This weekend's League One permutations: Two promotions, two relegations could be confirmed

A thrilling 2022-23 League One season heads into its penultimate weekend on Saturday, with the competitive nature of the division being reflected in the fact that so much is still to be decided with only two games left for most teams.

Neither automatic promotion place has yet been claimed, while three of the four relegation spots also lie ominously open for those towards the wrong end of the table.

Things could all change this weekend, though, with promotions, relegations and playoff places able to be sewn up to avoid a nail-biting final day of the season.

Here, Sports Mole rounds up all of the permutations for this weekend's League One fixtures.

THIS WEEKEND'S LEAGUE ONE PERMUTATIONS

Already promoted: None

Guaranteed at least playoffs: Plymouth Argyle, Ipswich Town, Sheffield Wednesday, Barnsley

Already relegated: Forest Green Rovers

WHAT COULD HAPPEN THIS WEEKEND?

Plymouth could be promoted and win the title

Ipswich could be promoted

Bolton Wanderers could clinch a playoff spot

Derby County could clinch a playoff spot

Accrington Stanley could be relegated

Morecambe could be relegated

AUTOMATIC PROMOTION RACE

KEY FIXTURES

Plymouth vs. Burton Albion (Saturday, 3pm) Ipswich vs. Exeter City (Saturday, 3pm) Shrewsbury Town vs. Sheffield Wednesday (Saturday, 3pm)

PLYMOUTH ARGYLE

It has been a thrilling and high-quality race for automatic promotion in League One this season, with three teams already sitting on 90 points or more with two games of the season still remaining.

Plymouth lead the way with 95 points and know that a victory on Saturday at home to a Burton Albion side that has now secured their survival will finally guarantee them a place in the Championship next season, regardless of what happens elsewhere.

However, even a draw or defeat would be enough to clinch their place in the second tier for the first time since 2009-10 if Sheffield Wednesday fail to beat Shrewsbury Town.

Victory is required if they still harbour ambitions of getting over 100 points this season, though, while a win coupled with Ipswich losing to Exeter City would also be enough to hand them the League One title with a game to spare.

IPSWICH TOWN

Ipswich have lost the fewest number of games, scored the most goals and conceded the least in League One this season, yet they find themselves one point behind Plymouth due largely to draws.

The Tractor Boys have hit top form at the perfect time, though, and their midweek win over fellow promotion hopefuls Barnsley made sure that their scenario is fairly straightforward on Saturday too: win, and they will be promoted to the Championship.

Even if they fail to win at home against Exeter, they would still be promoted with a game to spare as long as they match or better Sheffield Wednesday's result.

PLAYOFF PICTURE

KEY FIXTURES

Bolton Wanderers vs. Fleetwood Town (Saturday, 3pm) Derby County vs. Portsmouth (Saturday, 3pm) Peterborough United vs. Bristol Rovers (Saturday, 3pm)

BOLTON WANDERERS

Bolton's current position of fifth is the highest they can finish, with their eyes firmly cast over their shoulder as three teams battle it out for the remaining two playoff places.

The Trotters are currently in pole position to be one of those teams, and victory this weekend, coupled with Peterborough failing to beat Bristol Rovers, would ensure a top-six place and keep their promotion hopes alive with a game to spare.

Bolton's shock home defeat to relegation-bound Accrington Stanley in midweek has made things a little more fraught than they perhaps might have been, but their fate still lies firmly in their own hands.

DERBY COUNTY

Derby have a near-identical record to Bolton, with the two sides having the same number of wins, draws and defeats, and only being separated by one in the goal difference column.

Naturally, then, Derby's permutations are also identical: they must also win and hope that Peterborough drop points in order to wrap up a playoff place this weekend.

Should Peterborough win then the playoff race is sure to go down to the final day, while a Peterborough win coupled with dropped points for either Bolton or Derby could see one of those drop out of the top six and potentially needing help from elsewhere in their last match.

RELEGATION BATTLE

KEY FIXTURES

Accrington Stanley vs. Cambridge United (Saturday, 3pm) Forest Green Rovers vs. Oxford United (Saturday, 3pm) MK Dons vs. Barnsley (Saturday, 3pm) Morecambe vs. Lincoln City (Saturday, 3pm)

ACCRINGTON STANLEY

Accrington kept their faint survival hopes alive with a shock victory over playoff-chasing Bolton in midweek, a result which saw them leapfrog Saturday's opponents Cambridge into 22nd, with two points now separating them from safety.

However, they remain firmly in must-win territory, with victory this weekend against their fellow strugglers in a huge relegation showdown the only way to guarantee that their survival bid will go to the final day.

Should Accrington lose, MK Dons win against Barnsley and Oxford avoid defeat against already-relegated Forest Green Rovers, then Stanley will be relegated, while even a draw would not be enough if both MK Dons and Oxford win their matches.

Incidentally, Cambridge's game in hand - to be played away to Burton on Wednesday - means that they cannot be mathematically relegated this weekend even if they lose to Accrington, despite sitting below their opponents in the table.

MORECAMBE

Morecambe find themselves in much the same position as Accrington, level on points and also with just two games of their season remaining.

While Morecambe's goal difference is better than Accrington's, it is still significantly worse than those outside the relegation zone, making their chances of survival even slimmer.

The picture for them is the same as it is for Accrington this weekend: victory is the only way to guarantee they still have a chance of survival on the final day, while defeat coupled with an MK Dons win and Oxford not losing would see them relegated, as would a draw alongside wins for both MK Dons and Oxford.