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(1) Newcastle - 11 Points Ahead - 6 Games Left
Results last week: Newcastle 2-1 Wigan, Newcastle 1-0 Burton
Promotion Odds: This Week: 1/50 - Last Week: 1/33
Other than a calamitous penalty decision, it was fairly smooth sailing for Newcastle who picked off a couple of relegation contenders to move closer to an almost certain promotion.
Games This Week: SAT: Sheffield Wednesday (6th) (A)
We need Rafa and the Toon Army (which sounds like an awesome 80's cartoon) to be switched on here, as a win over Sheffield Wednesday can do us a massive favour. Yet the Owls won at St James' Park earlier this season, so their quality can't be underestimated, despite recent struggles.
*****
(2) Brighton - 10 Points Ahead - 6 Games Left
Results last week: Brighton 1-0 Blackburn, Brighton 3-1 Birmingham
Promotion Odds: This Week: 1/10 - Last Week: 2/17
Like Newcastle, Brighton seem to have got past that sticky patch and are gently jogging towards the finish line. Two home wins kept them ticking over and eased nerves down on the South Coast.
Games This Week: FRI: QPR (16th) (A)
We know that QPR can cause teams headaches but with so little to play for, can Ian Holloway's side really put a spanner in the works? My head and heart both say no, but then my betting record suggests you should trust neither....
*****
(3) Huddersfield - 1 Point Ahead - 7 Games Left
Result last week: Huddersfield 0-1 Burton, Huddersfield 3-0 Norwich
Current Promotion Odds: This Week 2/1 - Last Week: 6/4
On Sunday morning you could be forgiven for thinking the wheels had come off at Huddersfield. Yet Wednesday night's convincing thumping of Norwich has shown they're not to be taken lightly and with a game in hand, could be within six points of the top two.
Games This Week: SAT: Nottingham Forest (20th) (A)
Forest have only earned one win in their last ten, so on paper this should be fairly straightforward. Yet with Mark Warburton's side just two points clear of the bottom three, there’s plenty for them to fight for. You'd say defeat would just about end Town's automatic hopes and also give us the chance to sneak back into third.
*****
(4) Reading - 73 Points - 6 Games Left
Result Last Week: Reading 1-0 Leeds, Reading 3-1 Blackburn
Current Promotion Odds: This Week: 4/1 - Last Week: 11/2
Before the win at Sheffield Wednesday, you could get 9/1 on us going up this season, three wins later and we've tumbled down to 4/1. Three wins have certainly calmed the nerves and with a nine point cushion on the chasing pack, surely even we can't mess this up.... right?!
Games This Week: SAT: Norwich (10th) (A)
This is a big chance for us to prove we can hack it away against the top sides and that our win at Hillsborough was no fluke. Despite fading badly, Norwich still have plenty of players who can hurt us and this will be a good test against a similar calibre of opponent we could face in the play-offs.
*****
(5) Leeds - 4 Points Behind - 6 Games Left
Result Last Week: Reading 1-0 Leeds, Brentford 2-0 Leeds
Current Promotion Odds: This Week: 4/1 - Last Week: 3/1
Back-to-back away defeats have put a dampener on the mood up in Yorkshire. With a five point cushion to seventh, Garry Monk's side should still be fine but losing Liam Cooper for six-games for his stamp on Reece Oxford won't help things.
Games This Week: SAT: Preston (8th) (H)
Preston are a fierce outfit at home but away from Deepdale? Not so much. They've only picked up five wins on their travels this season, although their tally of six defeats is only lowered by Newcastle, Brighton, and Fulham.
*****
(6) Sheffield Wednesday - 7 Points Behind - 6 Games Left
Result Last Week: Barnsley 1-1 Sheffield Weds, Rotherham 0-2 Sheffield Weds
Current Promotion Odds: This Week: 6/1 - Last Week: 6/1
Wednesday will be pretty happy with four points from a pair of Yorkshire derbies, a total that could have easily been six were it not for a last minute Barnsley equaliser from Reading Academy Graduate Angus MacDonald.
Games This Week: SAT: Newcastle (1st) (H)
As mentioned, Wednesday will be looking to join Blackburn as the only sides to do the double over Newcastle this season and a win would really give the squad a shot in the arm ahead of a play-off battle.
*****
The Chasing Pack
(7) Fulham - 9 Points Behind - 6 Games Left
Points Last Week: 3/6 - Current Promotion Odds: 11/2
A gritty win at Rotherham was followed up by a mauling at Derby, with Fulham's promotion charge certainly taking a dent in midweek. Slavisa Jokanovic's side have won just four of their last 11 games but still hold their destiny in their own hands due to the fact they face Wednesday on the final day.
Games This Week: SAT: Ipswich (17th) (H)
A lower mid-table side at home sounds like just what the doctor ordered, until you remember that they failed to beat both Blackburn and Wolves at Craven Cottage a couple of weeks back.
*****
(8) Preston - 12 Points Behind - 6 Games Left
Points Last Week: 4/6 - Current Promotion Odds: 100/1
Games This Week: SAT: Leeds (5th) (A)
*****
Outsiders
(9) Derby - 14 points behind
(10) Norwich - 16 points behind
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