The games are coming thick and fast as the 2019-20 Championship season finally winds to a close following the coronavirus break… and both Cardiff City and Swansea City are making hard work of their push for the play-offs.
With the Bluebirds going down 2-0 against Fulham at Craven Cottage on Friday night and the Swans losing to an 89th-minute strike by Leeds United at the Liberty Stadium yesterday, the door to the play-offs has been swung ajar again to the likes of Preston, Millwall, Derby, Bristol and Blackburn.
The Bluebirds, who are on 64 points, entertain the Rams at Cardiff City Stadium tomorrow night in what could be a season-changer for either side. At the moment Neil Harris’ men are three points above Derby, with just two games to go after their big showdown.
Swansea are just a point behind Cardiff and are away on Wednesday to fifth-placed Nottingham Forest, who themselves need at least one more win to be sure of their own play-off spot. Forest sit six points above the Swans on 69 points.
There’s another six-pointer at the Den tomorrow night when Millwall take on Blackburn, while Preston face a tortuous trip to high-flying Brentford on Wednesday when Bristol will be aiming to bag three points against resurgent Stoke at Ashton Gate.
On Saturday the Bluebirds head to the Riverside to take on Middlesbrough, while the Swans entertain Bristol who are hot on their heels for a play-off berth. The regular season finishes with Cardiff at home to Hull and Swansea away to Reading at the Madejski Stadium on 22 July.
Bristol, who are currently just three points below the Bluebirds, entertain Preston, now just a point above them, on the final evening and are still bang in the hunt for promotion. Blackburn’s final two games are against Reading at home and away to Luton, with Derby’s last games being against table-toppers Leeds at home and Birmingham away. Millwall are away to Queen’s Park Rangers on Saturday and conclude their campaign against Huddersfield at home.
Points with three games remaining
5 Nottingham Forest 69
6 Cardiff City 64
7 Swansea City 63
8 Preston North End 62
9 Millwall 62
10 Derby County 61
11 Bristol City 61
12 Blackburn Rovers 60
Final Cardiff and Swansea games
Tuesday July 14: 7.45pm Cardiff City v Derby County
Wednesday July 15: 6pm Nottingham Forest v Swansea City
Saturday July 18: 3pm Middlesbrough v Cardiff City, Swansea City v Bristol City
Wednesday July 22: 7.30pm Cardiff City v Hull City, Reading v Swansea City
Play-off odds with SkyBet: Nottingham Forest 1/50; Cardiff 10/11; Swansea 9/4; Millwall 6/1; Preston 15/2; Bristol City 16/1; Blackburn 18/1; Derby 20/1
Promotion odds with SkyBet: Nottingham Forest 11/2; Cardiff 12/1; Swansea 20/1; Preston 40/1; Millwall 50/1; Derby 66/1; Blackburn 150/1; Bristol City 150/1
