Leeds back in Premier League and Wrexham promoted AGAIN? Full predictions for EFL ahead of business end of the season
WE are into the second half of the season and now have a good idea which teams look likely to stick with the pace.
Here are my predictions on who will win promotion automatically and via the play-offs, as well as those who should be in the mix come the end of the season . . .
CHAMPIONSHIP
AUTOMATIC PROMOTION
LEEDS
The Elland Road club won’t fall apart again. Their 3-3 draw at Hull was a blow but Leeds are scoring for fun and I tend to think teams who score bag-loads get out of this division.
Daniel Farke lost Archie Gray, Crysencio Summerville, Georginio Rutter, Luis Sinisterra and Glen Kamara.
But the likes of Brenden Aaronson, Joel Piroe and Dan James have stepped up to the plate.
BURNLEY
Scott Parker is promotion king in the Championship and bids for three out of three at the Clarets after taking Fulham and Bournemouth up.
They don’t let many goals in and Josh Brownhill is a big goal threat. Burnley should squeeze just enough results out to make the top two.
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PLAY-OFFS
It’s like pinning a tail on a donkey predicting play-offs but I have a sneaky feeling for SUNDERLAND.
Regis Le Bris has made the Stadium of Light a fortress and on-loan Wilson Isidor’s nine goals so far have been very handy.
But keep an eye out for Danny Rohl’s SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY and you cannot rule out SHEFFIELD UNITED under Chris Wilder.
MIDDLESBROUGH will be there and WEST BROM surely will have a puncher’s chance.
LEAGUE ONE
AUTOMATIC PROMOTION
BIRMINGHAM
It’s a disgrace the Blues are even in the third tier after a relegation that should never have happened.
But the American owners poured millions into the club in the summer in a bid to make it a one-season stay — and it will be.
Jay Stansfield, a £15million buy from Fulham, has 12 league goals.
But, getting striker Alfie May in from Cheltenham was the best bit of business. His ten league goals, including two in Saturday’s 3-0 win at Wigan, are a big reason why they are in the title race.
WREXHAM
Phil Parkinson had to do things a bit differently this season from the two previous campaigns in the National League and League Two.
With Birmingham buying almost everyone that he wanted in the summer, he brought in potential.
Keeper Arthur Okonkwo, 23, from Arsenal was great business, while striker Steven Fletcher is still doing it up top at the age of 37. I expect them to nab second.
PLAY-OFFS
HUDDERSFIELD are another club that should never have gone down last season. It was madness to get rid of Neil Warnock, who miraculously kept them up the campaign before.
But Michael Duff has a great shot at going up in the play-offs.
WYCOMBE are punching above their weight with Matt Bloomfield and will be in the promotion chat — along with BARNSLEY, READING and STOCKPORT.
LEAGUE TWO
AUTOMATIC PROMOTION
WALSALL
The Saddlers are nailed on to go up under Mat Sadler. Nathan Lowe and Jamille Matt have netted 14 and seven goals respectively — and their defence is frighteningly stingy.
AFC WIMBLEDON
The Dons have made steady progress under Johnnie Jackson and I reckon he has found the right formula to lead them up.
Matty Stevens has been excellent up front with 12 goals — while defensively they are sound. I see them breaking into the top three.
NOTTS COUNTY
David McGoldrick is rolling back the years at the age of 37 with his beloved Magpies.
The ex-Sheffield United, Ipswich and Southampton man is on a mission to shoot them into League One under Stuart Maynard. And his deadly double in the 2-0 victory against Swindon on Saturday meant he has netted ten this season in the league.
PLAY-OFFS
I like the look of CREWE. Lee Bell was so close to taking the club up last season before their painful loss to Crawley in the play-off final.
They are hard to beat — only four losses so far. My only worry would be they don’t have an out-and-out goalscorer who can provide the firepower.
But the experience of Mickey Demetriou, 34, fused with the talent of 20-year-old Zac Williams and James Connolly, 23, have made for a great defensive base.
I can see PORT VALE slipping out of the automatic spots under Darren Moore and Grant McCann should steer DONCASTER to make the top seven.
If Paul Cook cannot get CHESTERFIELD into the play-offs it will be a massive failure for the Scouser who has a huge budget.
SALFORD should also be in the argument but I fancy eighth-placed BRADFORD under Graham Alexander making a strong push.
And I wouldn’t be surprised if Scott Lindsey can conjure another miracle — after taking Crawley up last season — to get MK DONS gatecrashing the play-off spots.