The nine-team Premier League relegation scrap is tasty, but let’s not ignore the Championship as seven sides battle to avoid the drop to League One.
Ranked from most to least likely to go down, here is how I see the second-tier relegation scrap panning out…
Blackpool
Mick McCarthy’s arrival at Bloomfield Road has not had the desired effect as they have won just two of the 64-year-old’s 13 games in charge.
Blackpool’s 1-0 victory over Stoke City (who were bang out of form at the time) was followed by a run of three losses and one draw. Though they then pulled off the freakiest of freak results by winning 6-1 at home against relegation rivals QPR.
This was a result capable of kick-starting Blackpool’s survival push, but they have since reverted to type in one-sided losses against Coventry City and Preston.
Blackpool, 23rd, are four points adrift of safety and showing little sign of a heartbeat in the relegation scrap.
Wigan Athletic
Bottom-placed Wigan Athletic are a point worse off than Blackpool but they are showing much more fight.
Their three-point deduction has hampered their hopes, but a three-game unbeaten run has afforded them a much-needed boost. The Latics earned draws against Coventry and Watford before they battled to a narrow win over QPR.
Wigan have moved past Kolo Toure’s disastrous time in charge as ex-player Shaun Maloney has got them doing the basics well. They are now conceding far fewer goals but their struggles in attacking areas could prove detrimental in the end.
Leam Richardson was unfortunate to lose his job earlier this season and Wigan’s hierarchy have been punished for their lack of investment. Upcoming away games against Blackpool and Reading before their showdown at the DW Stadium with Rotherham on the final day will define Wigan’s season.
QPR
The Hoops have endured a remarkable fall from grace this season. They were in dreamland at the start of the campaign as Michael Beale looked to have them on track for a promotion push.
The now-Rangers boss was succeeded by Neil Critchley, whose dreadful spell in charge (one win in 12) started the process of QPR sleepwalking into a relegation fight.
Former player Gareth Ainsworth was plucked from Wycombe Wanderers to replace Critchley. I foolishly backed him to be a success at Loftus Road but if anything, QPR have got even worse since his arrival in February.
Ainsworth adapted his playing style at Wycombe as the quality of their squad gradually improved. But his…
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