- Leagues One and Two reach the climax of the regular season on Saturday
- It’s the penultimate weekend in the Championship with everything to play for
- Can Arsenal win a trophy for progress? The Gunners have recovered but there’s the final hurdle – Listen to the It’s All Kicking Off! podcast
<!–
<!–
<!–
<!–
(function (src, d, tag){
var s = d.createElement(tag), prev = d.getElementsByTagName(tag)[0];
s.src = src;
prev.parentNode.insertBefore(s, prev);
}(“https://www.dailymail.co.uk/static/gunther/1.17.0/async_bundle–.js”, document, “script”));
<!–
DM.loadCSS(“https://www.dailymail.co.uk/static/gunther/gunther-2159/video_bundle–.css”);
<!–
A massive weekend lies in store across the EFL with promotion, play-off and relegation matters set to be decided across all three divisions.
Leagues One and Two reach the climax of their regular season on Saturday afternoon, while the Championship is on its penultimate weekend.
Here’s all those crucial permutations ahead of a crunch weekend.
CHAMPIONSHIP
Automatic promotion
Leaders Leicester City will secure an immediate return to the Premier League if second-placed Leeds United lose to Queens Park Rangers on Friday night.
Alternatively, the Foxes need to win just one of their two remaining games and could seal promotion with three points at Preston North End on Monday evening.
It’ll then be between Leeds and Ipswich Town for the second automatic spot.
The Tractor Boys – who play at Hull City on Saturday night – are currently one point behind Leeds but that could extend to four if Daniel Farke‘s men get the job done at QPR.
Ipswich do, however, retain a game in hand – away at Coventry City on Tuesday – and so have their fate in their own hands.
Southampton can still mathematically catch Leeds and snatch second but their inferior goal difference means this is highly unlikely.
Should it come down to it, the final games on Saturday May 4 see Leeds host Southampton, Leicester entertain Blackburn, and Ipswich are at home to Huddersfield. All are 12.30pm kick-offs.
The Play-offs
Obviously the side that ends up third will have to face the uncertainties of the play-offs.
Southampton are definitely in, but the final two spots are still up for grabs. At the moment, West Bromwich Albion and Norwich City are fifth and sixth respectively on 72 points.
On Saturday, the Baggies make the trip to Sheffield Wednesday, while Norwich host Swansea City.
They can still be caught by Hull City (69 points) and Coventry City (63 points with a game in hand).
The Sky Blues would need to win all three of their games and hope Norwich or West Brom lose both of theirs, with Hull also suffering a loss.
Relegation
The relegation battle looks set to go right down to the wire.
Rotherham United are going down to League One, with their fate sealed by a 1-0 home defeat to Plymouth Argyle on April 5.
Huddersfield are second-bottom on 44 points and will be relegated if they lose at home to Birmingham City – a place and two points above them in 22nd – on Saturday.
The Terriers are also down if they draw, Plymouth avoid defeat and Sheffield Wednesday win.
Birmingham can also go down if they lose, Wednesday and Plymouth both win and Blackburn avoid defeat.
With just three points splitting Blackburn in 19th with Birmingham in 22nd, you can expect the relegation scrap to go to the final day.
LEAGUE ONE
Automatic promotion
Portsmouth are going up as champions – they secured that with a 3-2 win over Barnsley at Fratton Park on April 16.
Derby County are in pole position to take the second automatic promotion place ahead of the final set of games on Saturday lunchtime.
Just a point at home to relegated Carlisle United is required for the Rams to return to the Championship.
Bolton Wanderers could still overtake them but need to beat Peterborough away from home, hope Derby lose to Carlisle and also hope for a swing of at least four goals.
Play-offs
In all likelihood, Bolton will go into the play-offs, with Peterborough also assured of their place.
There are four contenders for the two remaining play-off berths, split by just two points.
Barnsley are fifth on 75 points and at home to Northampton Town; Lincoln City are sixth on 74 points and host Portsmouth; seventh-placed Oxford United also have 74 and travel to Exeter City; while Blackpool in eighth have 73 points and head to Reading.
Relegation
Carlisle were relegated on April 6, with Port Vale and Fleetwood Town following on April 20.
That leaves one more place to be decided on Saturday with Cheltenham Town, Burton Albion and Cambridge United in danger.
Cheltenham (44 points) are currently below the line and they head to Stevenage on Saturday. Burton (46 points) are at Fleetwood, while Cambridge (47 points) travel to Port Vale.
Cheltenham will need to beat Stevenage to stand any chance of survival, while a win for Burton and a point for Cambridge will ensure League One safety.
LEAGUE TWO
Automatic promotion
The three automatic promotion places in League Two have already been settled.
Stockport County are champions after they won 5-2 at Notts County on April 16, while Wrexham made sure of promotion on April 13 and Mansfield Town followed suit on April 16.
Play-offs
MK Dons are assured of a play-off place and a home second leg in the semi-finals, but the other three spots are completely up for grabs.
Ahead of Saturday’s final fixtures, Doncaster Rovers (70 points), Crewe Alexandra (70) and Barrow (68) are in position to join them.
But they could still be overhauled by Crawley Town (67), Bradford City (66) and Walsall (65), who remain in the chase.
Doncaster are away at Gillingham, Crewe head to Colchester United, Barrow host Mansfield, Crawley are at home to Grimsby Town, Bradford entertain Newport County, and Walsall are at AFC Wimbledon – all at 3pm on Saturday.
Relegation
Forest Green Rovers saw their relegation to the National League confirmed back on April 16.
Sutton United will join them unless they win their last game (away to MK Dons) and Colchester lose against Crewe, with a four-goal swing in goal difference.
There is a scenario whereby Colchester and Sutton finish the season level on points, goal difference and goal scored – as well as a tied head-to-head record (two 1-1 draws).
It would the come down to number of wins across the campaign, with Sutton two behind Colchester at the moment, meaning they would be relegated.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Champions
Chesterfield secured promotion back to the EFL after six years away when they beat Boreham Wood 3-0 in March 23.
Play-offs
The Play-offs are underway and this weekend sees the two semi-finals. Barnet host Solihull moors on Saturday at 5.30pm, while Bromley host Altrincham on Sunday at 4pm.
