It is cooking in arguably the best second tier in the world. Although it is the longest caravan, it ends first compared to other leagues. The marathon championship with 46 rounds comes to a photo finish today (2.30 PM EAT), the last 90 minutes. There are many doubts. It will be boiling hot all over the ‘Island’.In the Championship, as in all leagues in England, the first criterion when teams are tied on points is goal difference.*Leicester secured a return to the Premier League as a champion, and Enzo Maresca’s Foxes will have a chance to complete the season with 100 points today if they beat Blackburn, who mathematically have not yet overcome their worries about survival.*Ipswich are on the verge of promotion to the elite rank. Last year at this time, they were celebrating their entry into the Championship, and the Tractor Boys now have a chance to jump another rank and return to where they were at the beginning of this millennium. A packed stand is expected at Portman Road against Huddersfield. With three points more than Leeds and a lower goal difference, Irish manager Kieran McKenna’s side will need a point to find themselves in the Premier League.Another 90 minutes. Let’s give it everything. pic.twitter.com/oCkqYBEIZw— Ipswich Town (@IpswichTown) May 3, 2024 *Leeds must beat Southampton at Elland Road and hope for Ipswich’s defeat at home to Huddersfield. Only that variant leads the team from Yorkshire back directly to the strongest league of island football.THE BATTLE FOR THE PLAYOFF SPOTS*Leeds or Ipswich (more realistically the team from Elland Road) will play in the play-offs.*Southampton are a safe traveler to the semi-finals of the playoffs and the match in Leeds means nothing for the Saints, they secured the fourth position and the advantage to play the second leg in the first round at their St. Mary’s stadium.pic.twitter.com/fM0eSaZgFg— Leeds United (@LUFC) May 3, 2024 *Norwich are 99 percent in the play-offs for third spot that leads in the Premier League. They have three points more than seventh-placed Hull and a better goal difference by seven goals. A point in Birmingham certainly brings the playoffs, and even in case of defeat, it will be difficult for the Tigers to make up for the seven-goal deficit in the last round.*WBA also need a point at home against Preston for the play-offs. The Baggies have two points more than Hull and a better goal difference by as many as 11 goals.*Hull can only make the play-offs if they beat Plymouth and WBA lose at home to Preston. The chances are pretty slim that the Tigers would win Plymouth by a big margin and that Norwich would be overrun in Birmingham.THE RELEGATION BATTLE*Rotherham punched their ticket to League One a long time ago.*Huddersfield have an impossible mission to beat Ipswich at Portman Road and hope for both Birmingham and Plymouth to lose today.##EDITORS_CHOICE##*Birmingham can only survive if they beat Norwich at home and Plymouth are defeated at home by Hull. Also, the team whose minority owner is the legendary NFL ace Tom Brady, and at the beginning of the season Wayne Rooney was on the bench, can stay in the Championship with a point, if Plymouth is defeated by five goals from Hull. Also, Birmingham’s hope is to win and Blackburn or Sheffield Wednesday are beaten in the last round. Then it doesn’t depend on the Plymouth result.*Sheffield Wednesday and Blackburn are close to survival. They lack a point to mathematically secure safety. And in case of defeat, they can survive, if Birmingham do not beat Norwich at their St. Andrews or Plymouth do not come out victoroous against Hull. Rovers are in a better position as they have a much better goal difference than Wednesday and only in a crazy scenario can the former English champions downgrade to League One. For that, they need to be beaten in the last round at Leicester, Sheffield Wednesday to get at least a point, and both Plymouth and Birmingham to win.EFL CHAMPIONSHIP – MATCHDAY 46Saturday14:30: (2.25) Birmingham (3.50) Norwich (3.10)14:30: (2.40) Coventry (3.45) QPR (2.90)14:30: (1.40) WBA (4.40) Preston (9.00)14:30: (3.25) Rotherham (3.35) Cardiff (2.25)14:30: (2.05) Swansea (3.45) Millwall (3.60)14:30: (1.57) Leicester (4.10) Blackburn (5.80)14:30: (1.67) Middlesbrough (3.80) Watford (5.30)14:30: (3.45) Plymouth (3.45) Hull (2.00)14:30: (2.05) Stoke (3.45) Bristol City (3.60)14:30: (2.60) Sunderland (3.25) Sheffield W. (2.80)14:30: (1.65) Leeds (4.00) Southampton (5.20)14:30: (1.22) Ipswich (6.50) Huddersfield (12.0)***odds are subject to change***
