On Easter Monday; Preston North End’s fate was sealed when a defeat against Cardiff City plummeted them into League One football next season.
Npower Championship Table as it currently stands:
|
PLD |
W |
D |
L |
GF |
GA |
PTS |
GD |
||||||||||||||||||||
|
20 |
44 |
12 |
11 |
21 |
43 |
65 |
47 |
-22 |
|||||||||||||||||||
|
21 |
44 |
11 |
14 |
19 |
54 |
77 |
47 |
-23 |
|||||||||||||||||||
|
22 |
44 |
11 |
8 |
25 |
42 |
73 |
41 |
-31 |
|||||||||||||||||||
|
23 |
44 |
12 |
5 |
27 |
41 |
81 |
41 |
-40 |
|||||||||||||||||||
|
24 |
44 |
9 |
12 |
23 |
50 |
76 |
39 |
-26 |
|||||||||||||||||||
Sheffield United know what they need to do if they are to avoid the drop this season – it is a hard task but they must win their remaining two fixtures against Barnsley (h) and Swansea City (a) and hope that neither Doncaster Rovers nor Crystal Palace pick up at least a point from their remaining games.
Goal Difference (GD) also comes into play; if both Rovers and the Eagles fail to win (or draw) their next two remaining fixtures then goal difference will decide which teams stop up and which don’t. Currently the Blades 
have a GD of -31 whilst Crystal Palace are 9 goals better off and Doncaster 8 goals ahead – United must swing that difference around if they are to retain their Championship status.
League One football looks certain for Scunthorpe United who despite being in a similar position to the Blades has an even tougher task ahead of them; they too must win their two remaining games and pray that either Doncaster or Palace fail to claim a point from their next two games.
They also face the tough task of overturning a goal difference; though they have -40 and need to overturn 17 goals in the next two games to stay up. The Iron also have a difficult fixture in Nottingham Forest at the City Ground who are desperate for three points to sustain their top six spot; the Glanford Park club travel to Portsmouth on the final day of the season.
Both Doncaster Rovers and Crystal Palace require a point or more to cement their name into next season npower Championship. Rovers face Leicester City at the Keepmoat this weekend who despite firing on all cylinders are struggling to make the top six – though they have a slim opportunity to do so if Nottingham Forest and other clubs slip up.
Doncaster, who haven’t won a game since 1st March when a 3-1 score line was enough to beat Derby County eleven games travel to Middlesbrough on the final day of the season. The Boro have already secured there place in the Championship but have been a strong side recently.
Crystal Palace is the most probable team of the four to retain their Championship status; they too require just a minimum of one point from their next two games. Though they travel to seventh placed Hull City this Saturday and a Tigers win would mount added pressure on sixth placed Nottingham Forest going into the final day fixtures. The eagles beat Leeds United last Monday and will be without goal scorer Neal Danns who was sent-off against the Whites, Palace boss Dougie Freedman will pray that this won’t dent his side’s chances in stopping up.
On the final day of the season Palace face Nottingham Forest at Selhurst Park and depending on how things add up they may well need to beat Forest on their own ground to stay up but Forest, themselves may be desperate for points too!
Whatever happens the Easter weekend’s results has sent for a tense finale to the season and given Blades fans hope that they didn’t envisage three months ago. Up the Blades!
This weekend’s Championship fixtures:
Saturday, 30 April 2011
Doncaster Rovers vs. Leicester City (3:00pm)
Hull City vs. Crystal Palace (3:00pm)
Nottingham Forest vs. Scunthorpe United (3:00pm)
Sheffield United vs. Barnsley (3:00pm)