Championship Promotion Watch: April 13-17

(1) Brighton - 13 Points Ahead - 5 Games Left

Results last week: QPR 1-2 Brighton

Promotion Odds: This Week: 1/500 - Last Week: 1/10

Brighton's win over QPR coupled with another Huddersfield slip up has all but secured their Premier League spot for next season. The win also saw them leapfrog Newcastle who slipped up at Sheffield Wednesday.

Games This Week: FRI: Wolves (15th) (A), MON: Wigan (23rd) (H)

Easter Monday looks likely to be the day when Brighton can all but seal a top tier slot. At 12 points clear of Huddersfield, two wins over Wolves and Wigan would leave them 12 points clear with just four Huddersfield games left, and with David Wagner's side 30 goals worse off, it could be a heck of a party down at the Amex.

*****

(2) Newcastle - 11 Points Ahead - 5 Games Left

Results last week: Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 Newcastle

Promotion Odds: This Week: 1/66 - Last Week: 1/50

Defeat at Hillsborough knocked them off the top but as mentioned, Huddersfield's slip at Forest gives Rafa's side plenty of breathing room.

Games This Week: FRI: Leeds (5th) (H), MON: Ipswich (17th) (A)

Like Brighton, there's a set of results that can send Newcastle up this weekend and we could bloody do with them getting a win on Friday against Leeds.

*****

(3) Huddersfield - 1 Point Ahead - 6 Games Left

Result last week: Nottingham Forest 2-0 Huddersfield

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

Huddersfield's automatic promotion charge is all but dead after a third defeat in four games, this time at Nottingham Forest. Like the rest of the chasing pack, Huddersfield have just lacked that extra bit of quality and experience to see them squeeze past bad teams when they're not at their very best.

Games This Week: FRI: Preston (9th) (H), MON: Derby (8th) (A)

Two reasonably tough fixtures ahead for Wagner's men, although Preston don't seem to offer a great deal of resistance when they leave Deepdale.

Derby on the other hand are resurgent under Gary Rowett and realistically need five wins from five to have any play-off ambitions.

*****

(4) Reading - 73 Points - 5 Games Left

Result Last Week: Norwich 7-1 Reading

Current Promotion Odds: This Week: 11/2 - Last Week: 4/1

Yup we've been over this....

Games This Week: SAT: Aston Villa (11th) (A), MON: Rotherham (24th) (H)

As talked about on this week's podcast. Villa are rampant at the moment, especially at Villa Park, which coupled with Jaap Stam's latest injury update, doesn't leave much hope for a positive result.

However, Rotherham are about the closest thing there's ever been to a gimmie three-pointer in second tier history. They've got ONE point all season on the road and look set to be relegated with a historic low points total. So that's Monday cursed for all of us....

*****

(5) Leeds - 1 Point Behind - 5 Games Left

Result Last Week: Leeds 3-0 Preston

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

Leeds rebounded from back-to-back defeats by ending Preston's faint play-off hopes.

Games This Week: FRI: Newcastle (2nd) (A), MON: Wolves (15th) (H)

As we've talked about, Newcastle is a massive test for Garry Monk's side but Wolves shouldn't be underestimated either. Paul Lambert's side have won at Anfield and Craven Cottage this year and have shown they have quality when they want to show it.

*****

(6) Sheffield Wednesday - 4 Points Behind - 5 Games Left

Result Last Week: Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 Newcastle

Current Promotion Odds: This Week: 4/1- Last Week: 6/1

The Owls' win over Newcastle has worried the bookies who've slashed their promotion odds by 33% in just a week.

Games This Week: FRI: Cardiff (14th) (H), MON: QPR (16th) (A)

Two safe midtable sides for Wednesday this week but what you get against these teams is anyone's guess. Cardiff boss Neil Warnock has openly admitted he's finding it hard to motivate his squad with nothing to play for so that's confidence boosting for us...

*****

The Chasing Pack

(7) Fulham - 6 Points Behind - 5 Games Left

Result Last Week: Fulham 3-1 Ipswich

Current Promotion Odds: This Week: 11/2 - Last Week: 11/2

An expected win over Ipswich gave Fulham a bit of momentum back but they're still playing catch-up after that miserable home week that saw them fail to beat Blackburn or Wolves.

Games This Week: FRI: Norwich (A) (10th), MON: Aston Villa (11th) (H)

FFS Norwich, you scored six more than us at the weekend, can you just score one more than Fulham please? Likewise Villa, if you do beat us on Saturday, do us a favour two days later.

*****

Outsiders

(8) Derby - 11 points behind

(9) Preston - 12 points behind

(10) Norwich - 16 points behind