Fulham have been the standout team in the Championship this season, and barring an unprecedented collapse, they will be heading back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
The Cottagers are seeking a third promotion from the second tier in just four years, but after going up via the playoffs in 2018 and 2020, it looks like the current crop will be returning to the top flight as winners of the Championship.
Marco Silva deserves plenty of credit for masterminding Fulham’s latest promotion charge, with the former Everton and Watford boss getting the best out of an albeit talented squad, but one that was surely lacking confidence after last season’s relegation.
Fulham are currently 11 points clear at the top of the standings and they boast the joint-best defensive record in the division, conceding just 29 goals.
However, it is their prowess at the other end of the pitch that has particularly caught the eye, as they have netted a staggering 84 goals in their 34 league matches to date this term, with striker Aleksandar Mitrovic responsible for 34 of those.
Mitrovic has already broken the Championship record for most goals scored in a season by one player, while if he keeps going at his current rate, he could well surpass the 50-goal mark.
Bournemouth on Course for Promotion
Huddersfield are currently the nearest challengers to Fulham, with the Terriers having moved up to second in the standings following a 16-match unbeaten league run that dates back to November and 3/1 to win at West Brom on Friday.
Carlos Corberan’s side are certainly in the conversation to go up, but Bournemouth appear the most likely candidates for automatic promotion alongside the league leaders.
The Cherries have spent most of the season in the top two, and despite some wobbles over the winter, they remain third, just a point behind Huddersfield, while also boasting four games in hand on the Terriers.
Below Bournemouth, and the race for the playoffs is as competitive as ever, with just nine points separating fourth-placed Blackburn and Blackpool down in 14th.
Sheffield United, Middlesbrough and West Brom are among the big hitters with recent Premier League experience looking to make a return to the top flight, while the likes of Luton, Millwall and Coventry are also in contention.
Derby’s Great Escape Could Still Be On
While the race for the playoffs appears wide open, the relegation battle is more straightforward, with four teams battling to avoid the drop into League One.
Reading are the team currently outside the relegation zone, but despite sitting five points clear of the bottom three, the Royals have only won two of their last 15 league fixtures, a worrying trend heading into the business end of the campaign.
Derby sit directly below Reading in the standings and the great escape is still firmly on for Wayne Rooney’s side, as they continue to defy expectations after having 21 points deducted earlier in the season due to their ongoing financial problems.
The Rams boosted their survival hopes further with a 2-0 victory over fellow strugglers Barnsley last weekend, a result that dented their opponents’ bid to move out of the bottom three.
Barnsley had been in good form prior to their loss at Pride Park, winning three of their previous four, with Poya Asbaghi’s side now sitting six points adrift of safety, but they have played fewer matches than both Derby and Reading.
Peterborough are the other team in trouble and survival looks a forlorn hope for bottom of the table Posh. They are eight points adrift of safety and have taken just two points from their previous 12 Championship fixtures.
*All odds correct at time of writing.
