Championship final day permutations: Five teams battling for final two playoff places

The 2022-23 Championship season comes to a close on Monday afternoon following another typically unpredictable and entertaining season in the second tier.

Many of the important positions have already been filled ahead of the final day, with Burnley and Sheffield United sealing their places in the Premier League next season.

At the other end of the table, Reading were confirmed as the final relegated team during the week, joining Blackpool and Wigan Athletic in being condemned to League One next season.

However, there is plenty still to be decided in the playoff picture, with two places still up for grabs and as many as five teams still in contention.

Here, Sports Mole rounds up all of the permutations for the final day of the Championship season.

THIS WEEKEND'S CHAMPIONSHIP PERMUTATIONS

© Reuters

Champions: Burnley

Promoted: Burnley, Sheffield United

Guaranteed playoffs: Luton Town, Middlesbrough

Already relegated: Reading, Blackpool, Wigan Athletic

WHAT COULD HAPPEN THIS WEEKEND?

PLAYOFF PICTURE

KEY FIXTURES

All games kick off at 3pm on Monday

Middlesbrough vs. Coventry Millwall vs. Blackburn Preston North End vs. Sunderland Swansea City vs. West Bromwich Albion

With both automatic promotion places and all three relegation spots having already been confirmed, all attention will be on the playoff picture on the final day of the season.

As many as five teams are still in contention for the two remaining top-six places, and two of those face each other with Millwall hosting Blackburn.

Coventry go into the final day in the strongest position; their three-point lead over seventh place means that they simply need to avoid defeat on the final day to guarantee a playoff spot, although they do face a difficult test away to a Middlesbrough side already assured to finish fourth.

Millwall currently occupy the final playoff spot and also go into the final day in a strong position with a two-point lead over the chasing pack, although a draw would bring goal difference into proceedings if Sunderland or West Brom also win.

Victory would assure them of a place in the top six, but defeat would ensure that they miss out and bring Blackburn into the equation.

Sunderland are the best-placed of the chasing pack and would finish in the playoff places if they win and Millwall fail to win, as long as West Brom do not win by four more goals than Sunderland do.

The Black Cats would also secure a top-six finish if they win and Coventry lose, as they would then be at least level on goal difference with a better goals-for tally than Coventry.

West Brom are likely to need help from elsewhere to stand any chance of making the playoffs; first and foremost they need to win themselves, while they would also need Millwall and Sunderland to fail to win, or for Millwall to fail to win and to beat Swansea by four more goals than Sunderland beat Preston by.

There is also potential to finish in the top six if they win and Coventry lose, although that would require a five-goal swing and for one of the Millwall or Sunderland results to go their way too.

Blackburn are the final team still in contention, but their vastly inferior goal difference means that they would realistically need to beat Millwall and hope that Sunderland and West Brom both lose to sneak into the playoffs.

CHAMPIONSHIP TABLE IN FULL

Click here for Championship form guides, home and away tables, top scorers, best defences, best attacks and more.

MONDAY'S CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE IN FULL

Monday, May 8

All games kick off at 3pm

Birmingham City vs. Sheffield United Burnley vs. Cardiff City Huddersfield Town vs. Reading Luton Town vs. Hull City Middlesbrough vs. Coventry Millwall vs. Blackburn Norwich City vs. Blackpool Preston vs. Sunderland Queens Park Rangers vs. Bristol City Swansea City vs. West Brom Watford vs. Stoke City Wigan Athletic vs. Rotherham United

Click here for a full list of this season's Championship results