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Championship Promotion Watch: March 7-13

It feels good to be back on the winning trail but how have our rivals got on recently?

Reading v Swansea City - npower Championship Playoff Final Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images

(1) Newcastle - 13 Points Ahead - 11 Games Left

Results last week: Brighton 1-2 Newcastle, Huddersfield 1-3 Newcastle

Promotion Odds: This Week: 1/50 - Last Week: 1/16

Any idea of a Newcastle collapse was dispelled in a dominating week for Rafa Benitez's side, as they won away at the league leaders and third placed Huddersfield. With 76 points on the board they're just a few wins away from the magic 90 point mark that all but guarentees promotion.

Games This Week: TUES: Reading (5th) (A) SAT: Fulham (7th) (H)

Newcastle can do us a pair of favours this week. Firstly they can give us a point or three at the Mad Stad, before dispatching Fulham at home at the weekend.

*****

(2) Brighton - 8 Points Ahead - 11 Games Left

Results last week: Brighton 1-2 Newcastle, Nottingham Forest 3-0 Brighton

Promotion Odds: This Week: 1/5 - Last Week: 1/9

It's Brighton's turn to come under the wobblescope after they lost twice in five days to Newcastle and Nottingham Forest. Huddersfield's defeat to Newcastle has kept their five point cushion in tact but a run of just three wins in eight will have those on the South Coast sweating a little bit.

Games This Week: TUES: Rotherham (24th) (A) FRI: Derby (10th) (H)

I said Rotherham would be a banker when Huddersfield went there but it took a late goal for them to avoid a surprise draw, so Brighton can't take this for granted. They've never won a game at the New York Stadium either, so that's something for Rotherham fans to cling on to.

As for Derby, they're an absolute nightmare to predict, so I'm not going to try.

*****

(3) Huddersfield - 2 Points Ahead - 12 Games Left

Result last week: Huddersfield 1-3 Newcastle

Current Promotion Odds: This Week 7/4 - Last Week: 3/2

The air has gone out of their promotion balloon a little bit after a thumping home defeat to Newcastle but Brighton's wobbles have kept David Wagner's side in the hunt. Win their game in hand over the 'Seaslugs' and the gap is down to just two points.

Games This Week: TUES: Aston Villa (13th) (H) SAT: Brentford (14th) (A)

Mid-table sides are the worst at this time of year. Both Villa and Brentford have got teams capable of playing superbly, after all they've beaten us 4-1 and 2-1 this season! Whether the good or bad versions turn up is another question. Huddersfield now have to deal with the 'scalp' mentality, where those with little left to play for might just be a little bit more inspired to put in a performance.

*****

(4) Leeds - 1 Point Ahead - 11 Games Left

Result Last Week: Birmingham 1-3 Leeds

Current Promotion Odds: This Week: 3/1 - Last Week: 4/1

Leeds continue to grind out wins, with Gianfranco Zola's Birmingham the latest to fall beneath Garry Monk's feet. Chris Wood is the Championship's top scorer and if they keep him fit until May, he gives them a fighter's chance of beating anyone.

Games This Week: TUES: Fulham (7th) (A) SAT: QPR (16th) (H)

Hard to see QPR doing much to help us on Saturday but Tuesday's game is a bit of a bonus no matter the result. On paper you'd hope Leeds win this one to keep our seven point cushion intact no matter the score in our game against Newcastle.

*****

(5) Reading - 63 Points - 11 Games Left

Result Last Week: Reading 2-1 Wolves

Current Promotion Odds: This Week: 7/1 - Last Week: 8/1

That win over Wolves has calmed a few nerves after back-to-back defeats, although the manner of that victory didn't exactly inspire. Still, they say the mark of a good team is winning ugly, so there is that.

Games This Week: TUES: Newcastle (1st) (H) SAT: Preston (9th) (A)

The win over Wolves takes the pressure off the visit of Rafa Benitez's side and anything other than a defeat would be seen as a bonus. Avoiding defeat at Preston would almost certainly end their faint play-off ambitions but as a team who haven't lost at home in 2017, they won't be easy meat.

*****

(6) Sheffield Wednesday - 2 Points Behind - 11 Games Left

Result Last Week: Sheffield Wednesday 5-1 Norwich

Current Promotion Odds: This Week: 7/2 - Last Week: 4/1

Wednesday seem to have bounced back from a rocky spell in spectacular style by smashing play-off rivals Norwich 5-1 on Saturday.

Games This Week: TUES: Burton (19th) (H) SAT: Aston Villa (13th) (A)

It's easy to see a scenario where Wednesday go above us by beating Burton on Tuesday and we fail to win against Newcastle. Saturday's trip to Villa Park will be a tricky one but they should have too much power for Steve Bruce's side.

*****

The Chasing Pack

(7) Fulham - 7 Points Behind - 12 Games Left

Points Last Week: 3/3 - Current Promotion Odds: 11/2

Games This Week: TUES: Leeds (4th) (H) SAT: Newcastle (1st) (A)

*****

(8) Norwich - 11 Points Behind - 11 Games Left

Points Last Week: 0/3 - Current Promotion Odds: 25/1

Games This Week: TUES: Bristol City (22nd) (A) SAT: Blackburn (20th) (H)

*****

Outsiders

(9) Preston - 11 points behind

(10) Derby - 12 points behind