The Championship Play-Offs: Winner, Odds to Watch & Predictions

The bookies seem to be pretty confident of this season’s play-off contenders being Brentford (1/9), Swansea (1/12), Barnsley (1/5) and AFC Bournemouth (1/5). However, we think that there is bound to be a shock as we come to the home straight at the end of the season.

Whilst we agree that Brentford are almost guaranteed for the top six, Swansea have lost four games in a row, Barnsley lack experience, and it’s fair to say they’re punching above their weight, whilst Bournemouth are currently seventh despite their short odds, although they do have a game in hand.

Former Chicago Fire head coach Veljko Paunović has had a strong debut season in the Championship and his Reading side currently sit in sixth spot, as they look to reach the top six for the second time since being relegated from the Premier League in 2013.

The Royals recently earned a hard-fought point against fellow play-off hopefuls Barnsley and have a huge game coming up as they face out-of-form Swansea City at home at the end of the month. The key to Reading’s success this season has been keeping striker Lucas Joao fit, who has 19 goals so far, the Portuguese forward showed glimpses of his talent at Sheffield Wednesday but has already appeared in more games this season than any of his previous four.

With Ovie Ejaria, Michael Olise and Yakou Miete playing behind Joao, Reading certainly won’t be lacking in creativity but will likely need to grind out results against both Watford and Norwich if they are to reach the play-offs. Sky Bet are offering odds of 1/1 for Reading to compete in this year’s play-offs and 9/1 to win them.

Although it seems unlikely, another outcome that could change the play-off picture would be a drop in form for second-placed Watford.

However, the Hornets have picked up 31 points out of a possible 36 in their last 12 games so a poor run of form definitely seems out of character for them at the moment. Xisco Munoz’s side are nine points clear of Brentford but have played an extra game and with a tough run-in that sees them play four of the current top six, including both Norwich and Brentford away from home, it is not out of question to think that they could slip to third.

The standout game is certainly Brentford away, which could turn out to be a decider for who achieves automatic promotion. Watford are 4/1 to finish the season in a play-off spot and 14/1 to win them.

Even though the automatic spots are becoming less and less realistic for Brentford, following four consecutive draws, they are now the bookies favourites to win the play-offs at 15/8. The signing of league top scorer Ivan Toney from Peterborough United has proven to be the perfect replacement for now England international Ollie Watkins and Toney now has 28 goals to his name so far this campaign.

Thomas Frank’s team have more goals than anyone else is the division and have real pace in attack with Sergi Canos and Bryan Mbuemo complimenting Toney, this makes us believe that they will be a threat on the counterattack in their away leg of the play-offs, where there is pressure on the home side to win. On the off-chance that Watford slip up, you can back Brentford at 11/10 to achieve promotion.

If Bournemouth win the play-offs and Norwich and Watford go up as they are expected to, then this will be the first time that all three teams relegated from the Premier League have bounced back at the first time of asking. Interim manager Jonathan Woodgate will be looking to get the job on a permanent basis and a promotion would go a long way to securing it.

With five wins from their last seven and a game in-hand on sixth-placed Reading, Bournemouth will be fancying their chances of reaching the play-offs but will be looking to avoid Brentford if possible, with Swansea and Barnsley seeming like more favourable opponents. The Cherries have experience on their side with the likes of Steve Cook, Jack Wilshere, Asmir Begovic and Shane Long amongst their ranks and this could be enough to carry them over the line in a high-pressure situation.

Woodgate’s side are 3/1 to win the play-offs.

By Tom Eaton