.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
3	Sheff UtdSheffield Utd	44	27	7	10	60	35	25	86
4	SunderlandSunderland	44	21	13	10	58	41	17	76
5	Bristol CityBristol City	44	17	16	11	57	49	8	67
6	CoventryCoventry	44	19	9	16	62	57	5	66
7	MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough	44	18	9	17	64	54	10	63
8	MillwallMillwall	44	17	12	15	45	46	-1	63
9	BlackburnBlackburn	44	18	8	18	50	46	4	62
10	West BromWest Brom	44	14	18	12	52	44	8	60
11	SwanseaSwansea	44	17	9	18	48	52	-4	60

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Middlesbrough and Coventry City among ‘worst’ play-off chasing teams in history

Despite still having much to play for in the final few weeks of 2024/25, the majority of the play-off chasing teams were woeful on Monday.

Middlesbrough lost to Sheffield Wednesday, who had not won at home in 2025, by blowing a 1-0 lead.

Coventry were beaten 3-1 by Plymouth Argyle, West Brom lost to Derby County, and Bristol City were bested by another relegation-threatened side, Luton Town.

It was a dire day from pretty much every side looking to secure a top-six finish.

As a result, talkSPORT pundit Phil Spencer has taken to social media to make a big claim about every team currently competing for fifth or below.

He wrote: “If any team currently positioned 5th or lower gets promoted then I’ll be amazed. Surely the worst bunch of play-off chasing teams in history.”

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Championship play-off places predicted

In all likelihood, it does look to be Sheffield United who are clear favourites to win the play-offs.

But Chris Wilder’s side have faltered in recent weeks, and every team listed above will still fancy their chances of causing an upset.

Currently, Opta’s supercomputer has Bristol City taking fifth place in the Championship come May with a predicted 69.62 points.

Coventry snatch the final place with 69.05 points, while Middlesbrough are once again expected to finish seventh on 65.89 points.